Balkan business

Frank P

Do you realise that the complete first page of this blog is a photo gallery entirely devoted Socialists? Can we infer any connecting philosophy from this editorial policy?

Vulture

Christ! Coffe House has turned into the Chamber of Horrors.

First you favour us with not one but two portraits of the one-eyed trouser snake.

Then you show us the ugliest woman in the world: what goes on?

MaxSceptic

All the Balkans still aren't worth the dry bones of a single Pomeranian Grenadier (let alone those of a British soldier)

The best 'Balkans Policy' is to disengage and make sure that we don't have obligations in that region until they reform themselves - by themselves.

TomTom

Ashton was criticised for not going to Haiti and for flying home to England from Brussels each night. Her competence is questionable and her irrelevance demonstrable.

Brilliant move of Brown to appoint a dud to hamstring the EU

Verity

Frank P and Vulture - You took the words right off of my keyboard.

Plus this grotesque woman in her grotesque position, has no legitimacy and no mandate of any kind, given that she has not presented herself to the electorate, any electorate, for approval.

Of course, the EUSSR itself has not been presented to the British electorate for approval.

And Liberal Progressive Democrat Dave will not be the man to do it.

ndm

Frank P writes:

-- Do you realise that the complete first page of this blog is a photo gallery entirely devoted Socialists?

I didn't know there were any Socialists in the Labour Goverhment. However, a political magazine which refused to cover the deeds of the Government would be a pretty lame policial magazine.

Vulture continues:

-- Then you show us the ugliest woman in the world.

Presumably, Vulture is one of those Sun readers who doesn't care who runs Britain as long as she has big tits.

denis cooper

Any chance that we'll ever be allowed any say on any of this?

It would affect us, you know, by giving yet more foreigners both the right to tell us what our laws should be, and the right to come and live and work in our country.

Why yes, of course, we're a democracy, after all; and shortly there'll be a general election when we can make our views clear by choosing between three main political parties, all of which favour further expansion of the EU.

Or, if we choose, we can "waste" our vote by giving it to a minor party which doesn't favour further EU expansion, but which is unlikely to get any MPs elected.

But wait! Another country can only join the EU through a new treaty, agreed and ratified by all of the present EU member states as well as by the country itself, and hasn't one of those main parties promised to pass a law making it necessary to put any new EU treaty to a national referendum?

Unfortunately not. As with all Tory pledges, this one must be read carefully, and it turns out that it only applies to new AMENDING treaties, not to ACCESSION treaties.

So Cameron could simply whip his MPs to approve accession treaties for Croatia, Serbia and the rest of the Balkans, and Turkey, and the Ukraine and the rest of the Caucasus, without the inconvenience of having to ask us whether we actually want any of those countries in the EU.

Verity

"Presumably, Vulture is one of those Sun readers who doesn't care who runs Britain as long as she has big tits."

Why do you presume this, ndm?

Fabian the Fabulous

Since the eu has no foreign policy, her trip to Serbia, or anywhere else for that matter, is entirely pointless

Woodbine Willy

She look like someone in the act of making a complaint to the council.
Could she be "damp flat woman"?

Fearless Frank

...he'll come up against an unwillingness to rethink policy. Arriving in office with some new ideas, and willing to join forces with Lady Ashton, will be crucial for helping the Balkans...

And there you have it - her job is to sidestep European foreign ministers who, whatever their failings are at least elected.
And you expect William Hague to join her in this noble cause!

Michael Booth

mmmmmm would this woman persuade you to have an affair with her? No? Then can she persuade anybody to do anything?

Thomasio

MaxSceptic, You've echoed the balkans aren't worth a Pomeranian Grenadier nor a British Soldier and that the Balkans reform themselves. It would appear that your remarks are at the level of your knowledge of what is happening in the Balkans, parallel to your apparent disdain you seem to feel towards those who are not your countryman. Perhaps Hitler should have been permitted to rein across Europe, and if it impacts you and your kind, so be it. I hope your strategy of ignorance works well for you.

