Is Kosovo part of Serbia?

[Aeken]

Yes, Kosovo is a part of Serbia. Sadly, over the last century, Albanians have populated the region and to get rid of them would be akin to genocide or would require a mass-expulsion which would be shocking to the international community. Sadly, however historically relevant is may be to the Serbs, Kosovo, in this day and age, barring North Kosovo, is not a part of Serbia. The ideal solution is one multicultural state, similar to Bosnia, but I think that partitioning Kosovo may be the only solution right now. Let's just hope it doesn't turn into another Indian Partition.

It disgusts me that Albanians have freeloaded on what is rightfully Serbian territory, but what can we expect? The Ottomans did the same to Bosnia by Islamifying a Croatian/Serbian population. Now the Albanians have taken Kosovo. The Serbs may have done some terrible things recently, but for the last few centuries, others have done terrible things to the Serbs.

Source for Albanian immigration.

[Risottia]

For every single argument that works for Kosovo's independence, there is an even strong argument for North Kosovo's ability to stay with Serbia.

Not only: it's also an argument for the Republika Srpska (BiH) to join Serbia. And an argument in favour of the Serbian side in the war over Krajna and Western Slavonia.

[Wolfmanne]

Yes, Kosovo is a part of Serbia. Sadly, over the last century, Albanians have populated the region and to get rid of them would be akin to genocide or would require a mass-expulsion which would be shocking to the international community. Sadly, however historically relevant is may be to the Serbs, Kosovo, in this day and age, barring North Kosovo, is not a part of Serbia. The ideal solution is one multicultural state, similar to Bosnia, but I think that partitioning Kosovo may be the only solution right now. Let's just hope it doesn't turn into another Indian Partition.

It disgusts me that Albanians have freeloaded on what is rightfully Serbian territory, but what can we expect? The Ottomans did the same to Bosnia by Islamifying a Croatian/Serbian population. Now the Albanians have taken Kosovo. The Serbs may have done some terrible things recently, but for the last few centuries, others have done terrible things to the Serbs.

Source for Albanian immigration.

Just ask any Serb. Read any history book. Or, just read this Wikipedia article. It's reasonable to assume that many Serbs were uprooted by the Ottoman butchery and forced from their land. Of course, this was the largest migration of Serbs, but as the centuries went by the Albanians continuously settled Kosovo as pastoralists until about the 20th century, where most sources identified them as forming a significant proportion of the population in Kosovo.

[Terrordome]

Please no Kosovan Independance! The Balkan eurovision voting bloc is already too powerful. Albania and Serbia don't need another douze and dix points respectively.

[Risottia]

Please no Kosovan Independance! The Balkan eurovision voting bloc is already too powerful. Albania and Serbia don't need another douze and dix points respectively.

Meh, only the Nordics care about Eurovision anyway.

[Nervium]

Has Austria given up Serbia?

In that case...

[Wolfmanne]

Please no Kosovan Independance! The Balkan eurovision voting bloc is already too powerful. Albania and Serbia don't need another douze and dix points respectively.

Meh, only the Nordics care about Eurovision anyway.

And Malta. The government there spends money on coming 2nd place.

[Nervium]

Please no Kosovan Independance! The Balkan eurovision voting bloc is already too powerful. Albania and Serbia don't need another douze and dix points respectively.

Meh, only the Nordics care about Eurovision anyway.

Not to mention, wtf Eurovision.

[Risottia]

Meh, only the Nordics care about Eurovision anyway.

And Malta. The government there spends money on coming 2nd place.

It's Malta.
Basically, Italians who speak Arabic and think they're British.

They're BOUND to be a bit weird.

[Neu Leonstein]

The Ottomans occupied, raped and pillaged, Kosovo [Serbia] for nearly 500 years. I give the Albanians another 20 max before some form of global upheaval provides the distraction needed for the re-conquest to begin. The "Kosovo curse", dated from the 1300s, as inscribed in the Gazimestan memorial, makes certain of this.

This disturbs me. It's like two world wars weren't enough to get the message through about how incredibly silly this sort of thing is.

[Shofercia]

The Ottomans occupied, raped and pillaged, Kosovo [Serbia] for nearly 500 years. I give the Albanians another 20 max before some form of global upheaval provides the distraction needed for the re-conquest to begin. The "Kosovo curse", dated from the 1300s, as inscribed in the Gazimestan memorial, makes certain of this.

