Malta recognises independence of Kosovo

Reply: Mr. Alexander Morana. Sorry for the delayed response. I have to tell you, that I have been to the CNN HQ in Atlanta, Georgia yet it amazes how 'big' newscasts like CNN, BBC, Fox etc. simply skip everything that is important. And I do watch CNN. But my 'bias' is based on the history I have been learning in schools, at the times when serbian regime censored and restricted at the fullest extent every Albanian written book that meant history and art to us, kosovans in Kosovo; at the times when I got beaten by serbian kids just because I was Albanian, when they threw boiling water upon me when entering the primary school, or when the government forced me to go to school at 6 pm and at 6.15 pm shut down the electricity so we would abandon education altogether. No my friend, this I did not see in CNN, this I lived up as a tortured 7 years old kid, who saw a man being brutally beaten to faint by serbian police in school-garden at the same age. As much as we can't say whether Ossetia deserves independence, you can't tell us we don't deserve it.

Kosovo independence is partial reward of Albanian cause in the Balkans.
Albanians were cut in pieces several times, and more Albanians live outside Albania borders than inside. Most of which border Albanian proper.

Ending Serbian occupation should have happened long time ago, but, as many say, better later than never.

Thank you Malta.

Its Jeremy my dear, Jeremy...Simple to spell, simple to read.

And whilst your tirade is not racist, it sure as hell is Xenophobic.

Surprise surprise...Jfarrugia almost agrees with Mintoff's outdated foreign interference law!

Everyone has the right to protest..it is the threatening language that gets people arraigned..

I am also sure that being an Ex Posta Employee does not disqualify me from putting my opinions on this blog, no matter how much it bothers holier than thou individuals like your triassic spells.Get used to it.

Are Ex Post employees your new hate figures, along with Dock workers. Who next? Govt employees...

If you don't like it get out of our country...Is that also directed at EU residents who object to any issues that concern the Government? Are you telling them to leave Malta as well.....Perhaps you should join CNI?

As for putting words in your mouth, well, I would never dream of doing such a thing. I just love hearing your hate tirades...putting sensible words in your mouth would ruin it all....

I say to all those foreigners who are commenting on this blog to stop it. The Maltese people are after their own national interest. And will not allow any foreign interference in our internal matters. Mintoff had enacted the Foreign interference act and had it not been for the nationalist government of Fenech Adami, all of you would have been behind bars by now. So stop meddling with what our Government decides. Organising protests in our country! Not even the Maltese people have today a right to organise a protest against illegal immigration because they will be arraiggned in court for racism. If you don't like it, get out of our country. And this is not racism. It's our national interest. And as for that meddler Jeffrey, stop putting words in my mouth which I have not uttered, You're just a loud mouth schnook. I will certainly not give any attention to the stupidities you utter. As usual an ex posta employee who has got nothing to do.

Several thousand are killed, 280,000 Serbs are expelled and 150 churches and monasteries have been destroyed under Albanian rule. Remaining Serbian populace was closed into enclaves (ghettoes) and live in fear.
Kosovo dont deserve independence!

When Lebanon was invaded by Isreali forces, the Lebanese residents in Malta protested. Last week Georgians protested infront of the US embassy. Where are the strong Serbian population in Malta?

Organise yourself for a protest! U will find the support of many people also in Malta! I'm the first one to attend such protest!

DO IT FOR UR BELOVED SERBIA!

At first I was undecided towards not favorable to this declaration of independence in a global perspective.. yet I knew I wasn't knowledgeable enough to decide clearly so I did my research, I read well through the whole Yugoslav war & the subsequent Kosovo war histories, I also spoke to people on multiple sides of these conflicts (yes multiple) & finally came to the conclusion that Kosovo really does deserve it's independence. I shed the believe that this creates a precedents as each case needs to be studied in it's own merits.

I observed how wisely Malta has acted to decide in this decision regarding Kosovo...

I agree! Why not? And then continue with Abkhazia, South Osettia, Gibraltar, the Falklands, Northern Ireland, the Basque Region etc. etc. etc. And perhaps, finally Gozo.
'Divide and Rule' and break all opponents to your diktat. That's Western democracy!!!

You have the honour to recognize the Independence of Kosova. Thank you Malta!

Just to point out that Switzerland did recognize Kosovo. I confirmed that in the wiki article previously posted. However I stand by my main point that recognizing the Independence of Kosovo has created a precedent which will now most probably be used in the Ossetia and Abkhazia regions as well.

