Kosova Crisis Center
link to alb-net
(note: The facts presented here by the Serbian Radical Party about the alleged immigration of Kosova Albanians from Albania and the "Islamic Fundamentalism" presence within Albanians are not considered true by and are not endorsed by us therefore they do not represent the opinions of alb-net.com group. This article is presented for informative purpose only, to illustrate the portrayal of Albanians and the campaign of hate towards Albanians present in the Serb media since the early 80's.)
Deputy Prime Minister Voislav Seselj Makes It Chillingly Clear
Voislav Seselj, Serb deputy prime minister and leader of
the Radical Party of Serbia, outlined this plan for the ethnic cleansing of Kosova in
October 1995. It bears a close resemblance to what is happening there today. To ethnic
cleansing, forced depopulation and confiscation of land, he adds suggestions for
mobilizing Serb parmilitaries, psychological warfare and the elimination of Albanian
leaders through bogus scandals, staged traffic accidents and the AIDS virus. Illyria
published this article previously, in November 1997
One thousand years ago, the cornerstone of Serb statehood, of its national consciousness
and culture, was created in Kosova and Metohija. Ever since, no other legal state has
existed in Kosova and Metohija. Of all the peoples living and working in these territories
throughout this time, the roots of the Serb people are the deepest and most extensive. One
cannot imagine a Serb state without Kosova and Metohija. Therefore, keeping Kosova and
Metohija as an integral part of Serbia is as important as keeping the Serbian nation
alive. The migration of Serbs and the abandonment of their ancestral homes in Kosova and
Metohija became the destiny of the Serb people. Ottoman rule and the atrocities of
Islamized Albanians who settled there subsequently brought about conditions under which
life for Serbs was impossible. People had no other choice but run as far away as they
could in order save their children; run away without looking back, to abandon homes,
property, the cemeteries of their grandfathers; to seek safety in Serbia or elsewhere. The
migration of Serbs from Kosova and Metohija occurred between the two world wars, while the
settling of Serb volunteers there -- warriors first and foremost -- maintained to some
extent the Serb presence here. Regrettably, this only lasted till World War II, when,
first the occupying fascists, and then the Communists resumed the driving out of Serbs and
settling a great number of emigrants from Albania. During the period of time 1944-45, the
Communist regime prevented the expelled Serbs from coming back and repossessing their
homes, acknowledging as a fait accompli the remodeling of the ethnic structure of the
region. At the same time, the Albanians were rewarded with autonomy in Kosova and Metohija
which was to serve them later as a foundation for their secessionist policies. The effects
of such an anti-Serb policy resulting in a great number of Serbs leaving Kosova and
Metohija. Albanian usurped hundreds of hectares of both state- and Serbs-owned private
land, whereas monasteries, cemeteries and other sacred places of the Serbs became subject
to systematic devastation. In the late 1980s, in a bid to hold onto power, the Communist
regime in Serbia announced that it would pursue a just national policy and set out to
solve the Kosova and Metohija issue. Serbs were misled by the emendation of the Serb
constitution, by which the decision-making authority was given back to the Parliament. On
paper, Serbia became a unified state, while promises of the Serb president paved the way
for the return of Serbs to Kosova and Metohija. That was an historic opportunity which the
current Serbian regime failed to fulfill. The policy the Belgrade regime has been pursuing
vis-a-vis Kosova and Metohija is motivated chiefly by sheer political considerations,
failing thus to address the real interests of the Serb people. With the consent and
pressure of international community, the regime has quietly allowed the secessionist
movement of Albanians to get stronger, create de facto a parastate called the Republic of
Kosova and internationalize the Kosova issue. Once the Yugoslav federation crisis is
settled, it becomes very much clear that the Serb issue must be by all means resolved
through the unification of all Serb territories into a single state. Aware of the alarming
situation in Kosova and Metohija, which is deteriorating at breakneck speed; bearing in
mind the treachery the Serb regime has committed against its fellow nationals in Republika
Srpska and the Serb Republic of Krajina, one can easily expect the same thing to happen to
Serbs in Kosova and Metohija. Distressed by statements of foreign officials who maintain
that the issues of Kosova and Metohija, Raska province (Sandjak) and Vojvodina should be
solved within the frameworks of the crisis in Yugoslavia; being aware that the national
consciousness and the future of the Serb people is unimaginable without Kosova and
Metohija as an unalienable part of the Serb state; convinced that the president of Serbia,
Slobodan Milosevic, has created a blueprint for a treachery against sacred Serb land to
deliver it to Albanian secessionists, we are hereby stating the following goals of Serb
national policy in Kosova and Metohija, and the necessary measures for accomplishing such
goals and crushing by all means the secessionist insurrection of Albanians in Kosova and
Metohija. In order to thwart the effects of this insurrection, we are committed to see the
following issues settled urgently:
Reorganization of the state
To reorganize the state and change the current federation and territorial autonomies
because these autonomies have proven to be fatal to the Serb people. The best solution
would be to design a single state that would include in it the Serb Republic of Krajina,
the Republika Srpska, the Republic of Serbia and Republic of Montenegro. The Serb state
would have one president, a single parliament, a single government, while regions would be
mediators between the local administrations and the the central government. The Serb state
should be a national and democratic state of Serbs and citizens and other ethnic groups,
to whom all individual, civil and civic rights would be guaranteed. The abolition of the
existing autonomy of Kosova and Metohija -- by which a fatal disparity was created in
Serbia and provided for the Albanians a basis to demand secession -- is the core element
in accomplishing the Serb national issue. The Serb people now carrying out a demanding
struggle for the unification of all Serb lands must consider as its foremost priority the
keeping of all territories within Serb borders. The complete inclusion of Kosova and
Metohija into a unique Serb state is an internal matter, and it must be resolved as such
and without outside arbitration by the so-called international community. A settlement of
the status of Kosova and Metohija as an integral part of the Serb state as well as a
settlement of all other issues related to realization of a modern and democratic state of
law can only be achieved by creating a new constitution. The constitution can be
promulgated by a constitution-making parliament elected in a direct ballot by all the
people in the country. The national policy toward Kosova and Metohija cannot be achieved
without having it discussed by the appropriate bodies of parliament and without the
consent of the legitimate representatives of the Serb people in Kosova and Metohija.
