Europe diary: Balkan trauma

9 March 2006

In his diary this week, BBC Europe editor Mark Mardell reports on a difficult year for Serbia as it courts the EU, Montenegro makes moves to break away, and international pressure grows for Kosovan independence.

The diary is published every Thursday.

TOMB VIGIL

In Mladic's footsteps: His daughter's grave in Belgrade

I am sitting, rather ghoulishly, on a bench beside a grave in a suburb of the Serbian capital, Belgrade. In the bright winter sunshine, gusts of wind carry a sudden fall of snow from the fir trees growing in the cemetery. The silence is only broken by the occasional caw of a crow. Black marble tombstones descend the hillside, row upon row, many of them etched with simple, but evocative, line drawings of those buried. These are family graves and sometimes, beneath the picture of a couple, one set of dates shows only the year of birth as the husband or wife still lives on.

But on the stone I am looking at there is just a name in Cyrillic and dates. Ana Mladic killed herself when she was 23. It is said that her father, the fugitive accused of war crimes, has on occasions broken cover to sit where I am. It is the government's failure to capture him that threatens to stop talks designed to lead to Serbia joining the European Union.

Serbia faces an incredibly difficult year, with a succession of events that may be seen by some Serbs as blows to their sense of self. Either the delaying of talks planned for early April or the capture of Mladic will make some unhappy. The next blow could be the referendum in Montenegro. The government there wants to leave the Union of Serbia and Montenegro, the last scrap of the federation that once made up Yugoslavia.

MONTENEGRIN AMBITION

Montenegro is place of wild beauty. The fringes of Lake Skadar are flood plains, twisted trees and reeds growing out of the water. When I visit it is a cold, grey day and the smooth surface of the lake isn't the deep glorious blue of the picture on the cover of my guide book. Instead, standing on a mountain road writing a radio script I struggle to find an adequate description of the strange hue it has that day and give up. Later my producer, who I suspect would rather be known as a blunt no-nonsense type, reveals a poetic soul when she say it is the colour of old jade.

Lake Skadar on a good day (picture: Unesco)

By the lake, amid a homely jumble of dried herbs and hats covering the walls, the Pelican Restaurant serves up amazing little anchovy-like fish in a lemony oily sauce. The man who catches the fish and arranges the wild flowers on the table keeps out of the way in the kitchen. His wife, a sensible looking woman in thick glasses, is the cook and refuses to reveal her recipe to me.

She is almost as reluctant to talk directly about the coming referendum, saying that she will vote, but it's private and she will opt for what is best for the prosperity of the country. Finally after much prodding she talks about the current relative prosperity of Slovenia, already a member of the EU, and Croatia, a candidate country. She says suddenly: "If we'd known 15 years ago what we know now, perhaps we'd have broken away then, like them."

Many Montenegrins see the sins of Serbia as a drag on their ambition to join the European mainstream.

KOSOVO HUMILIATION

Perhaps many Serbs will not be stricken with horror if Montenegro becomes Europe's newest nation state after May. But Kosovo may be a different story. Talks on its status begin soon and there will be a definite result by the autumn. Many in the international community (is that the same as what used to be called "The Great Powers"?) want full independence.

The Radical Party could be this year's big winner

The Serbian foreign minister, a great fan of what he calls "the Europeanisation" of Serbia and a former opponent of Milosevic, has a daily and forceful reminder of how the international community feels about that province when he goes into his office every morning. Opposite the foreign ministry, the military headquarters still stands but the top six floors are smashed up and buckled by Nato missiles fired seven years ago. But he tells me that an independent Kosovo would be a painful humiliation, a disaster for Europe and the region which Serbia could not allow, although he admits it could not prevent it either.

As I write, I have yet to meet with members of the Radical Party, but I wonder if this hard-right group will be the beneficiary of this year's humiliations. I can almost see the shrug down the phone as a diplomat from another country that was once part of Yugoslavia tells me: "They are paying now for Milosevic - it's time to pay."

BALKAN MORDOR

Tolkien's grim vision: Better suited to fiction than politics

The foreign minister is equally impassioned that Serbia was the victim of a criminal regime and victims should not suffer the punishment due to an assailant. It is perhaps fitting that the cameraman, the poetic producer and I have a lengthy discussion one evening about the Lord of the Rings, for those who covered the wars here called the region Mordor...

But what has always disturbed me about Tolkien's classic is the lack of any possibility of redemption for those born within Mordor's boundaries. There is no such thing as a good Orc. I only hope the "Great Powers" know that while this may be unsophisticated in fiction it is plain stupid in real world politics. Some Serbs, and some others, behaved like demons incarnate in the last decade. Now many feel their whole country and race has been demonised.

---

As an Albanian from Tirana who has travelled around the Balkans, I've seen we, southeastern europeans, have a lot in common and hostility ultimately disappears at a one on one level. If I wanted to get 'revengeful' and claim that politicians need to apologise, I think it has to start with the 'great powers.' Nevertheless, I am only praying for some tolerance and love.
arba, brighton, uk

I don't understand all you people. Kosovo should be problem of Serbia not problem of other countries. Does UK, France or Garmeny their problems solving with help of NATO?
Sveti Sava, Budva

I'm an 18 year old Serbian student nurse, who never supported Milosevic and had no part in any of the wars in the 90s. Nevertheless, I cannot help but feel some "collective" guilt for the atrocities which were committed in the name of all Serbs. I don't think it's justifiable that we Serbs should feel guilty for something which most of us had no part in, but our nation now has a guilt complex, despite the fact that many many people did not even support Milosevic. In reality, "Slobo" didn't do any good for the country he loved so much. He has left us with a guilt complex, with the loathing of the international community upon us, a messed up economy and a lifetime of work to do to overcome a decade of trauma. And now he has left us without explaining why he committed such terrible deeds in our name. I don't feel proud to be Serbian anymore, and for me, that is the real "Serbian Tragedy".
Jelena Krstanovic, Belgrade, Serbia

The EU should not try to intervene into the Montenegrin´s drive for independence. Allow some sovereignty at last!
Xavier Schoumaker,

I am absolutely 100% in no doubt Kosovo will get its Independence, there is no question to that. I lost 12 member of my family massacred by the Serbian army on January 1999. I have do not hold anything against the innocent minorities unless those who have something to hide, Only the people that caused atrocities to Kosovo Albanians are afraid to come back because they know what they have done. I don¿t understand why people comment on something that they have no idea about it.. I believe the only views that should be taken into consideration are of those who live in Kosovo. Serbs also should keep in mind the crimes they committed in Kosovo. Now I would like ask everyone if they were in my place. How would you feel if you saw the Army that killed 12 member of your family wondering around your streets?
Adrian, Drenica (Kosovo)