Will Malta also recognise the independence of South Georgia when the time comes?
Then it will be the turn of the Basque Region in Spain.
The Basque region in Spain is absolutely a homogenous entity. They have the language. Even during the Civil war they lined against the Franco regime. The Basque region is Catholic, and many religious people from the region were imprisoned or persecuted by the Franquists. If I remember well there were a number of religious victims killed or executed by the Central Government.
Isn't this a world of two weights and two measures? Politics.
I wonder what The USA will do if any part of it will with time claim independence. It will be granted immediately on a golden plate! No?

All the atrocities made by the Serbs at Kosovo where wrong – but you do not fix something wrong by doing another wrong! Some people over here are saying that the situation of Kosovo is different than that of Ossetia and Abkhazia. This is false! Although Georgia did not break any human rights (this remains to be seen) it remains a fact that the majority of the people living in those two regions do not want to be part of Georgia. By accepting the independence of Kosovo based on what the people of this REGION want we have created a precedent which other regions and countries (mostly Russia at this point) will probably use. Also some people over here are not seeing the real issue; Taking sides on the Kosovo situation means Malta has moved out of Neutrality. If people do not want to understand this then take a look to this Wikipedia article to see how internationally there are two highly divided camps. We took sides now; rather than do the most intelligent thing for a Neutral country (such as Switzerland) and wait for the UN to actually determine the legality of the Independence of Kosovo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Kosovo_declaration_of_independence#International_disputes

My grandmother who died on 1994 when she was 103 years old, told us what they went through when Serbian soldiers invaded Kosovo in beginning of previous century. Her stories were not that different from what we went through during 90s. After 1989, Albanian population remained without jobs when compulsory measures were imposed in Kosovo economy. We survived that. Serbs started to use force against population (not only police but also local and newcomers that came to fill more than 800,000 vacant positions). We survived that. After that, mass violence against Albanian population started, according to Serbs every Albanian was a terrorist, so infants, old people, and women (pregnant in some cases) were most of the victims that were executed. So then, free and democratic world intervene. In revenge, more than 1 mil. people had to flee their homes, their IDs and documents were destroyed by police and civilians who were armed. It was a perfect plan from Serbian government, their people were involved also. They want Kosovo but without its people. Hence, independence that should be recon. by free world. Thank you Malta.

Minister T. Borg did well to follow other Europeans countries and recognise the independence of Kosovo. The people of Kosovo deserve it after experiencing genocide at the hands of he Serbs. The case of Ossetia and Abkhazia are not similar to that of Kosovo. In Kosovo the majority of the inhabitants are Albanias and judging by the genocides committed by the Serbs they seem to have no place in Kosovo. under Serbian rule. In the other two states the minority calling for independence (in reality annexation to Russia) are Russians citizens who Russian purposely planted there as it did in other former occupied countries like Estonia, Lithuana, etc. The point is that Russian under some pretext or an other wants to cling to what remains of its former empire by all means including use of force. Former Russian occupied countries are lucky that they got away so easily. It won,t be long before we hear Russian sparks with other nieghbours. The first one is likely to be Ukraine where Russia still holds to a naval base which she refuses to leave.

Thank you so much Malta! Kosova was never part of Serbia. It was only occupied by Serbia who did genocide and so many crimes in 1999 war. Long live the Republic of Kosova. God bless all people of Malta.

I agree. We should also recognize Chechnya.

If at least our government was going to regognise Kovoso because he is a yes sir to whatever the EU says even if it goes against our national interest, he should got something back in return from brussels

(e.g which is a burden sharing agreement on illegal immigration)

I show my solidarity to the Serbian people and hope one day this land will be given back to them. Today I am ashamed of our government.

Serbian people suffered genocide in Kosovo, (there are stil burnt Serbian churches and vilages) after 1999, during 2nd wwar (when albania ocupied kosovo),during otoman rule after 1690 uprising and during 1878-1912. even Serbian cemetaries are destroyed (You can see that in towns in Kosovo)All of this is historical facts and only medivial monuments at Kosovo are serbian monasteries and castles. Most of albanians came to Kosovo during Enver Hoxa regime. Look at surveying the population how number of Albanians grew up. People use your own brains! False state of Kosovo is USA puppet state. Malta made a mistake, but as christian ortodoxes we forgive, Malta's government doesn't know what do.
I hope that Malta will never feel how is when someone wants to stole your land, your culture, your history, past and future... Kosovo and Metohija is eternal fire in every Serbian heart and we live for day when justice will won and feedom come to every part of Serbia. While Serbs are alive the message of nation which spirt and soul is free is clear NOBODY CAN STOLE FROM OUR HEARTS KOSOVO, FOREVER KOSOVO IS SERBIA!!!