Taking into account the fact that a considerable number of national minorities live in
Serbia, they would, in conformity with international standards, enjoy all individual and
collective rights, i.e., the right to using their languages in judicial matters, the right
to be educated in their own languages, the right to their religious services, cultural
activities and so forth. However, a complementary requisite for enjoying such rights must
be their obligation to show loyalty to the state of which they are citizens.
Revision of the citizen registers and citizen rights on the basis of the 1991
census
It is very necessary that the federal parliament urgently adopts the law on citizenship.
The law would define the number Albanian immigrants and their predecessors, who have in an
illegal way over the period 1941-1987 acquired property and other estates no one could
ever achieve in any other country. There are around 400,000 such foreigners in Yugoslavia
today, Such a law would prevent them from living any longer in our state. Similar
standards should be applied to all citizens of the seceded republics, unless they are of
Serb nationality, and to all minorities who refuse to accept citizenship in the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia. Some 400,000 refugees from seceded Yugoslav republics could be
settled in their stead, a legitimate act of the regime. Two rules should be applied in
eliminating the immigrants: those who have been proven to be extremists will be
immediately expelled, while others must possess the proper documents, the most important
being the citizenship certificate, something none of them of course has. This 'fatherland
certificate' must have on its cover page the Serb coat of arms: the white double-headed
eagle of the Nemanjics, and the crest with four Cyrillic Ss. The failure to possess this
paper would be the basis for expulsion. The repatriation of Albanians temporarily working
in foreign countries must be prevented, especially those who left during the 1990-1993
period (it is estimated that they number some 300,000). Employment should be denied to
people of certain vocations which would compell them to leave the country. Albanians are
in this respect very adept -- on the one hand because they have supporters in many
countries, and on the other it fits their mentality to live in other countries. Such
measures would first and foremost affect the educated portion of their population, so that
the rest could be easily manipulated and not be able to organize resistance.
Revision of land ownership laws
In regard to revising ownership status a special law should be promulgated by which all
Albanian-owned land and other wealth will be given back to Serbs and the Serb Orthodox
Church in Kosova and Metohija. The church used to be in possession of large estates and it
maintained welfare activities with the local population. By enlarging its land and estate,
the monasteries could in an optimal manner perform their religious, cultural and national
mission. They could also help the Serb people meet and prevent their further migration. In
the events that took place in the second half of 20th century, it was only the Serb
priests who did not move from Kosova. So, owing to their patriotism and their right to
inheritance, they deserve large estates. The land that was sold to Albanians or has in one
way or another ended up in the hands of Albanians, especially over the period 1966-1987
(during the Communist and Ballist [Albanian National Front] rule), as well as estates
acquired by Fascists during World War II, should be given back to their Serb owners or/and
their successors. This could be carried out easily because Albanians in most of the cases
have not built new houses but have only knocked down those existing ones so that Serbs
could not have a place to go if they decided to return. Albanians have done this because
they feared that the situation might change and their illegal appropriation of estates
could not last forever. During the socialist [Communist] reign, agricultural cooperatives
and collectives were exclusively established on the estates and in the villages of Serbs,
thus there is a serious need for reprivatization to give those estates back to their
previous owners under the condition that they live on them. If not, the land should be
offered to new owners. There is plenty of state-owned land that can be either allocated or
sold to Serbs coming from outside Kosova and Metohija. The land must be allocated to
private owners, for the state has not handled it properly. In addition, the land of
agricultural cooperatives is adequate for settling on it significant numbers of colonists,
who, by living there, could be more capable of developing welfare, social, defense and
other activities. There is plenty of such land all over Kosova and Metohija. It is very
easy to concentrate on such lands Serbs who could maintain close cooperation with other
such centers to provide assistance in development. The establishment of chains of such
settlements is achievable in the regions of Decan, Prizren and Suhareka, where, by
expelling the Albanians, a strong defense barricade against Albania could be secured.