This disturbs me. It's like two world wars weren't enough to get the message through about how incredibly silly this sort of thing is.

It's the result of the Bombing of Belgrade. Apparently when you bomb people and inform them that it's in the name of Human Rights, or ask others to do your very own dirty work, they're going to not like you very much...

Besides, Kosovo's a Mafia State, once the EU funding dries up, the internal structures are going to start to collapse.

[Luziyca]

No, it is independent. Likewise, South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh, Somaliland, Taiwan, Transnistria and the Western Sahara are sovereign.

Note that I do not represent any opinions of those countries, and that my opinion should not be taken as a representation of the opinions of the people living there.


I got a solution. Why not we give North Kosovo to Serbia? Or just settle the issue by reunifying all the ex-Yugoslav countries into Yugoslavia and make it an EU member?

Just a nit pick Celery. I think you meant the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, which claims all of Western Sahara but only controls about a fourth to a fifth of it.

As for the last question it is because many parties, including Kosovo and Serbia themselves, are against partitioning the region.

That was what I meant.

Then what could solve the conflict in Kosovo is reunify Yugoslavia.

[Shofercia]

Just a nit pick Celery. I think you meant the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, which claims all of Western Sahara but only controls about a fourth to a fifth of it.

As for the last question it is because many parties, including Kosovo and Serbia themselves, are against partitioning the region.

That was what I meant.

Then what could solve the conflict in Kosovo is reunify Yugoslavia.

The problem with Yugo reunification, is that there's no one that's trusted by all sides. It'd be like proposing a reunification of Russia and Ukraine... an overall majority of the people might or might not agree, (I'm not sure,) but who'd lead it?

Of course, that's just one of the problems...

[Exi1and]

No, it is independent. Likewise, South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Nagorno-Karabakh, Somaliland, Taiwan, Transnistria and the Western Sahara are sovereign.

Note that I do not represent any opinions of those countries, and that my opinion should not be taken as a representation of the opinions of the people living there.

For every single argument that works for Kosovo's independence, there is an even strong argument for North Kosovo's ability to stay with Serbia. The hypocrisy of denying to the Serbs that, which is granted to Albanians is appalling. Do the Albanians have a special kind of "cutie cooties" that Serbs lack? The willingness of other Slavic Governments to tag along is even more appalling. The reason that Russians represent over 40 percent of all Slavs, is because we're united. We might be divided on Capitalism v Communism and everything in between, but on the core issues, we're united. As for the rest of you, it's your call. You can stand united, or act like hypocrites.

As for NATO/EU, others are watching these double standards. On display. ASEAN is watching. BRIC is watching. SCO is watching. If you keep this up, don't be shocked when you're greeted with wary eyes in other countries.

Seriously guys, what's the difference between Kosovo's secession from Serbia, and North Kosovo's secession from Kosovo? Name one actual difference. Just one. I'll wait.

I got a solution. Why not we give North Kosovo to Serbia? Or just settle the issue by reunifying all the ex-Yugoslav countries into Yugoslavia and make it an EU member?

Why not give all of Kosovo to Serbia, as it is by right part of its territory.

[Sedikal]

As a Serb I feel that Kosovo should be independent for the fact that trying to keep it a part Serbia has taken a tremendous strain on the nation both at home and internationally and I hope that if we can swoll ow are pride and just let it go we may be able to inject ourselves into the international cmunity like Croatia and Slovania have.

[Bolkania]

As a Serb I feel that Kosovo should be independent for the fact that trying to keep it a part Serbia has taken a tremendous strain on the nation both at home and internationally and I hope that if we can swoll ow are pride and just let it go we may be able to inject ourselves into the international cmunity like Croatia and Slovania have.

Still, it's sad from a neighbor's point of view how our westernly brothers were treated.

I guess Serbia needs to move on, join the EU, change it's image: you have very nice natural wonders, but since you international image is ruined, nobody really visits Serbia.

[Shofercia]

As a Serb I feel that Kosovo should be independent for the fact that trying to keep it a part Serbia has taken a tremendous strain on the nation both at home and internationally and I hope that if we can swoll ow are pride and just let it go we may be able to inject ourselves into the international cmunity like Croatia and Slovania have.