If Kosovo gets independence, and Monenegro as well, then Republika Srpska in Bosnia has the equal right to get its own independent state. How about Nortehrn Ireland, Baskia etc.
Bojan, Ottawa, Canada

Serbia has more of a right to Kosovo than Britain to Ireland and Scotland, or the US to California and Texas. Many look forward to the day the US and UK pay for their war crimes.
Boris, Toronto

New war is coming!!! Soon.
serbia, ny

I am a croat living in part of Croatiaw once known as "Krajina". In 1991 Serb paramilitary and yugoslav national army,JNA expeled me,my parents and my sister,along with thousands of croats from our homes. My childhood was ruined and i still carry traumas of living as a refugee in aweful conditions. I am proud of our victory in 1995 that pushed the serb army out of Croatia and alowed me to come back to my home. As for the Serb civilians that left Croatia,many of them came back,official numbers are that 40 percent did come back. Many don't want to live under Croatia and those people come here to sell their property and buy one in Serbia. 15 local muncipalities in provincial Croatia are governed by SDSS,a serb ethnic political party. So much about ethnic cleansing of croatian serbs!
Bojan, Plitvicka Jezera,Croatia

Let bygones be bygones and lets move towards the future instead of arguing, playing the blame game. With Europe's help (not backstabbing) region can move forward. It is all about compromise is it not?
Petar, Melbourne, Australia.

One of the reasons that nationalism has been able to thrive in this region is poverty. Most people who live in what is called the Balkans are poor and have few prospects of improving their lot. Clearly a class perspective that unites people in what they share in common - fighting to improve their lot against the criminal political elite and their shady entourage. Another issues which divides people is their sense of national identity which often demonises other ethnic groups for atrocities committed against their own people in some distant past. At the same time the massacres committed by their own group are not even mentioned. In Bulgaria at the moment we have the development of a party Ataka which is aiming to demonise Turks and Gypsies. They need to be opposed if Bulgaria to avoid ethnic strife. I support the right of nations to self-determination but don't believe that this is going to solve the root problem - POVERTY.
ian, kardzhali, bulgaria

I have been living in Belgrade since September 2005. After 15 years of sanctions and NATO bombing against a small country, I am amazed at Serbian ability to shrug it all off and continue to go on with their lives cheerfully. Self-determination and independence have been granted to every ethnic group of the former Yugoslavia before any violence took place. But Serbian demands for the same in the new states of Croatia and Bosnia have been denied. The same is about to occur in Kosovo.
George C. Thomas, Belgrade, Serbia Montenegro

It's really funny to see the Westerners posts here. Remember the overnight recognition of Croatia's independence? Why is it possible to do this now for Montenegro and not then for Croatia? I strongly believe that a 3 year delay and discussions about the status of the Serb minority would have solved the problem. I support the independence of Kosovo, Montenegro, even a partition of Voivodina would be OK. But then, if you use the ethnic criteria to draw borders, why not partitioning Kosovo, Croatia and Bosnia too?
Adrian Popovici, Timiosara, Romania

If Serbia can claim Kosovo as Serbia because of its historical link to Serbia, then they have to quiet their claims for Croatian territory which was historically Croatian and settled by Serbs.
Tonci, Toronto, Canada

I can't believe some of the comments on this page, Yugoslavia was like a bad family, who mistreated all of it's members. When its members realised all this and they could stand up on their own feet they did and that's why this has happend. Kosovo should get their independence, Serbs say they are concerned about the 5% of the population that lives there, but if Kosovo doesn't get the independence, shouldn't we be worried about 95% Kosovans living there?
Lani, London, UK

I think the problem is hence, how can Albanians feel safe if Serbia is still in control? And will independence be a short term solution. In 50 years will Serbia forcefully re-take Kosovo?
V, Dushaj, New York, USA

Please people,look forward don,t look backwards. All this countries in Balkans, one day will be together again. Of course as united states of europe!
Shpetim, Tampa, Florida, USA

Nobody should demonise an entire people for the sins committed in their name, but people should acknowledge and condemn the evils performed in their name. From 1945 to 1991 Croats were demonised as fascists even though more Croats fought as Partizans rather than Ustase. This demonisation led many Serbs to fear any expression of Croatian self-determination.

In 1989, Milosevic elminated the autonomy of two regions: Vojvodina and Kosovo. And then he started demanding special status for Serbs in Croatia. His double standard coupled with his push for extreme nationalism is the direct cause of the current mess Serbia is in. As a Croat, I wish Serbs well in the future, but they must face up to the past, recognise it, acknowledge it and move on.
Justin, Toronto, Canada

I'm terrified of double standards: - Independence of Serbs from Bosnia or Croatia is not acceptable. Independence of Albanians from Serbia is. - Serbs were forced out from Croatia because they wanted independence --- NATO plains bombed their positions during the final ethnic cleansing of Croatia. NATO forced Serbs out of Kosovo and bombed Serbia because Albanians wanted independence. - Some people that are war crime suspects in the Hague tribunal are presumed guilty and cannot be politically active. Others are instead sent home to lead a political party (Seselj-Serbian vs. Hardinai-Albanian example). - We want one warrior dead or alive (Mladic) but put another (Taci) to be the prime minister of Kosovo. - You apparently cannot sue someone for an aggression if you are not a member of UN. Serbia sued NATO countries and that case was not accepted on the base of this technicality. Serbia sued NATO but you cannot sue an organization for anything like bombing --- that case is not covered. Bosnia sued Serbia and that case was accepted. If you still remember hurricane Katrina this sounds like a famous example of "white people looking for food" and "black people looting" (for a picture showing white/black people taking some food from a flooded grocery store). You make the conclusion.
Alex, CA,

Granting Kosovo independence will be a very dangerous precedent ¿ legally it is a part of Serbia, a sovereign nation like any other. If one part of one sovereign nation might be removed, then other nations can be divided as well ¿ Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Romania, Turkey, you name it! And there will be neither legal nor moral obstacles to stop other bids for independence. Potentially, that implies that even Texas has the right to secede from the US. It¿s a Pandora¿s Box.
Boris, Riga, Latvia

I found many of the comments here based on dangerous forms nationalisms, that created this situation in the first place. Unfortunately, this wasn't limited to any group.
John Schubert, Milwaukee, USA