M

I wholeheartedly agree with Thomasio. To the rest am appalled-- ignorance is bliss… Just over a decade ago the region was one of the bloodiest battlefields in Europe's recent history…“Keep your eye on the Balkans for history is being written there— perhaps history that will directly touch everyone” – Prof. Albert Bushnell Hart, 1913.

Peter

The Balkans is a mess. Start with Albania: The communists, lead by Sali Berisha, are ruling the country just like they did before 1990. The Islamic regime of Albania is persecuted the Christians while the world remains silent. Corruption, organized crime and bribery are the norm. Yet, the US and EU turn a blind eye to these problems. Continue with Kososvo, which is ruled by the leaders of the terrorist UCK/KLA who are now supported by the EU and the USA. B@H is a mess in its own style. No one knows what is transpiring there. Macedonia is dealing with the issues of separatist Albanian Muslims and so are Greece and Montenegro. No matter what problems are facing the Balkans, Muslim Albanians are in the middle of it. They are attempting to create the Great Islamic Republic of Albania consisting of Albania proper, Kosovo, part of Macedonia, part of Greece, and part of Montenegro. And the Arab money is pouring in. Wake up EU and USA, wake up!

Daniel Korski

Peter

I feel have to correct some of your comments about Albania.

For one, Sali Berisha is the head of the Democratic Party. Rather than being a caretaker of the Communist party, the Democratic Party (DP) was the first and largest of the new opposition parties to the Communist regime.

But the bigger problem is your fundamental misunderstanding of Albania's situation. The idea that Albania is run by an Islamist regime or populated by Islamist zealots is just plain wrong. The majority of Albanians , 60 to 75% today do not practice any religion whatsoever. The brand of Islam practiced in Albania is also far more moderate than in many other countries, including parts of Turkey.

As to your point on inter-communcal tension, you are also wrong. Albanian Muslims have coexisted peacefully with Christians for centuries

Many problems remain, including, as you say, corruption, clientilism and so on, but to talk of "The Islamic regime" is wrong.

Daniel

MaxSceptic

Thomasio @ Feb 20th 11:04 pm - Thank you for a fine demonstration of Godwin's Law.

You are also wrong to assume that my comment was made in ignorance. It is precisely because I am aware of the long, sad and tortuous history of that sorry area and its querulous peoples that I believe that allowing them to reach an accommodation among themselves, without outside interference, is the best policy for all concerned.

Fearless Frank

Thomasio, M and Peter -
The comments on this thread, with a couple of exceptions, are less to do with the Balkans, and all to do with the fact that we - Britain and the other member states of the EU - are being represented in a foreign policy that doesn't exist by a woman who was chosen for the job over the Ferrero Rocher at a heads of state dinner in Strasbourg.

Frank P

ndm

“ a political magazine which refused to cover the deeds of the Government would be a pretty lame policial [stet]magazine.”

It has been a pretty lame magazine since the Barclay Bros acquired it and dumped Mark Steyn; then later Paul Johnson was made an offer he could refuse.

“Presumably, Vulture is one of those Sun readers who doesn't care who runs Britain as long as she has big tits.”

Well the old Scottish tart currently in charge of the country is one of the biggest tits around and Vulture has made it quite plain that he does not approve of him. Moreover, the gargoylian monster has turned the national exchequer into a nanny state tit for every malingering waster, ponce and benefit fraudster, including those millions imported from other climes, to fill their bloated bellies and vote Labour (vide Mr. Neather).

But addressing that is something our Mr. Nelson does not wish Mr. Cameron to put on his manifesto. And he wonders why his newspaper’s poll today indicates that Cameron is losing ground in the opinion polls?

Really? And how much do the BB pay him to edit this magazine - and how much does Rupe of Wogga Wogga bung him for his NoW disingenuousness? Ye Gods!

Frank P

Btw; despite the constant parade of portraits of the NuLab Ugly Club hereupon, I note a marked absence of the Miliprick Bros. mugshots just recently. Have they stopped paying - or have they now just faded into obscurity to make their strike after the election and a hung Parliament?

What a blood bath on the scorched earth it will be. And I wonder what Cameron's excuse will be, as he returns to the PR milieu? He can always blame Frank Luntz, I suppose, or UKIP, or the BNP, or Verity, or Vulture et al. He will Neather admit he really is a wet liberal, rather than one who is overtly pretending to be (nudge ,wink).

