Brotherhood and Unity

Here in the Balkans lives an endangered human species. It is called the Yugo. A Yugo is a person who grew up in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and who still has good memories about that time.

Yugos are the opposite of Schatzies (see this blog 30/08/2007). They are educated, urban and political moderate. They are nostalgic about Tito's time, when they could travel without visa, were able to consume like Europeans and were a force to be reckoned with in almost any sport. But - most of all - when they had an identity that was widely accepted and respected.

Yugos among each other have a lot of fun recalling memories of Tito's time. Typical "Yugostalgia" is the TV show “Allow us to address you”. This show was aired every Sunday morning on the national channel (the one and only TV channel). It was about the newest developments in Yugoslav army. Every time the show would close with the following line: "All of you can sleep tight tonight because we are here to protect you." That line does not only sound funny and naïve nowadays, but also sarcastic in hindsight (Serbia used the Yugoslav army to fight the other republics). On Sunday evening the series “The written off” was aired. It was about urban partisan resistance against 'zee nazees'. The series became cult for the Yugos. Nowadays it is re-aired in some ex YU countries. There is even a techno remix of its tune.

Last month, the tragic death at the age of 26 of a pop singer from Macedonia - Tose Proeski - brought the Yugos together again. His voice was widely appreciated across the politically divided Balkans. He was mourned and commemorated in ALL former Yugoslav countries including here in Kosovo, being it more discretely and only by those who still dare.

With his death Yugoslavia got buried a little more. Sad, very sad.

Birthday abroad

Today I am getting 38. Outside it is snowing. It is my first birthday with snow! Such a nice present, snow in autumn: ocre yellow, terra cotta, bordeaux red and pale green topped off with a lot of white. Beautifull.

Last night I had a party. My first birthday party abroad. It was good! I had prepared food, bought a lot of drinks, decorated my house and selected nice music. About 15 friends/colleagues showed up despite the drizzle. I even had a visitor from the Netherlands (Lucas)! We drank a lot (one bottle of wine per person). And we danced a lot.

The picture shows me balancing a glass of raki on my head. The Kosovars were much better in this game of course... Maybe because my head is more slippery?

The Decentralization Division

Last Wednesday we had a retreat with the whole Decentralization Division. We went to Batlava Lake and enjoyed ourselves a full day with several team building activities, a quiz, folk dancing and a long and alcohol drenched diner with live music. The picture shows a great deal of my colleagues after the folk dance session.

Standing from left to right: Dardan Dula (Kosovar Albanian), Arian Dragacina (Kosovar Albanian), Eranda Aliu (Kosovar Albanian), Marie-Astrid Huemer (French), Jose Arrazia (Spanish - Head Property Section), Lumnije Aliu (Kosovar Albanian), Michael Schuetz (USA - Head Local Good Governance Section), Mehriban Gashi (Kosovar Albanian - my personal assistant), Nensi Jasharaj (Kosovar Albanian / Montenegrin), folk dancer I, manager folk dance group, flute player folk dance group, folk dancer II, Me, folk dancer II, III and IV & Jasmin Gojani (Kosovar Albanian / Croat). Sitting from left to right: Florin Llapi (Kosovar Albanian), Ylber Veseli (Kosovar Albanian), Juliane Hertweck (German), folk dancer IV, Dardan Rexhepi (Kosovar Albanian), folk dancer V & Victoria Jennett (Northern Irish).

Not on the picture: Paivi Nikander (Finish - Head of the Decentralization Support Section), Jonuz Bytyqi (Kosovar Albanian), Maddalena Dali (Italian), Edis Arifagić (Bosnian), Biserka Ivanovic (Croat Serb), Albert Zylfiu (Kosovar Albanian) & Wolff-Michael Mors (German). Wolff-Michael made the picture.

Portrait (September 12)

Albanian land

Mid August Su visited me (see first picture). We visited Tirana and the Albanian Alps. While travelling we realized how much curiousity we shared: so many things were interesting! We had to stop the car almost every half hour to take a picture. We know eachother for 26 years now (... my God!), but this was a surprising revelation for both.

We roamed the Northern half of the country: from Elbasan to Tirana to Shkodra to Kukkes. In the Northern Albanian mountains a heatwave was suffocating the already barren landscape to the extreme.

The second picture shows a football field in the middle of nowhere. The third shows what's left of the biggest water reservior in the region...

Fuck Balkan

Early August when I arrived in Europe again - during the trip with my parents - I was struck for the first time by the diversity of the population. Here in Kosovo the population is for 90% Albanian, 8% Serbian and 2% RAE. This latter minority consists of Roma, Ashakali (a Roma split-off) and Egyptians (they also do not know where they came from). The majority of the minorities live in enclaves. Mainly in the country side. That means Pristina is mono ethnic (= 100% Albanian). If you do not count the expat community ofcourse...

Europe is different nowadays. The personnel behind the counter in my hotel in Vienna was one day Colombian, one day Indian and one day Serbian. In the hotel in Alpnach the waiters were Spanish, Korean and "Ossie-German".

I couldn't refrain from asking an English waiter where the Swiss were. He replied that they were behind the curtains in the back. Counting money...