Double standards are key problem. If Kosovo and Montenegro can gain independence then Serb Republic has the same wright. Serbs responsible for the Balkan wars are in the Hague. What about Albanian war criminals like Ceku and Haradinaj (they are becoming prime ministars). Do not speak about justice. The new world order created by Sauron and Tony Blair are based on pure force with some "colateral damage" (dwarfs and Serbs)
Bojan, Nis, Serbia

We are all victims of a wrong political system. I hope that people peacefully will confront there problems instead of running away from them. But I am happy about one thing. That despite what every one is writing, no mather if it is wrong or right, we are all having a diaolog. "So there is something positive, in all this mess, we do not kill each other - we just discuss" It is time for us all to do some own searching within our selfs and take the consequenses for what we have done.
Jasmin Zahirovic, Bosnia and Hercegovina

Mark Mardell is becoming a correspondent in the great tradition of Alistair Cooke; please keep posting his contributions, which I now regard as essential reading on entering the BBC News website.
Tim Howell, Brussels/Belgium

It will be a real fun to watch all these pseudocountries joining the EU in the near future and basically leaving together again. Hopefully the EU will have the capability to control them all, we all can get the first taste by following Slovenia/Croatia conflict in the coastal region. This is a crazy part of the world, and believe me I know that...you can have a perfect mess even without Serbs. Wish you all good-Muslims, Croats, Slovenians, Macedonians, Montenegriners, Serbs and Albanians-but my kids will grow up in the US.
slobodan paessler, Galveston, USA

Demographic majority of Kosovo Albanians does not give them a right to national independence. They are certainly entitled to cultural autonomy. And that's where the EU can be a positive influence, making democratization and decentralization a pre-condition for Serbian membership in the Union. But to demand Serbia's break-up is to set up a dangerous precedent in Europe, where minority populations are present in every country.
Sergei, New York, USA

Serbs should start working on their feelings, loosing Kosova is not a humiliation, it will be a relief. Kosova can not function under Serbia. It didn't work for over 80 years, why would anyone think that it could work in the future. Luckily for us, the world has understood this, I hope the Serbs will too.
Merkur, Colombo, Sri Lanka

What lesson will allowing Kosovo independence provide? Are we willing to accept that, by using a terrorist organization (KLA) and embracing foreign legions to murder traditional Serb and Roma inhabitants, destroy countless 1000 plus year old churches, and decimate a once wealthy region's culture and spirituality, an ethnic group can become independent?
Alex, Cleveland, Ohio USA

Let's make this simple. Give albanians Kosovo. But they have to give all Church lands to Church and all land owned by Serbs back to Serbs. Let's see how much then remains.
boris, chicago, usa

There is not one Kosovar that has not been directly effected by Serbia's past aggressions. For them living under the Serbian flag is impossible. It could easily be said the regime of Milosovich is solely to blame , but this would be a lie. The fact of the matter is when autrocities are committed not only the heads of state are guilty.
hal, NJ, USA

Serbia was and is still the most ethnically diverse place in the Balkans. Croatia ethnically cleansed its terriotory from Serbs and gypsies. Kosovo ethnically cleansed its territory from every minority. That tells you all.
Eroic Dragutinovic, Houston, Texas, U.S.A.

I am Serbian and my family and friends are Serbian. I don't know ANYONE who participated in the war, or worked for the Milosevic government. There are 10 million Serbians in Serbia and around the world. Not everyone committed war crimes; not everyone supported Milosevic's government! Majority of people were just concerned how to feed their family on 100 Euros a month during the Economic Sanctions. People committing war crimes were, for the most part, paramilitary and professional solders. Milosevic¿s own politicians were holding him in power. Those solders and politicians are now the richest people in Serbia; they don't need to survive on 100 Euros. It is wrong to blame the whole country for the crimes of few. If Serbian people could have removed Milosevic sooner that Oct 2000, they would have.
Jelena, Chicago, US

To everybody who recognise that a civil war is not a fantasy book about strugle between good and evil, thank you for your comments. i hope serbia gets a break it deserves and life gets better soon.
velibor, london uk

Does nobody want to mention the student protests in Belgrade throughout the '90s against Milosevic's regime? Does nobody want to talk about how severely we were beaten up by our own police and military on every street corner for 10 years? Are we going to foget that 5 mn Serbs on the streets of Belgrade led to the final fall of Milosevic and not the NATO bombing of the country? I will say no more....
Sonja,

Please, stop trying to make all sides in the latest Balkan war equaly guilty. We are not the same! I lived through that war (in Sarajevo) and I know who was shelling innocent civilians and "cleaning up" the area from unwanted elements=Muslims. I don't have problem saying that both Muslims and Croats did some prety augly things in this war, too. Even though its difficult, when you put the numbers on the table it is clear who is a victim and who is the agressor. Some people are trying to pass ~32,000 Serbs that died in the 1992-1995 war as victims. Read the documentation carefuly and you will find that majority of those people died as soldiers. And I would really like to hear one Serb (not a politician) to admitt the crimes that some of representatives of Serb nation committed. Serbs should look up to Germany and the way they fought out the national guilt. They are one of the most developed countries in Europe now! It's about thime Serbs exit the dark ages and start living in the present not in the past!
Mila, Seattle, USA

Whichever way you look at it, no country or alliance has the right to permanently interfere with the sovereignty of a nation. That is a preserve of that nations peoples .Interference in order to safe guard human rights of Kosovo Albanians is commendable, but it must not be used as an excuse to divide. The "west" must return Kosovo to Serbia once it is clear that Kosovo Albanians and Kosovo Serbs can have their human and property rights protected.
Christopher Christofi, London UK

In Bosnia the Serbs will never get help and forgiveness, not from me, from my children, my grandchildren, never never never. Can't forget, can't forgive. I lost my late teens and early 20's in poverty and on the front line, and will do again to defend what is mine and to try to inflict at least small part of the pain to Serbs that they inflicted to me, my family and my people. It is easy for all of you to sit in you comfortable homes in London, Berlin..etc...and with scarce information you have, tell us what is right what is wrong. If you've been in Bosnia from 1992-1996..you would know it all.
Jusuf Prazina, Sarajevo, Bosnia