Still, it's sad from a neighbor's point of view how our westernly brothers were treated.

I guess Serbia needs to move on, join the EU, change it's image: you have very nice natural wonders, but since you international image is ruined, nobody really visits Serbia.

Serbia's international image isn't the one that's ruined, and many tourists visit Serbia: http://www.tradingeconomics.com/serbia/ ... -data.html

[Bolkania]

Still, it's sad from a neighbor's point of view how our westernly brothers were treated.

I guess Serbia needs to move on, join the EU, change it's image: you have very nice natural wonders, but since you international image is ruined, nobody really visits Serbia.

Serbia's international image isn't the one that's ruined, and many tourists visit Serbia: http://www.tradingeconomics.com/serbia/ ... -data.html

Not entirely ruined, but not as good as it can be. The data you gave me indicates that Serbia has just over 1/10 as many people as visit Bulgaria.

[Wind in the Willows]

Kosovo has been granted Independence, and everyone should just deal with it.

[Aedyddia]

the best solution is a federalised eu.

[Slavialand]

Yes.

[Shofercia]

Serbia's international image isn't the one that's ruined, and many tourists visit Serbia: http://www.tradingeconomics.com/serbia/ ... -data.html

Not entirely ruined, but not as good as it can be. The data you gave me indicates that Serbia has just over 1/10 as many people as visit Bulgaria.

Could be because Serbia is lacking in tourist sites. UNESCO, (unless we're talking about the Middle East,) is a good judge of these things. Building or finding more would help

[Great Kleomentia]

As a Serb I feel that Kosovo should be independent for the fact that trying to keep it a part Serbia has taken a tremendous strain on the nation both at home and internationally and I hope that if we can swoll ow are pride and just let it go we may be able to inject ourselves into the international cmunity like Croatia and Slovania have.

Still, it's sad from a neighbor's point of view how our westernly brothers were treated.

I guess Serbia needs to move on, join the EU, change it's image: you have very nice natural wonders, but since you international image is ruined, nobody really visits Serbia.

Join the EU? And become Germany's lackeys and fuck up our economy even more? No, we need a strong capable new leadership to make the nation powerful once more. Yugoslavia can be reformed and flourish, but it needs a LOT of work and reasonable amount of time.
On the issue of Albos in Kosovo. They started to migrate to Kosovo in the second half of the 17th century. When Serbs started to go north to Banat and Hungary(and from there to Russia as well), Albanians moved north to Kosovo. But they werent a great majority until the last century. So Albania does have a claim on Kosovo, but that claim is nothing compared to the one Serbia has. Still, claims have nothing to do with this situation. Who was here first will not help anyone or change nothing.

[EUstan]

Vote for Šešelj in that case.

[Parhe]

Source for Albanian immigration.

Just ask any Serb. Read any history book. Or, just read this Wikipedia article. It's reasonable to assume that many Serbs were uprooted by the Ottoman butchery and forced from their land. Of course, this was the largest migration of Serbs, but as the centuries went by the Albanians continuously settled Kosovo as pastoralists until about the 20th century, where most sources identified them as forming a significant proportion of the population in Kosovo.

I am a bit surprised to hear this from you, despite not having spoke in some time.

Anyway, what makes the Albanians if what you say are true any worse than the Serbs who did the same thing to the Byzantine and previous population of the region. Not to single out Serbia, many nations did it, but it is hypocritical to call it disgusting that Albanians basically did what the Serbs did.

Serbia absorbed Kosovo from Byzantine around 1180 AD, which was taken back by the Ottomans in 1455. Albanians, or the ancestors of Albanians today, have been living in Kosovo since the year 1200 AD and it is believes Kosovo was majority Serbian only because most names in the region were Slavic. That itself is flawed since at the time ethnicity wasn't a widespread unifying force, no where as big as it is today, and people don't solely name their children with names from their language. Even a single family can have members with Albanian and Slavic names.

Lastly, it really doesn't matter who was the majority. So as we know it Kosovo was controlled by Romans/Byzantine, but was invaded by the Slavic tribes, who got control of much of the rest of Serbia, who then occupied the region of Kosovo for less than three centuries, throughout which and possibly even before there remained a significant Albanian population, before losing Kosovo to the Ottomans. Then over a period of centuries the migration of people and differences in birth rates made it so which Albanians concretely became the majority of the region.