That sums it all up: it is the result of simple supply and demand. Most Europeans have become too rich to be willing to do low skilled labour. They don't care too much since they have cheap Polish plumbers and kebab snackbars that are open 24/7. The immigrants are better off too. The money they make balances off their inconveniences. The only losers are the unskilled European workers.

The picture shows what some locals in Alpnach think about this development. As if the 'jugos' didn't have enough to cope with lately...

Nensi Jasharaj

The first time I met Norbert I was quietly discussing with my colleagues a presentation we were to give later that week. Suddenly - unannounced - the door flung open and two gentlemen entered our office. The older one - a senior international that was acting head of the Decentralization Support Section - introduced the other younger one as the new head of the Decentralization Division. The younger one had a big smile on his face. He shortly presented himself to us, asked our names, talked a little and left again. We looked at each other after the door closed. None of us had remembered his name. This guy was way too much energy for us…

Our section – the Local Good Governance Section – consists of 6 lawyers: 3 international (American, German, Austrian), 1 national (Kosovar Albanian) and 2 mixed ones (Kosovar Albanian - Croat and Kosovar Albanian - Montenegrin). Most of us have been working for the OSCE for more than 6 years. It is our job to monitor the development of the legal framework for (local) government in Kosovo. That means reading, analyzing, assessing, commenting and recommending on the work of the Provisional Institutes of Self Government and local governments in Kosovo. As you may know Kosovo is a unique political administrative creature: a place without a proper constitution, where legislative powers are shared between local institutes and international organizations, and where more than 100 laws will be issued in the coming year. You can imagine the magnitude of our work. Working in such a demanding environment it is good to have someone like Norbert around – someone who injects energy and at the same time gives you a feeling that could be described as "Don't worry, I am here."

During our short first meeting Norbert had expressed the desire to come see our presentation. Although he was just visiting for 3 days, he apparently had time to listen to my analyses of the Implementation of the Freedom of Information Law in Kosovo! “For how long will this energy last?” I thought to myself. Later that week we had the presentation. Norbert did come to see it. Driving back to head quarters he had so much question and ideas that we all felt a little dizzy! I had a smile on my face though, because I liked the feeling I had. This guy is going to make things move in our division.

But of course there are some things that I find not so nice about Norbert. For instance the way he keeps his office - and his life too I assume - so tidy and organized! I’m going to refrain from saying the second thing I don't like about Norbert. But, I‘m sure he knows what it is.

Although it is still premature to make a definite conclusion I have a hunch that he is going to be great to work with. He has proven already that he is very good in having gin tonics on the 9th floor during the weekly happy hour and in dancing the night away in the 212 Jazz Club...

Nensi Jasharaj

We're from Maaastricht

In the last two weeks of July both my parents and my brother and his wife came to visit me (see first picture). It was their first trip in the Balkans. Since they do not like flying we had agreed I would pick them up in Vienna with my car.

I had arrived in Vienna 5 days earlier for the introduction training of the OSCE. During one of the lunch breaks I noticed a poster on a fence that mentioned an open-air concert by Andre Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra later that weekend. I immediately realized this would be a fantastic surprise for my parents! They love his music. And they are very proud that this 'best selling Dutch artist abroad' comes from the same region as they do. I bought tickets immediately and called my brother to discuss how to keep it a secret for my parents.

The day after my parents arrived we visited Sissi's summer castle Schoennbrun. It was packed with tourists. When I was buying entrance tickets my mother - very social by nature - started talking to a group of American tourists. I heard her saying: "We're from Maaastricht". A sigh of admiration arose from the crowd. She appeared to be talking to the Andre Rieu Fan club! Some of the members had followed him all around Europe during his tour. For me it was a red alert. The secret was at danger... I hastily joined the conversation and managed to get her out of there... While we entered the castle both her and my father kept on talking of how famous Rieu had become. Their modesty refrained them from thinking they would be going to his concert.

Before the concert we had a diner close to the Hofburg. While walking the streets of the old city we repeatedly bumped into tourist that were sitting on the streets and waiting for the start of the concert to enjoy the music for free. My mother talked to some of them explaining them that "we're from Maaastricht". Even when we were approaching the security check both still had no clue what we were up to.

Of course they were baffled when I took out the tickets. And rightly so. The concert was great. It was in front of the Hofburg city castle. A perfect background for his sing a long waltzes. There were dancers in historical costumes and several guest singers (my father whispering proudly in my ear: "We see these singers every week in music shows on German television"). My mother couldn't resist grabbing my arm and pretty much succeeded in getting the rest of the row joining our 'schunkeln' (see second picture).

The next 10 days we spend crossing the Balkans. From Vienna to Belgrade (Serbia) to Pristina (Kosovo) to Kotor (Montenegro) to Dubrovnik (Croatia) and to the Plitvic lakes (Croatia). We finished the trip in Alpnach in Switserland in the same hotel were both had their honeymoon 40 years ago. It was a beautiful and exhausting trip.

The last picture shows my mother reading her local newspaper in the bay of Kotor on the Montenegrin coast. The idea for the picture was hers.

The Andre Rieu Vienna show will be broadcasted on German television (ZDF) on August 11th. Don't miss it. We are sitting halfway on the right side...