Sad to say, but the Serbs in Serbia have themselves and their misguided communist experiment to blame. In the end, a relatively homogeneous Serbian "pashaluk" will be all that is left in the wake. Despite all of this, the West should be very, very wary. Independent Bosnia and soon to be at least partitioned Kosovo remain safe havens and launching pads for Islamic terrorism as they have been for the better part of the last 700 years. Islamic fundamentalism -- however repackaged, spun and softened by 21st century political correctness -- thinks in terms of centuries, not 30 second tourism commercials, three minute nightly news segments, or single election cycles.
Alexander, Chicago, USA

What we, US and Engand primarily, have done in former Yugoslavia best can be described as "crimes against humanity" All of these former Yougoslav contries would have been far better without our "humanitarian bombing" interventions.
Bobby, Miami, Florida

Every side has committed horrible attrocities during the last decade. But the Serbs have to accept the fact that their attrocities were on a huge scale. You cannot say that the war is the fault of both sides when YNA and Serbian paramilitary units shelled our houses in Bosnia while we still had no military. It is absurd and aggrevating to hear Serbs say that they are not the aggressors. It is like hearing a German saying we went into Poland to liberate fellow Germans. I have lost my house, my childhood, my memories and family members. I am willing to get past this but it makes me mad when I see Serbs with T-shirts of Gen. Mladic saying "Serbian Hero". All sides including the Serb, were screwed over by our governments and leaders. Not every Serb soldier was a war criminal. But some of their actions now is what is enraging everyone around the world.
Mirnes, Jacksonville, FL

Well I agree that blaming all serbs for crimes of their army during the war is unjust. But so was that way serbs portrayed croats at the outset of the war and still in fact do: they portrayed us as ustashe, and nazis, making no distinction that nazis in Croatia in World War 2 were less that 0.5% of the population. So in effect, whats happening to serbs today (demonization) is exactly what they were doing to others for decades even before the desolution of jugoslavia.
Tomislav, Toronto,Canada

A policy of double standards was adopted which remains highly visible even today due to the black and white picture which is still being put forward: Kosovo can obtain independence but Republika Srpska can not, Albanians were expelled from Kosovo but Serbs 'left voluntarily', Serbia proper was an aggressor in Bosnia but Croatia was not despite the presence of thousands of their soldiers and so on. Serbia sinmply can't apologise for the 'genocide' in Bosnia as it did not take place, 100.000 people died (according to a Bosnian Muslim investigation) of which tens of thousands of Serbs. This hardly qualifies as the destruction, in whole or in part, of a group as such (the definition of genocide as contained in the Genocide Convention of which not many people here seem to be aware). Crimes certainly were committed but all sides were involved. Those who took part in operations of this kind should be singled out and sentenced. Convicting a whole country is counterproductive, doesn't reflect accurately the Yugoslav war of disintegration and will not in any way diminish tensions. Nor will a policy of double standards....
Djordje, Geneva, Switzerland

Good luck to Kosovo in her battle against a larger foreign power. Serbia has long lost any moral claim to that land. Serbs might regard Kosovo as the "cradle" of their culture, but it is also the site of their shame.
Seamus, Galway, Ireland

Just about those comments on Vojvodina. Please don't compare Kosovo and Vojvodina. Not saying that there are no problems in Vojvodina, but it is totaly different. (Vojvodina is mainly Serbs from Vojvodina vs. Serbs from Belgrade problem, with some minor nationalistic incidents.) Alse, today (09-03-2006) is 16 years from first demonstrations agains regime in Belgrade. Turns out that citizens of Belgrade were the first one to have army tanks thrown at them. Yet, not to be blind they had incomparably better treatmant then those in Sarajevo or Srebrenica.
Dule, Novi Sad, Serbia

The comments at this post are obviously from relatively educated people and yet it again painfully reminds me how people of the region still cling on to the concepts of collective responsibility, guilt, crimes... How do you really identify yourselves by your nationality? What does mean being an X versus being a Y? Or should I say culture since nationality basically cannot even be defined except by a personal declaration of being a Serb, Croat, Bosnian... People talk about the history, World War II, World War I, the Ottomans etc. What I see of the region where I was born is nothing but a big football field with hooligans cheering their team and fighting the other team (actually that's how the whole mess started). To be fair, I cannot say that the rest of the western people are inherently more civilised than the people from the Balkans, it's just that the Balkan seems to have more than a fair share of historical baggage which most people cannot overcome.
Andrew, Singapore

Asking Kosova to stay together with Serbia is the same as leaving the abused child to stay with the abuser. Nobody would allow that of course, let alone people of Kosovo ,and for the abuser of course he wants it because he can abuse it more
Arberi, Houston,Texas

To ask the Serbs to accept Kosovar independence is as acceptable to them as it would be to ask France for Parisian independence (controlled by ethnic Germans say). There is no doubt that many Serbs committed many attrocities during the Balkans conflicts. Many have posted here to remind us. What we do not hear about though is the attrocities - massive attrocities - committed by their neighbours. It is not credible or reasonable to suggest unilateral apology from Serbia. If you live in Sarajevo - have a think about the prejudice you may have prior to posting. We need balance - and opportunities for all sides to both apologise and redress some of the losses they inflicted where possible. Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Kosovo are ALL implicated deeply here. To focus on one is unbalanced and continues to fuel the problem.
Swithun Mason, London, UK

I guess the Serbs must have been very bad in their past lives because it seems they are paying for everything now. It's just beyond me how the logic of this world works. If you punish them for what they did, maybe they will learn a lesson and become better people. But constantly pitting the fault on the Serbs will of course cause them to fight back and rebel. If you feel you are not being taken care of, you have to take care of yourself. It makes perfect sense to me.
Filip, Toronto, Canada

Kosovo is legally and historically a part of Serbia. Just because the demographics now favour the Albanians does not give the international community the right to rip it from the motherland.
Boris , Canada

As someone said, ask any Serb about joining the EU & you will likely find deep hesitation. Slowly but surely, every piece of the former republic is being taken away from them. (Recall, they were the capital.) The international community is carving this once thriving land up for their own purposes. Yes, crimes were committed, but not only by Serbs. Yet, we place the entire blame on them and rip their land apart. Why then would a Serb want to join the EU? For that matter, of what true benefit to them would the EU be? Many prosperous countries trade internationally and thrive who are not a part of the EU. I live in one of them. Serbia is losing it's identity at the hands of the international community. And quite frankly, I am ashamed to be associated with a country who spearheaded the NATO bombing and breakup of the former republic.
Pat Caffrey, Westfield, NJ/USA

