Srebrenica, fifteen years after
Fifteen years ago, one of the worst tragedy took place in the city of Srebrenica, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Aroud 8000 bosnian men, were slaughtered by the army of Serbian Republic of Bosnia(VRS), led by Radko Mladic. It was, however, a “security area” according to UN officials, under UN forces supervision (around 400 Dutch soldiers). In march, the Serbian parliament recognized this part of History and condemned it officially. A first step to impulse a new stage of regional reconciliation.
But for the muslim mothers who saw their sons die in this tragedy, perhaps time to forgive has not come yet.
UN and Dutch guilties?
Scorpions : a Serbian paramilitary group serving next to VRS
887 squares kilometers before integration
887 squares kilometers still left to demine for the Croatian authorities. It’s better than the 6000 ones ten years ago. Of course, the most sensitive area is around the Bosnian border (around 55 squares kilometers). Clearing of mines has cost 151 million dollars, but now, Croatia can pride itself to have the best mines disposal units in Estern Europe. Above all, by honoring the Shengen standards, it allows the small country to move forward EU.
Moldova, heaven of hackers
The outcome of the BSA (Business Software Alliance, representing the global software industry) annual study condemned one country in the Balkans: Moldova. According to the report, with Georgia and Zimbabwe, this state, one of the poorest in Europe, would be a heaven for every sort of hacker. Although the rate of hacking has dropped in 54 countries of 111 studied, Moldova’s PC software piracy rate is higher than 90 percent. (photo: foreverdigital, CC)
Albania, so far from EU
It will be very hard for Albania to integrate EU in the next few years. One week ago, Prime minister, Sali Berisha, brought back the membership questionnaire. Face up to the tome, he became ironic: “It was the biggest book ever published in Albania”.
But, no time to joke. Since last June, government and political opposition have quarreled over outcomes of the parliamentary election. The Socialist Party (opposition) has boycotted the house for 6 months. An oppressive atmosphere which is hindering the membership process: Stephan Füle, EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy, showed his concern about the Albanian political situation, arguing the democratic rules don’t comply with European norms.
In addition, Albania has to deal with a growing rate of corruption. And the Greek financial crisis isn’t going to smooth things over… (photo : muchYorik, CC)
Moscow-Chisinau: Who won World War II?
Russian medias speak out against Moldovan acting president, Mihai Ghimpu. What’s wrong? His statement that he won’t go to the 65th anniversary of the Russian victory against German troops in 1945. “How can I take part in this parade, next to the army which brought us communism, and which organized famine, and deportations to Siberia?” said Ghimpu. “We would be very grateful to Moscow if the war had only ended fascism, but it also imposed a communist regime by force in our country, and Russia still maintains troops on our teritory,”.
It cast a chill over bilateral relations. The Moldovan communist Party (PCRM, loser of last elections, in July 2009), resumes its favorite argument, (which had been used many times during the electoral campaign last summer): the pro-European coalition that wanted “to collapse the Republic by unifying Romania and Moldova”, proves it has “more compassion for losers than for the real hero in unprecedented battles against fascism”. To understand what it hides behind this sentence, Radio Liberty makes an historical assessment:
The territory of today’s Moldova, which was part of a greater Romania from 1918, was annexed by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. During the war, many Moldovan soldiers fought both with the Soviets and in the army of Romania, which was initially an ally of Nazi Germany. Those who served in the Romanian Army were considered “enemies of the people” during the Soviet period.
Can Serbia become an “isolated island”?
“Neutrality requires a higher budget, a number of troops, more weapons and modern military equipment. Switzerland, which is always being used as an example of a neutral country, has a respectable amount of the most modern weapons, and there is still a mandatory military service,” said Serbian Defense Minister, Dragan Sutanovac, a few days ago. Conserving neutrality or joining NATO? The question divides the Serbian politic class. Since 2004, the government has launched a wide-ranging professionalization of its army. This year is the last of this program, the last to prove the revival of the Serbian military power. For most of us, the last picture we keep of fond memories is the air strikes on the Defense ministry building in 1999.
The Serbian army has at its disposal an ageing arsenal of weapons which has begun to be replaced for five years. Its main force lies in the capacity to produce its own weapons. Indeed, the firm Zastava was the heart of the Serbian military-industrial complex. The Defense ministry also wants to increase the number of its troops: “In the coming months, we will employ about 4,500 professional soldiers, which will end one of the largest societal reforms in the country,” promised Dragan Sutanovac. But the minister seems to take his time. The Nato membership is “not on the agenda”, according to him. First of all, priority is given to the European integration.
(photo : M.E, Dr)
A step to reconciliation
Reconciliation goes through integration. That’s the message the Hungarian, Serbian, and Croatian presidents wanted to promote in an international meeting, this April 16th, in Pecs (Hungary). In 2011, Budapest will lead the EU and it seems to be determined to help its neighbors to integrate the Union as fast as possible. Croatia hopes to join the “27” in 2012, and Serbia in 2013.
The three leaders also dealt with minority issues. Each country has to deal with dozens of minorities inside their borders. Albanians, Roma, Serbs, Turks, Egyptians, Bosnians, Hungarians, Gorani, are communities who defend their own interest and who don’t always have a national conscience. That’s the same for Serbs in Kosovo who live in enclaves (with a certain degree of autonomy like in north-Mitrovica).
Example : Kosovo
“National minorities are the bridge that connects our three nations and we talked about the possibility that the concept of cultural national group be adopted”, the Hungarian president said. In that way, the recognition of the Bosnian genocide by Serbian troops (and Bosnian-Serbs militias) in the early 1990’s was a must, not just in order to head the EU but also to ease neighborhood tensions.
The formidable witness
Hard times for Karadzic. The former leader of Bosnian Serbs during wartime must face up to one of the most formidable witness in the Balkans : Ahmed Zulic. This prisoner of the Manjaca camp in 1992-1993, has already managed to get two former Bosnian Serbs agitators (Radoslav Brdjanin, 30 years, and Momcilo Krajisnik, 20 years) and the former president Slobodan Milosevic (dead in jail in 2006) convicted.
Radovan Karadzic’s trial resumes this April 13th. His postponement and his “stay of proceedings” were rejected one week ago.
(photo : fortune cookie, CC)
Serbian PM and the middle way
In an interview for the European channel Euronews, Serbian Prime Minister, Mirko Cvetkovic, said if his country doesn’t want to recognize the Kosovo independance, he doesn’t preclude finding a middle way between this status and the Serbian position known since 1999 (that’s to say: “Kosovo is just a province of Serbia”, despite ten years of western military presence in the field). “A solution acceptable to all parties” according to his own terms. No other details. Nothing that impels to optimism, even if that “change” is well welcomed by the European press.
A sad birthday
Sad birthday in Moldova. One year ago, on April 7th 2009, thousands of protesters were walking down the Stefan Cel Mare avenue, the main street in Chisinau (the capital of Moldova) to contest the election of the Communist Party. Some of them climbed the presidential palace to hoist the Romanian flag (probably they were themselves policemen, dressed up as demonstrators). Four liberal parties showed their support. Authorities accused the opposition of wanting to overthrow the Republic, and deployed troops around the building. Dramatic report : one dead, hundreds of wounded in riots.
The former minister of justice of Republika Srpska, RS, told the trial of Radovan Karadzic that Bosnian Muslims began creating "paramilitary formations" as early as in 1991, adding they were armed by Croatia and Arab countries.
French journalist, specialized in international security issues. Welcome to my Blog!