Shpend Qamili wrote:
"...about time, and thank you...
Anyone who compares Kosovo to S. Ossetia, lacks information, or reads too much Russian propaganda."

Or perhaps it could be that you have your own biases, your own personal agenda and that you listen to other types of propaganda?

TO ALL THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW HOW OUR FOREIGN POLICY WORKS.

THE EU WHICH WE ARE PART OF!!!! DECIDES TO PURSUE A COMMON FOREIGN POLICY
WHICH IN TURN IS ADOPTED BY ALL THE 27 EU MEMBERS THAN IST UP TO THEM TO IMPLEMENT THIS.

BY the way Kosovo was an occupied country (the country was already in existence before Yugoslavia after the break up Kosovo was occupied by the Serbs. The south Ossetia problem is that this small state which forms part of Georgia wants to join Russia (officaly it is independence they want but in reality they want integration with Russia) therefore that's a different situation south Ossetia was never occupied by the Georgians IT FORMS PART OF GEORGIA!!!!! (take for example Gozo and imagine it want's independence shuld the int community accept and recognize Gozo????)

Additionally, being against the Independence of Kosovo does not mean agreeing or accepting what Serbia (Through Milosevic and his entourage) did to the Kosovars. This is a complete separate issue and one which has already been answered for when NATO attacked Serbia. When the Serbians removed Milosevic from power it signaled a clear revolution in that country! A revolution which day-by-day got Serbia closer to Europe! With Serbia in Europe the Kosovo problem would have been much easier to solve internally and also kept monitored thus making sure then no human rights where broken! Now all this is in danger because some countries decided to accept Kosovo as independent; including Malta now!

@ Mr. Baton, perhaps you read too much of the CNN garbage too, than the Russian propaganda as some other non-Maltese sounding gentleman suggested.

Let’s get this clear, this PN administration is trying to go through the mist and fog of foreign Affairs with blinkers on. They are having difficulty whom are they going to please - the USA or Brussels, irrespective of our Neutrality Act in our Constitution.

Oh by the way to all you Kosovars do you think now with a resurging Russia, Serbia is finished with you?

Once again J farrugia gets all sentimental and emotional.

As long as the Government takes a stand, he's behind it, no matter what.

After all, his contributions, in his own words, are requested by others.

The others being....well....better leave that for him to tell....

Whilst he rants on about bears and other animals, it is sad to realise how jfarrugia is still caught up in the cold war....He'll be rambling on about the crusades ina couple of minutes.

One other thing dear Jfarrugia...it seems that the majority of people here are of the same opinion, and yet you only notice my contribution....
getting personal are you?

How Catholic......

Also was this serious issue discussed in parliament at all? Why didn’t Malta wait for the UN to recognize the independence and borders of Kosovo like other countries are doing? What did we have to gain – or this was just a move to get some extra favor from the US. I personally have nothing against the US nor against Albania, Serbia, Russia or any other country in the world! However if Malta is NEUTRAL then can please the Maltese Government tell us how come we took a decision which will definitely not be welcomed by so many other countries, including; Serbia, Russia, SPAIN, China, Turkey … and I can keep on going! The minister has to tell us WHY he decided to recognize Kosovo as an independent state not just tell us he decided to recognize it as so!! I personally believe this was not a good decision and one that goes against the general will of the Maltese people!

With the same line of reasoning then the Maltese government should now recognize Abkhazia and S. Ossetia as independent countries as well. This is because the reason why Kosovo has been recognized by a very small number of other countries as Independent is because of the large majority of Albanians living in that region. In Abkhazia and S. Ossetia there are more Russians (it is irrelevant if they are Russian born or not, they have Russian passports and see themselves as Russians) living then Georgians. So will the Maltese government also recognize these two states? I am personally in favor of the Territorial integrity of Georgia and I guess also is the Maltese government – So how can this same government be in favor of the territorial integrity of one state and not of another? Don’t the same international laws apply to both these states? Also what difference does this make to us then just helping to deteriorate our relations with Serbia? I believe the government should concentrate more on the problem it has then those it doesn’t have!