Why is it so difficult for all sides to admit they committed crimes? The Serbs are the only ones to admit to it. In Bosnia 100,000 people died, 32,000 were Serbs; did they "kill themselves"?
Gogi, New York, USA

Serbia's current condition serves as a reminder to all: bad behavior brings repercussions.
KRS, Philadelphia, USA

I always wondered whether people that still believe that there are "good" and "bad" in a war exist. Now, I must say I am disappointed to see that there are so many in this world. Blindness, ignorance or what? I would appreciate very much if you could double-think before sending your posts as there are many people that actually went through all these wars in the Balkans. We couldn¿t switch our TVs off.
Nina, Sarajevo, Bosnia

The "international community" needs to patient, firm and even-handed in its dealings with Balkan countries, including with Serbia. This includes a slow and painful education of balkan politicians, none of whome experienced democracy, freedom of speech, full freedom of religious life, etc during their jouth and early adulthood (so when they speak of democracy or freedom, they really do not know exactly what they are talking about). It is not easy, but so far Europe (the European Union) has done an outstanding job in a very short period of time. I hope they will continue. My hope is that I will be soon able to take my children and show them some very beautiful parts of the Balkans, the ones I saw during my childhood before the war. I hope that the richness of culture was mostly not destroyed during the war and that once this culture is permitted to flourish in a safe environment, this region of the Balkans will become Europe's treasure rather than its constant source of problems.
Tomislav, New York, USA

Take from us our lands, we can not stop it. Take from us our independence, we can not stop it. Take from us our economic resources, we can not stop it. Take from us our weapons, we can not stop it. Take from us our political system, we can not stop it. Take from us our history books and schools, we can not stop it. Take from us our lives, we can not stop it. Incriminate us for all the deeds and evils of this otherwise remarkable world. But you will never take from us our dignity and our pride. We can not stop it. Because we will endure to be humans despite all the injustices that you may yet invent.
Roman, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro

The Western media forget the 250 000 Kosovo Serbs and others who have been living in exile since June 1999 as well as those Serbs from Croatia and Bosnia who were forced to flee before daytion in 1995. It is now 2006. A visit to Belgrade will show that there is a distinct lack of men of a certain age. Blair, Albright and their cronies have not condemned the ethnic cleansing of Serbs, Croats, Roma,et al from Kosovo. They have remained silent - as has the BBC - when Serbian churches are burnt and Roma housed on radioactive dumps. Kosovo has now got rid of miost of its ethnic minorities and moderate Albanians and is a safe haven for drug and people traffickers. NATO spokes men said 'Serbs out, refugees back' The Serbs are out, but many refugees are not
J. Knight, London UK

With the direction the European Union has taken on Kosovo (and the strong influence being imposed by UK/US foreign policy), I have grave fears for my parents' motherland, Macedonia. It seems that as soon as the Albanian population outnumbers all else in that country, there too they can (succesfully) claim independance and add another piece of Europe, to an already growing Albania. It appears that the dream of a "Greater Albania" is no longer a dream. For this, the European Union, and in particular, Britain, should hang their heads in shame.
Tom Petrovski, Sydney, Australia

It is time for serbs to open their eyes and realise what their hegemony produced in former Yugoslavia. All the suffering, destruction and death cannot be easily forgotten. I hope when they realise what they did, they will also realise that they are not the victims here, and maybe their political elite will find enough strentgh to appologize to their neighbours for what serbian millitary did during 1990s.
Ljubisa, Rijeka, Croatia

To me, independent Kosovo must mean a country independent from criminals, thugs and thieves. If they want independence, the Kosovo¿s Albanians must, for the start, return Serbian property and make sure that the Serbs, who lived there for centuries, can keep living there in peace, in their own houses, go to their own churches, work on their land, speak their language and take part in political life. This is what the discussion should be about. Unfortunately, the West is not doing anything for this to happen. EU already got new "democratic" members, namely Latvia and Estonia, where ethnic minorities, many born and living all their live there, are branded "Aliens" and denied basic human rights - rights to use their language, right to vote, right to become a citizen without humiliating procedures, limited in jobs they can take, and those who fought against Hitler in WWII, unlike Nazi SS veterans, do not enjoy any privileges and honours. Isn't it Mordor? How hypocritical it is for the EU to elevate themselves to a superior moral position and think they can lecture the others what to do?
Oleg, UK, Russia

Serbs need to pay for the crimes they committed in Kosova . We don't need their apology .
Ilir, Koshare

Kosovo is a small country apparently with no major natural resources or established industry. How would an independent Kosovo support itself as a Nation.
Kev, London

It is clear that Kosova will achieve its independence. Whether can survive economically in its own, that is up to Kosovars to debate. The idea that Kosova most stay in Former Yugoslavia because of their weak economy and because of corruption that is going on there is ridiculous.
Agron Rama, Vushtrri, Kosova

If Kosovo can get independence from Serbia and most likely join Albania as it is full of Albanians, why can't the Serb part of Bosnia leave the rest of Bosnia and join Serbia? I think it's because the West see's Serbs as bad guys when in fact they just didn't have as good a PR team as other parts of the Balkans.
Chris Stevens, London

The fiction of a unified Yugoslavian state will hopefully finally die this spring when Montenegro hold the referendum, and Kosovo leaves Serbia. Maybe the Bush administration should take a hint from Yugoslavia'a demise and allow Iraq to be partitioned up into several states. Like Yugoslavia, Iraq was never meant to be a unified state, both were held together by totalitarian dictators.
Frederick J. Bainhauer III, Allentown, PA USA

The Serbs feel "That their whole country and race has been demonised" which it seams untrue according to them but what about: When the Serb Army with the tanks that killed thousand of Albanians and made over a million homeless when returned to Belgrade by force from Nato - accross Serbia and especially Belgrade throw flowers at them - as a way of solidarity and support for their slaughter. This i don't understand! You can't one time support it and then condemn it as it may benefit you, but in truthfulness you still support it!!
K Shehu, Kacanik, Kosova

Indeed it will be a tough year for Serbia but, in terms of hardship, it will be insignificant compared to the tragic years endured by some of Serbia's neighbours as a direct result of Serbian politics and policies. Perhaps Serbian moderates should view this year as a year of opportunity, to demonstrate once and for all a willingness to acknowledge the crimes perpetrated in their name. Perhaps it is a year in which the concept of a 'Greater' Serbia need not be based on hateful and destructive attitudes to Serbia's neighbours but rather on a more moderate and more modern Serbia. However, as long as 86% of Serbs who voted in a recent national television poll in Serbia consider Ratko Mladic a 'victim' as opposed to a 'criminal', it is difficult to imagine that a great confessional, idealogical awakening will occur any time soon.
Jim Marshall, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

