What is life in Kosovo like for a Serb?

Question

Please only answer if you actually LIVE in kosovo cos I want first hand reports. I have read all the media reports..

I visited Kosovo for a week a few years ago and the situation for Serbs wasn't good.
I just want to know if things have changed.


Is it possible for a Serb to have a norm life there. Can they move about freely now? Are there any (many) Serbs who can live amongst Albanians?
When Kosovo becomes independent will it be possible for Serbs to live there as ordinary citizens? What about discrimination?
Do you think Serbs will be able to participate in public life and not live in englaves?
What is average Albainians opinion of their (Kosovo) Serb neighbours? Will independence help reconcilation?

Puna Hvala i faleminderit :)

Nobody has really answered my question yet.. I want practicals..Is it easy to get a job?? Travel?? Live in an 'albanian area' Have Albanian friends, Safe???? Going to the market etc???

Answer 1

Independence as such won't help reconciliation if Belgrade authorities continue keeping the Kosovar Serbs under tight control and supplying them with lies about Albanians.

Answer to Additional details:

Employment - Easy in administration (posts reserved). Otherwise, it is difficult since there are no factories yet. It's difficult for Albanians as well.

Market - Serbs prefer "their" market although special security has been provided by KPS an UN Police just to enable them use the same market.

Friends - I have coffee with Serb friends at the cafes I normally visit in my hometown and in Prishtina, and I also visit Serb villages and their cafes. Serbs can have Albanian friends as long as they are willing to visit the town.

Freedom of movement - Ex-minister Petkovic showed the interested parties how freely he moved around Kosova. Dr. Todorovic, member of Serbian negotiating team knows how freely he moves as well (don't listen to what he tells now about it though, see the videos)...

... ALL I wrote applies to Gjilan and Prishtina. I personally don't know what is the situation in other towns.

Nema na cemu! Me nder qofsh! You're Welcome!

Answer 2

Sure it is possible for them to have a normal life. They may return and reclaim their property as long as they are not wanted by local and international police for crimes against their former Albanian neighbors. You see a large, extremely large number of Serbs took part in helping the Yugoslav army and paramilitary attack on the Albanians and in some cases committed crimes with their own hands. When the Albanians returned these cowards had left for Yugoslavia and left the elderly to deal with Albanian rage(I was not proud at some revenge killings, because revenge is wrong) but at the same time one needs to look at the facts and realize that overall the Albanians were the victims of Serbian aggression.

To answer you question if Serbs can live amongst Albanians? Yes under a government elected by the Democratic people of KOSOVA, with a constitution that guarantees equal individual rights to all. Serbian judging by its history can not be trusted with implementing such measures. In the eyes of the Albanians they mistrust Belgrade no matter what regime is in power to them as the saying goes in Serbia is "ISTI KURAC, DRUGO PAKUVANJE". Once the Kosovars gain their freedoms that most were deprived for a long time they will charish it and will not do anything to jeopardize it. As i said Kosovo will have a constitution similar to the U.S.. Independence will surely start a new chapter in Albanian-Serb relations. Yes Serbs will have the same rights as any other citizen but it will be hard for the Serbs because they were used to being the elite and got the best jobs strictly on the fact that they were Serbs. In Free Kosova you will be hired by your merrits, and capabilities. Corruption will now pass on to Albanian politicians(I say this because all Balkan countries are corrupt to the teeth) it's hard psycologically for people to deal with these types of changes, going from running things, to running your mouth. I also think that Serbs have had to much faith in their corrupt leaders and the media these despots controlled.
In conclusion all this was done over money. Milosevic plundered everything under the disguise of nationalistic war and the Serb people were the biggest losers. He lost all territories but the original rump Serbian borders, He has made the Serbian people an outcast in the eyes of the world. THE SERBS need healing, just as my people needed healing once the dictatorship of Enver Hoxha was gone, or any other group kept in check by a tyrant. The sad part about it is that was makes the Serbs healing diffucult is that feel victimezed by the West when in reality it was their own leaders that put them in this state of misery. The first step to any recovery is that you start by apologizing to all the people you have harmed and immediately after that magical things start to take place.

Answer 3

Well I see you get an answer of "self-proclaimed expert for albanian history". He gave you better answer than any Serb ever can and gives you the best picture of situation there. They can live there but only according to new rules of new albanian history (haha) that includes violence and fear, not just for Serbs, but for all other minorities.