My thoughts echo Andre' Micallef's previous post. Kosovo historically is the cradle of Serbian civilisation.

It's clear that some major powers want to dismantle and humiliate Serbia, a nation who has always stuck to its guns to retain its national identity, although one has to say that their acts of violence against fellow Balkans will never be condoned.

By taking this step, the Government has also offended the national sentiment of 100s of Serbians who are permanently resident in our country.

Malta has done an act of global citizenship. For sceptic maltese citizens, I urge you recheck the history, and base your opinions there. True, Kosovo was never a sovereign state, yet it was never slavic. Being a Kosovar myself, I can tell you with absolute transparency that the Milosevic Serbia had done the most nasty tortures and ethnic clensing of Albanians maybe in the history of the civilzation itself (what they did to Bosnians as well). Malta is renown for their proud history, and yet they deny the righteous decision of the only decendants of Illyrians - Albanians, just as they forego the greatest violation of rights an ethnicity can take: the Conference of Ambassadors in London, year 1913 when more than a half of real Albania was divided to Greece and other slavic neighbors.
FYI, Illyrians along with Hellenic people are the first civilizations known in Balkans (the drainage system in Prizren, Kosovo is much older than the existence of Roman Empire), while the slavic barbarian tribes conquered these lands in the 14-15 centuries facing "peaceful and hospitable people".
In its history, Albanians NEVER had plans of conquering even a single inch of territory that was not theirs!

With the same line of reasoning then the Maltese government should now recognize Abkhazia and S. Ossetia as independent countries as well. This is because the reason why Kosovo has been recognized by a very small number of other countries as Independent is because of the large majority of Albanians living in that region. In Abkhazia and S. Ossetia there are more Russians (it is irrelevant if they are Russian born or not, they have Russian passports and see themselves as Russians) living then Georgians. So will the Maltese government also recognize these two states? I am personally in favor of the Territorial integrity of Georgia and I guess also is the Maltese government – So how can this same government be in favor of the territorial integrity of one state and not of another? Don’t the same international laws apply to both these states? Also what difference does this make to us then just helping to deteriorate our relations with Serbia? I believe the government should concentrate more on the problem it has then those it doesn’t have!

Before Serbs inhabited Kosovo for (this happened around 7th century), Kosovo was populated with Albanians. Then, Albanians “reoccupied” Kosovo around the 15th century. Since then Kosovo is populated with major Albanian population!
The Great Battle of Kosovo in 1389 was lost by Serbs, and since then, Kosovo and most of the region was under the rule of Ottoman Empire. Only Albanian parts of the region (lead by Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg) successfully resisted until the 16th century the Ottoman attacks.
Serbia gained its independence on 1878, from Ottomans, and occupied Kosovo on 1918. This is the first time that Kosovo became part of Serbia (on medieval ages Kosovo was a part of a “country” called The kingdom of Serbs, Bulgarians, Greeks and Albanians – lead by a Serb emperor Dushan).
Then, during 80 years of Serbian rule of Kosovo, Albanians experienced three genocides and massive deportations from Serbian government.
For more info about Kosovo history check Tim Judah and Noel Malcolm books about Kosovo history, since the history books of Serbs and Albanians may not by reliable…

Taking into consideration our entry in the PFP and the present tensions between Russia the US and the EU, I personally would like to know the reasons that led our Goverment to take such a decision.

...about time, and thank you...
Anyone who compares Kosovo to S. Ossetia, lacks information, or reads too much Russian propaganda.

I cannot understand why some comments are confusing the independence of Kosovo with the immigration problem in Malta. Please let's stop sending racist messages!
And just to correct the historical statements: Albanians did not migrate to the Kosovo region, rather Albanian were already there and the Serbs migrated to the Balkans only the the 6th centry AD. One should have a look at the 1912 Treaty of London to understand that only this recently Kosovo ended up part of the then Yugoslavia. During the 1389 Kosovo siege, all inhabitants of the area (mostly albanians) fought the ottomans.

John Hatton do you agree with the way Russia invaded Georgia? A simple yes or no! How is America involved in all this? Better the devil I know than the bear i do not know! I'd rather have a thousand americans than 1 russian bear in my homeland. The Americans will go out but the russian bear will remain forever amen.