M

Daniel, I also feel I have to correct some of your comments. The vast majority of Muslims in the Balkans do practice traditional, Hanafi, and Ottoman Islam. But, there is definitely a problem of radical Islamist influence in the Balkans, especially involving Wahhabism and similar tendencies. In my opinion, the problem is currently worst in Macedonia, where the Wahhabis have real control over the Islamic Community, while those who are not Wahhabis, are mistreated and attacked. There are also problems with Wahhabi influence on the Islamic elite in Bosnia. Wahhabis have infiltrated there and in Kosovo, but, as I said, the worst situation is in Macedonia, where the radicals head the community, as well as in Albania, where there is no attempt to control the radicals at all, and where, I would say, they can do what they want. Have you been to Skadar? I was there not too long ago and was told not to walk the streets alone…
This is in large due to lawlessness and also these young people are trying to find their identity, to understand themselves. For example in Bosnia one often heard such statements as “people were killed in Bosnia because they were Muslims, so let us become better Muslims,” and some think that the radical way makes one a better Muslim ... Girls are now covering their faces, or wearing full body covering, and this is something previously seldom seen in Bosnia, Kosova and Macedonia. For some this is a fashion, for others they want media attention. I hope that for most of them this is simply a juvenile phase. During this period, unfortunately, some will be recruited to terrorism, and cause serious trouble. But the most susceptible in this regard, is the elite within the official Islamic Community. This is because the elite is vulnerable to corruption…
As far as Berisha, he is ruling with an iron fist. EU has warned him that he must resolve its political deadlock. The main opposition Socialist party has been boycotting parliament in a seven-month dispute over alleged electoral fraud in June's parliamentary polls. An example of what he has done leading up to last year’s elections. The magazine Tema was evicted from its premises, rented from the government, and had its printing halted after it published a report on alleged corrupt activities by government officials. The TV News 24, generally critical of the government, was assessed a hefty fine for ridiculing another station’s promotion of the prime minister. The Albanian regime may not be Islamic but certainly still has remnants of communism.

M. Rowley

What this dull shit thinks she can bring to the table where the Balkans are concerned, I know not.

Joe

Daniel,

Albania is an Islamic Republic. The Catholic population of Albania exceeds 20%, yet, there are no Catholics in Berisha’s government. Out of the 14 Ministers, none is of the Catholic faith. Since Berisha came to power, Catholics have been persecuted. Who killed Aleksander Kekaj, Pllumb Pllumaj, Pjeter Arbnori? Dod Kaci, Gjona Gjonaj, etc. All these victims had two things in common: They opposed Sali Berisha and were Roman Catholics. Further, none of their killers have been identified, located, or arrested.
In 1992, Berisha sent Bashkim Gazidete to Saudi Arabia, asking the Saudis to help Albania join the Islamic Organization. Indeed, Albania joined in 1992 and Berisha signed the agreement without a parliamentary approval.
In 1997, Gazidede fled Albania and lived in Syria, Egypt and Saudi Arabia until 2005, when Berisha returned to power.
Under Beriosha, thousands and thousands of Albanian Muslim men studied in Islamic counties and now they are back in Albania preaching hatred towards the West and Christians.
Under Berisha, Bin Laden visited Albania, Kosovo and B@H and tried Albanian Muslim terrorists to fight the Christian Serbs.
Berisha is an Islamic Communist who is more dangerous than any terrorist we know. Albanian Muslim are intolerant and extremists. Talk to Pjerin Lumaj, an Albanian American civil right lawyer. He will tel you what the Albanian Muslims are. Look at his articles and the comments and the number of threats he and his family received from Albanian Muslims in the USA.
Do not be fooled by Sali Berisha. We know him better than anyone else.

JohnAnt

One look at Baroness Europe on their tv screens, and the Serbians will collapse with laughter. Still, God knows, they need a giggle.
I imagine she'll be well-briefed - a note on the palm of her hand in marker ink: 'Albania, mosques, good - Serbia, churches, bad.'