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Breakup of former Yugoslavia from the perspective of a Kosovo Albanian (RTS)

Philosopher and political analyst Shkelzen Malliqi this weekend in Belgrade presented the book "Kosovo and the breakdown of Yugoslavia." It was an opportunity for Serbian audience to hear how the breakup of Yugoslavia and the subsequent events in Kosovo looked from the perspective of a Kosovo Albanian.

Belgrade student, sixty-eight years old, whose father in early eighties was the police chief in Kosovo, in a book that has the interview format, talks about the origins of the Kosovo crisis in the former Yugoslavia from the perspective of an ethnic Albanian.

The book describes how someone, who is from Kosovo, experienced former Yugoslavia, how he was changing opinion, how he experienced those breaking years, and the eighties and nineties.

The story actually begins in the fifties and sixties.

The story in Malliqi’s book generally opposes the Serbian view of the crisis, but he believes that the Albanian’ view is missing in a debate about the breakup of Yugoslavia.

"Since the crisis began there, it is good to know that aspect in the study of a country that no longer exists, but somehow vibrates in all the countries that emerged from the break," said Malliqi.

When it comes to the current image of Kosovo, after the Assembly elections, Malliqi thinks that the current Prime Minister Hashim Thaci is out of the game because complete opposition united against him. He does not give them much of a chance, especially because of the radicalism of the Self-determination movement.

"Neither opposition has votes for the government. Thaci was the favourite and of the Serbian side as the signatory of the Brussels Treaty, as Kurti seeks termination of the dialogue, which will be a problem and for the guarantors," said Malliqi.

Another peculiarity of Kosovo is the complete absence of Yugo-nostalgia, except a minor regret for safe salaries and pensions. Malliqi explains that with the low integration of Albanians in former Yugoslavia. Partially it can be seen and in the current football sympathies, different from the rest of the former country.

"In Kosovo, many are cheering for Switzerland. We care about Belgium too, we will follow the game of Januzaj, who plays for Manchester," says Malliqi.

The book cover and a miner on them is an enigma for young Albanians, says Malliqi, at least as the Albanian view of the disintegration of Yugoslavia, is unknown to everyone else.

 

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