It is time for the International Community to put things right in this part of Europe. Now it is the era of free nations, free countries, to decide for their own fate, for their future. This is what is happening in this part of Europe. The Serbian nation needs to move on, and the best way to do so is to distance itself from the dark era of Serbian dictatorship, recognise and respect other nation's freedom, and coexist with the neighbouring countries. Kosova Independence is in no doubht very close. It is up to Kosovars to make the most of this historic moment, to tell the world they can successfully govern their country.
Mark Nela, Isleowrth

It seems that some people still need a reality check. Has anyone asked the Serbs whether they want to join the EU? It it more likely that Europe wants Serbia to complete its little jigsaw puzzle but hopefully the Serbs will keep this piece to themselves. Better to be a ruler of your own than a slave of others. Now that the EU constitution is rejected, just how are all these potential new members going to join?
Zoran, London, UK

As the wife of a Kosovar Albanian who fled here during the war, I am naturally in favour of Kosovo achieving independence. Also, having visited this country it is clear to me that having an ethnic Albanian majority means that being ruled by Serbia is no longer an option and in view of the genocide committed by the Serbs against the Albanians, it is high time they were divorced from Serbia, as should be the case for Montenegro, and given autonomy to rule themselves. Whether the Kosovan government can stamp out corruption is another matter but they should not be under the yoke of another power, which is no longer the Yugoslavia of old. The Serbians can be likened to the British when they held an empire - times change and people need to be given autonomy and their freedom, especially the freedom to practise their religion, speak their language and teach their history.
Francesca Sokoli, London, UK

When the Kosovo Albanians complete their domination of the drug, weapon and slavery trades in western Europe in a couple of years, you will all agree that Milosevic was right.
Mat , Sofia, Bulgaria

I fully support Kosovian independence, these people did suffer enough under Serbian regime ¿ no question about it. good luck :)
Tomasz, Krakow, Poland

The Serbs I know would all be a lot less hostile to the west - and possibly co-operative on the war crimes issue - if they felt that they were not constantly demonised. There is a (in my view) legitimate grievance that they are being made to pay for Milosovic in a way that Croatia has never paid for Tudjman. So many Serbs lost everything (pension, property etc) to the brutal Croat ethnic cleansing but only Serbian agreession seems to be on the agenda. Resolve that and we might find Serbia a place that we want in Europe and that wants to be there.
Swithun Mason, London, UK

"Playing the victim" card will unfortunately not do if the Serbian people really want to move forward, in every sense of the word. The incomprehensible unwillingness to apologise for past sins committed in the Balkans in which the Serbs, whether one likes it or not, have the lion's share will keep Serbia and the rest of the Balkan countries in certain stagnation, indeed, slaves of the past. What I am most disappointed about is when I hear or read the opinions of many Serbian youth who live in the West, but for some inexplicable reason maintain an opinion similar to their parents or grandparents. They should know better, there is really no excuse for this. They are the future of Serbia, a future they should build together with their Albanian, Croatian and Montenegrin neighbours. We eat pretty much the same food, we drink the same drinks, we have the same customs. Let's make en effort to speak a language we can understand. And that requires repentance, humility and determination to move forward.
Julian, Ulm, Germany

I am saddened to see what¿s happening to Serbia and its people. I also believe that this flow of things can¿t be changed now, as all of it has begun with wrong nationalistic policy towards Kosovo Albanians years ago. I was speaking with my friends the other day, and noticed that Serbia on the map would look really strange once/if Kosovo gets its independence. However, I agree with those who say that better times are coming to Serbia once those two issues (Montenegro and Kosovo) are resolved. Serbia is still having great economical potential, territorially well places at the heart of the region, and has got beautiful people, good chances to develop its tourism. Still, in order to move forward it is necessary that now people get rid of the history, accept new reality and start from the scratch building its European perspective.
Igor, Pristina, Kosovo

Hundreds of thousands of Serbs were forced to leave their homes in Croatia. Many more had left Kosovo. For some reason, this fact is never mentioned in Western media. The ethnic Serbs demands for a separate state in Croatia and Bosnia were rejected by the west, but the Albanian demand for a separate state in Serbia seems to be accepted. I'm not saying Serbs did not commit many crimes. They did, and those responsible should pay. But they were, and are, the victims of crimes and ethnic cleansing by others - Croats, Bosnians, Albanians.
David, Israel

The debate over the 'demonisation of Serbia' has centred on the past; on whether Serbia's supposed crimes were bad enough to warrant demonisation. Not wishing in any way to deny or defend those crimes I nonetheless feel this is counterproductive. Instead, the international community should think about the alienating effect this 'demonisation' is having on the country's poor youth/political moderates. It is well documented that extremist movements prosper in conditions of material poverty (one does not even have to leave English shores to find examples of this). The last thing europe needs is a whole generation of Serbs (the same Serbs that should be joining the European Union in the not-too-distant future) with a siege mentality.
Luka Gakic, Oxford University, UK

It is hard to believe that after all the crimes against humanity and horrible ethnic cleansing that the Serbs (I stress serbs, not Milosevic, because crimes were comitted even when Milosevic was not in power)have comitted against all their neighbours, there is no proper apology, compensation, return of the dead bodies and catching of the main war criminals. I know that Serbs have suffered some revenge from the neighbours and from the international comunity for their horrible crimes, and I am sorry if innocent people have suffered, but this goes by the saying: "You get, what you saw". If Serbs stop living in the past and leave their neighbours in Kosovo, Montenegro and Vojvodina to decide their own future, it will be the best solution for everyone, even Serbs will benefit from that.
Admir Elezaj, London, UK

Having worked and lived throughout the Balkans for the past ten years, including Belgrade, I think it is time the Serbs apologise. It is very easy to come in after the wars and say the Serbs are being demonised and why shouldn't everyone just get along? But considering the level of nationalism, racism and war-mongering the Serbs have committed over the past 15 years (and this doesn't include the the history of colonisation in Kosovo and their repression towards Albanians in particular which has been happening for the past 100 years) it is pretty obvious to anyone who objectively looks at the situation that's it time the Serbs came clean for their atrocities. Like Paddy Ashdown said everyone in the region has apologies to make but the Serbs have a particular responsibility to be first and to make a larger and more sincere apology to everyone else.
Maria, Prishtina,Kosovo