Well, Well, our non experienced naive pime minister succumbed to the American DEMAND
to recognize Kosovo in order to help the Americans occupying and adding another part of
europe. \\\the Americans are working behind closed doors to get a BIG FOOT in these parts
of Europe with a result that within ten years they will have the last say and then DICTATE when we may visit the toilets, or what to have for breakfast.
Well done to our government, our PM , who are proud in their confined mentality .

jeremy J Camilleri once more, an expert on foreign matters. The joke of the century. He has absolutely nothing to say except that he favours Russian bears.

Very Bad decision - Kosovo was never an separate state or region - and was taken over by illegal Albanian immigrants - dissapointed at my Government!

Good job - I dare say a bit late in the day. Better late than never, though.

And lest I burst anyone's bubble, comparing Kosovo to South Ossetia (and Abkazia) makes little sense, if any. I am no apologetic for the United States, but there are very few similarities between Kosovo and Georgia's breakaway regions. For starters, the US never handed out passports to Kosovars for them to clamour for American protection. Russia did - and in a matter of months provided more than 70,000 passports in South Ossetia alone (much of its population). Secondly, there is historical proof of Serbian forces committing human rights violations in Kosovo, prompting other nations to intervene. Russian forces have been clamouring about Geogrian human rights violations in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, whilst providing little, if any, evidence of such 'genocide'.

Russia should have taken the lead in mediating between Georgia and Abkhazia and South Ossetia. It didn't - though I would expect no better from a country whose democratic credentials are hardly worth the paper they are printed on, and whose only sense of security comes from its finite oil and gas reserves and a bloated military.

Why do we always have to follow other countries? Actually we is not the RIGHT word as myself or better most of the maltese population was never involved in this decision so I guess it was more of a few people's decision. I don't agree with this decision as mostly it is the US and EU's majority decision and 'Malta' like sheep just follows. We are small but we have brains! I strongly support EU but when there is an opposite concern about something we should stand by our thoughts and perhaps do consult the public if we really live in a democratic state!

This latest move by the Maltese Government is nothing short of a serious, shortsighted blunder. A travesty of history, if you like. Kosovo has historically ALWAYS belonged to Serbia. The great battle of 1389, in which the Serbs spilled their blood in order to defend this important region of their homeland from the Ottoman Turks, testifies to this. Today's Albanian immigrants, even if they form the absolute ethnic majority in Kosovo, have absolutely no grounds for claiming that Kosovo should be annexed to Albania. It's like stating that sometime in future, when Malta becomes inundated with African immigrants, these Africans would have the gall to suggest that Malta should become part of Africa. It would be the ultimate insult to the memory of our forefathers who fought in the Great Siege of 1565 in order to safeguard not only their homeland, but also Christian Europe. History should never be tampered with in such a shameless manner.

A clear message that use of violence pays at the end

I hope that Malta and EU will also regonize Abkhazia & Ossetia as independent states.

Joseph Cauchi said:
"While I welcome the decision by the Maltese Government of Kosovo's independence, isn't it ironic that Kosovo"s situation, which was part of Serbia some months ago, is today similar to that of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which these two regions today form part of Georgia?

Was Russia's objection and oppositon to Kosovo's independence justified in light of these weeks events, by the military acton taken by the Russian neighbours?

I hope this is not a case of "two weights - two measures" or IS it?."

The same can be said for the US. Why is it okay for Kosovo to be independent from Serbia while it is not for Abkhazia and S. Ossetia to be independent from Georgia if the overhwelming majority of the population want independence? The US are just as biased, if not more, than Russia when it comes to global politics.

Recognition of an artificial state imposed by the US and to a lesser extent by the EU as a punishment to Serbs...........makes no sense at all. The next move perhaps is Taiwan.??.....but no no because no one in Europe has done it!!

Malta will probably recognise S.Ossetia and Abkhazia when 3/4 of the rest of the world does... long enough to ensure they won't be seen as trendsetters yet not so late that we're the very last country.

While I welcome the decision by the Maltese Government of Kosovo's independence, isn't it ironic that Kosovo"s situation, which was part of Serbia some months ago, is today similar to that of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which these two regions today form part of Georgia?

Was Russia's objection and oppositon to Kosovo's independence justified in light of these weeks events, by the military acton taken by the Russian neighbours?

I hope this is not a case of "two weights - two measures" or IS it?

Cheers.

What next?

Recognise independence in South Ossetia?...

What happened in Kosovo was a grave miscarriage of justice

Well done, Dr Borg! What is Malta's position on the Georgia conflict (Abkhazia & Ossetia)?