As a Serb, I am ashamed of the behaviour of the right-wing elements of Serbian politics, and what they have done to all of the countries that used to be part of Yugoslavia. However, until the rest of the world understands that not all Serbs are to blame, and helps those who want to live peaceful lives, Serbia cannot move on. This racism makes it difficult for a lot of forward-thinking Serbs to feel valued - and to then have the confidence to move forward and bring about change. When the whole world demonises you, it makes it hard to believe that you can make a difference.
Danica , London, UK

Someone has to step forward first and ready to shake hands to start a new future for the region. I've been to the region last september, what I see there everyone was still defending his/her point. history is feeding the anger. that anger is just good for the war lords not for the people...
ebru tutu, istanbul

I can see that all the others are having political debate. Not me and not about this beautiful piece. I am originaly from Belgrade and I have to tell you that I was deeply moved by this diary. It has been a long time since I read such a nice piece about "black hole" I consider my homeland. I think this text is accurate, simple and very moving. Mr Mardell obviously knows and likes these places he writes about and is sad because of radicalisation of society. I could have writen it myself.
Victoria, Den Haag, The Netherlands

There is no excuse what Seria did in Kosovo and Bosnia. As a Serb living in Canada, I do not present my self as Serbian instead I pretend to be i.e. Croatian, or Slovanian to avoid humiliation.
Zoran, Denmark

Another Anglosaxon point of view ... worthless !!!
Sasa, Banja Luka, Serb Republic

To Sasa, Banja Luka, Serb Republic: "Another Anglosaxon point of view ... worthless !!!" - surely that's the same kind of racial intolerance that caused your region's problems in the first place?
Lee, Gateshead, UK

I often wonder why Europe would want as a partner member a country that not only hides war criminals, but praises and worships them. A country that assassinated its leader and a country that refuses, still today, to acknowledge any wrongdoing in their wars against Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Kosovo (and hopefully not Montenegro). I wonder why we offer money to the criminals to hand themselves over yet victims in bosnia still have no roofs over thier head. I wonder why we embrace a country that in so many ways does not embrace the European principles of multi-ethnicity, tolerance, and justice. Hand over Mladic and welcome to the club seems outright absurd to me and I truly wish Serbia would do some serious soul searching and acknowledge the pain and suffering that have caused for millions of people.
tim clancy, sarajevo, bih

My greatest hope is that the self-determinism of the fomer Yugoslav nationalities will be satisfied by little independent nation-states, and that they will all achieve membership to the EU so that they can be in a union together.
Aleksandar, New York, USA

Serbia's actions were reprehensible. Having witnessed them myself, I think that the whole of the Serb nation must apologise to the victims of all the Balkan wars if we are to have a lasting peace. It is doubtful whether such atrocities could have been carried out without the involvement of wider sections of the Serbian society.I doubt whether those who experienced those atrocities see Serbia as being demonised. Whilst other sides carried out atrocities (and should be punished)-they were never organised on such a scale, nor did other states' armies cross into Serbia. The Bosnian genocide and aggression case against Serbia will illustrate to what extent the Serbian society as a whole was involved.
Hasan, London, UK

All I would like to say to my brothers and sisters from Kosovo is that dont judge a book by the covers. Not all Serbian people are bad not all Albanians are bad people either. Are we ever going to learn how to live with each other peacefully and not just keep going back to the past. Worry about the day of today. Please stop going prior to 10 to 15 years time.
Bashkim Krasniqi, Lewisham

My opinion is that Serbia doesn't deserve to be in the EU. Let them suffer like other nations did for decades
Antonel ,London-uk

Mark Mardel writes that if Kosovo and Montenegro leave the federation that will be the last scrap of the federation. This is not true: Vojvodina in the north has (had)the same status as Kosovo. After the 90-95 war many ethnic Hungarians and Croatians were forced out. The west has conveniently ignored this, just as they ignored so much of the devastation caused by one race's complexes.
Bill, Vienna, Austria.

There is no mention of Serbia's isolation. Me , my wife , my friends are convicted to stay in Serbia for life. There is no oportunity for us to travel abroad. We can not go anywhere without visa. Budapest - I can not see. Visa needed. My pregnant wife cannot anyway. That isolation is argument for, for example, the eurosceptic Radical party. It is simple, to argue:"Europe hates us, Europe is isolating us."

Ratko Mladic is reason Europe is giving. I do not care about him. If he is criminal he's place is in prison. Kosovo; If people who are living there wants independace, for me it is OK. Their choice. I do not care. Montenegro; If people who are living there want independence, for me it is OK. Their choice. I do not care.
Boris, Belgrade, Serbia

It's about time when Serbia says good-bye to Kosovo, time for Kosovo to get the freedom back, and time for Serbian people to understand that cannot own something that don't belong to them.
Tom, Colorad, US

Besnik's comments are typical of many in the Balkan region, from politicians to the "man in the street", demonising Serbs is the order of the day. Moreover, he fails to understand why Slovenia took the route they did. In addition, he seems to support the idea that mono-ethnic states will survive - they will not. The current route Montenegro is taking is nothing to do with ethnic separation, it is purely based on the desire to move into the EU as swiftly as possible; as a country it has a woderful mix of many ethnic groups, few if any were subject to the ethnic hatred that other countries in the region have suffered for many years. Kosovo could never survive as a stand-alone state from an economic point of view - since its creation it has relied heavily on diaspora funding and will continue to do so. The whole region is fascinating and its people charming but until they all look to the future and cease looking to history for solutions it will remain as it is.
Nigel Moore, Chepstow, UK

It is obvious that now that the allies have realized that Kosovo wasn't such a black and white issue, now it's time to wash their hands from the whole mess. Albanians will receive their independence, that is inevitable. But i ask, what then? Kosovar albanians have proven to be ruled by criminals and thugs that stir up trouble at any given opportunity. Southern Serbia is seeing beginnings of same situation as once was at Kosovo. Is Europe going to turn their blind eye to partitioning of a European nation at the whim of terrorists? Answer is yes. Whenever it serves the purpose of diverting attention from rest of underlying European problems, feed the weak to the lions. Ultimately Europe will succumb to its politics, because your great tree of democracy already has plenty of termites burrowing. Serbia will go up in flames again, but the Great Powers will rot from inside.
Nikola, Oslo Norway

All this talk of Serbian demise is rather ridiculous. I am in favour of Kosovo becoming independent. Why? We have nothing in common with the Kosovars. Once Kosovo is independent we will finaly be able to move on and concentrate on the things that matter: the economy, Europe, international relations, etc...We have many well educated people, skills, etc... we do not need Kosovo to continue dragging us down. Good luck to them!
Predrag, Madrid, Spain

Does anybody know if there's a majority in the Republika Srpska, the Serb part of Bosnia & Hercegovina, in favour of leaving that federation and become part of Serbia instead? If both Kosovo and Montenegro are to be separated from the country of Serbia & Montenegro, then maybe the inclusion in rump Serbia of the Republika Srpska would make it easier for the serbs to accept the loss of their southern territories?
Morten, Copenhagen, Denmark

As a half-Serbian woman from Bosnia I should have some sympathy with Serbs being demonised, but somehow I don't. Of course not every Serb person is to blame for what has happened (seems as other nationalities have committed horrible crimes during the war), however an honest apology and compensation from the Serbian state and nation would be very appreciated. More importantly, it would help the Serbs in the long the entire Serbian nation. As long as we see groups of people going on streets with pictures of some of the worst war criminals, nobody is going to believe the Serbs and their younger generations will carry this burden forever. I agree with Mr Parduzi from Kosovo ¿ if they want to vote extreme radical within their own state, so be it ¿ but for Heaven¿s sake leave other people alone. Germans apologized, Japanese apologized, Croats have learn their lessons too. And everyone has moved on. Why can¿t the Serbs.
Tanja, London, UK

Things in Serbia are not quite so bleak. The economy is growing steadily and there are many more job opportunities now than in recent years. The reforms to the legal system and the bureaucracy are slowly but surely becoming implemented. Even if Kosovo and Montenegro break away the economic situation will continue to improve, perhaps even more quickly once these destabilising political questions are finally resolved. Furthermore, there is a growing sense of optimism all over Serbia, a sense that the future, though uncertain, will nonetheless bring good things. I share this optimistic outlook and feel that Serbia's future, whether with Kosovo and Montenegro in tow or not, has a hint of sunshine emerging from behind the clouds. The country itself is a wonderful place to visit, a must for Europe-trecking backpackers. Hopefully an increase in tourism from the west can change people's preceptions of this unique corner of the Balkans.
ivan, london, uk

I have done 2 internships in the Balkans; one in Bosnia (brcko) and the other in Kosovo (Pristina). I have seen Serbs and Albanians and Croats and Bosniaks all sit together and have a good time! And I have also seen the same people hate one another beyond any logic. My point is that it¿s disgustingly fascinating to see what the human race and mind is capable of.
Nader Panahi, Toronto; Canada

I'm sure that during the walk around the cemetery, Mr. Mardell could have seen the graves of Serbian refugees from various parts of the former Yugoslavia - but they do not feature in his diary. Mr. Mardell writes: "Some Serbs, and some others, behaved like demons incarnate in the last decade." What others? If we're naming and shaming, let's name and shame all! Why the double standard? I don't feel demonised, but I do feel that my intelligence is being insulted.
Ivana, England

I will just remind all readers of enormous sacrifices and loss of nearly 30% of population which Serbs suffered from 1914 until recently. These wars where created by others and every single time Serbs where "on the right side" which now we can see was a big mistake. Why we don¿t talk about rewarding Serbia for all this sacrifices made and talk more about Albanian crimes committed under supervision of Nato and also about other nations crimes? As Arnie would say, " We will come back," as we did after Turkish, Austrian, German, Croatian, Hungarian, Albanian and many other occupations from 137cupations from 1378 onward. Only sad thing is that we are talking about democratic free Serbia as integral part of Europe, but even that is not enough for many good wishers to the Serbian nation. I am just asking myself how much religious and racial hatred is in this diplomatic solutions.
Milan Bates, Bristol

Good point on Mordor. And it is not that Serbia is just starting to pay now - it has been like that for 10 years already as "Great Powers" could not let the Dayton be. When they are done with the humiliations you describe, and that are likley enevidable, Balkans and the Europe will just be set up for another round of mess.
Voja,

It is very clear to me: What once was Yugoslavia, does not exist any more. The people of nations such as the Montenegrins and Kosovars must be allowed to have a referendum over their complete sovereignity. In the case of the Kosovars, they have nothing in common with Serbia. Have we all forgotten the Serb invasion of, what was supposed to be autonomous Kosovo and the massacres commited there. Anything less then independence for Kosovo, would be a further "licence to kill" there for Serbia. Why has freedom become so hard to get these days?
A Brakaj, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

Mark Mardell is plain wrong when he writes that "the whole country [i.e. Serbia] and race [i.e. Serbs] has been demonised." This is simply not true. As a Kosovar Albanian and a victim of the Serbian regime of the 1990s, I would like to see Serbia and Serbian leaders apologise for what they did in Kosova and return the dead bodies of innocent women and children what were masacred in Kosova in 1999 but later their bodies were moved and buried in Serbia in an attempt to hide the mass murder. Only when Serbia and Serbian leaders apologise and ask the victims of their state policies of the 1990s to forgive them does it show that they are different to Milosevic and his supporters. Until then to me and other victims of Serbian nationalism, Serbia remains the same; pre- and post-Milosevic. Finally, one is not demonising Serbia and Serbs by not wanting to live in one country with them. Kosova should be run by Kosovars, just like Slovenia is run by Slovenians. The same goes for Montenegro. Once we get our freedom and independence let Serbia vote for whatever political party they wish to vote for. If that is the Serbian Radical Party, so be it. They will live with the consequences of their own choice, not Kosovars or Montenegrins.
Besnik Parduzi, Prishtina, Kosova

I have heard an old prophecy that says the Serbs would become so few that they would be able to gather together under a plumtree. I think this prophecy will become true.
Andrew, Botevgrad , Bulgaria

Does tim clancy realise his description apply perfectly to Croatia as well as Serbia? Doesn't seem to have been much of a barrier to their EU membership efforts. Hasan is also forgetting Operation Storm in 1995, when the Croatian (not Croat) Army crossed en masse into Western Herzegovina. Punish the guilty, but make sure you punish all of the guilty.
brian, glasgow

I absolutely agree with Tim Clancy. I am Bosnian Muslim from Sarajevo and I hope that the Court of Justice in The Hague punishes Serbia and Montenegro for genocide, killing and torture that they had committed against civilians, women, elderly and children. We Bosnians do not seek for the revengue but the truth and justice.
Edina, Sarajevo, BiH