Changing the ethnic structure of the population
The colonization of Kosova and Metohija should be carried out quickly and conclusively.
Through political propaganda, colonists could be portrayed as Serbs populating Serb land
and it is all the same which part of the country they live in as long as they live in
their own land. These Serbs should also be supplied with equipment and long-term loans so
they can cultivate the land they are granted which would make them stay there. Most of the
Croats from Janjeva and Letnica [two Kosova regions where some Croats lived and still do],
guided by ethno-centrism, left for Croatia without any pressure whatsoever. Their property
has been either sold to Albanians or was plundered by Albanians from adjacent regions.
Serb refugees from Croatia should be settled in those homes and estates. Besides
confiscating the land from Albanians which they illegally expropriated, all those who have
pillaged the wealth and have occupied Serb territories must must pay the consequences
pursuant to the Law on Banning the Repatriation of Serbs in Kosova and Metohija. The Law
on Prohibition of Selling Estates should be fully respected and all efforts should be made
to have its provisions fully and properly implemented. To this end, the foremost
responsibility goes to the current Ministry of Finances (Treasury) of the Republic of
Serbia, which has in fact mostly not enforced that law. Ethnic expansion of Albanians onto
Serb state- or privately owned land must be foiled by all means possible. All Albanians
who are not citizens -- something can be easily proved with a census -- should be fired
from their jobs. All the Albanians who wish to leave will be given passports. Albanians of
Yugoslav citizenship living abroad and/or involved in secessionist activities must lose
their citizenship. Taking into account the current ethnic distribution (with only a few
rural Serb enclaves and over 700 purely Albanian centers, while the few Serbs in owns have
been virtually suppressed by the Albanians, we consider that the colonization should be
carried out in an organized fashion, through establishing of new villages, settlements,
small towns or new neighborhoods in existing towns). Such places should be of a closed
type with an inner form of organization, i.e., medical services, entertainment, cultural
activities, etc. In this way people can be divided along ethnic lines, while the minority
Serb population in mixed neighborhoods in the towns would gradually move to the newly
established enclaves, an idea which requires both support and motivation. In order to have
the Serb enclaves protected, an Albanian population of 5 to 10 per cent should be
installed there (a selection of distinguished families and those with authority). Highways
should be constructed (up to 1 kilometer apart -- in a process that can be called
"terrain configuration -- to cleanse a wide belt through Albanian enclaves and near
other sites like military barracks, polygons, depots, etc. Near such highways the land and
space must be allocated to Serb colonists, which would result in thinning the Albanian
population of the territories, one element that provides a feeling of security for
Albanians. These moves would create a "leopard spot" pattern of Serb enclaves
that would grow and eventually become larger than the Albanian enclaves. Conquering
territories in this way is more efficient than "planting" individuals in
Albanian communities, for it does not raise ownership issues. The first method provides
far more security for colonists, while the second is a more lasting process. The Serb
enclaves would chiefly depend on state supplies and a small number of Serb-owned private
firms, while Albanian areas would be supported mainly through private firms, which could
be allowed to operate. The state could help private firms that don't operate efficiently.
Further, electricity and water supplies to the Albanian enclaves can be disrupted to make
their lives unbearable. All this will be aimed not only at having the Albanian population
divided but utterly isolated too. But if the Serbs find the neighboring enclaves of
Albanians attractive (with privately owned shops, entertainment etc.), these can be
eliminated by prompting incidents in those enclaves, such as beatings and violence. The
fundamental prerequisite to efficiently control the flow of goods and capital is to
prevent corruption in Kosova and Metohija and Serbia proper, for one has to bear in mind
that Albanians are very good at cheating and bribing others. To prevent the flow of large
amounts of capital through illegal routes - money should be strictly controlled by a
well-organized banking system, frequent interventions of the fiscal police, rigid control
of transportation and roads, attention to any kind of major change in the market, customs
procedure and trade with dealers from abroad, financing political organizations, etc. All
necessary measures should be taken to thwart the functioning of the Albanian private
sector through permanent restriction of their activities, which could in turn result in
maintaining rigid control over the funds of their political parties. Contacts with private
firms and companies in Serbia must be prevented so Albanian capital cannot have a monopoly
in Serbia. Through adequate legislation and efficient taxing policies, large amounts of
money could be collected and used in financing programs like colonization . Paramount
attention must be paid to drugs trafficking. If one Albanian is caught in such an
activity, that must be used as a pretext to stalk and punish large groups of them. Such
cases would discredit important personalities in the eyes of the Western world. This is a
particularly sensitive issue for them because Albanians are already considered the main
traffickers of drugs in the world. Rigorous measures should be undertaken against Albanian
smugglers -- especially in tobacco. All this can result in serious social tensions if one
bears in mind the fact that most of the Albanian population earns its living from selling
things on the streets and by smuggling, practices which inevitably results in increase of
criminal/illegal activities. However, we consider that through a strong and efficient
police force, it is quite easy to make people seek refuge abroad. All steps should be
undertaken so the capital of Albanians be channeled through Macedonia and Albania. The
issuing of papers from state authorities (besides the seizure of passports) has to be as
complicated as possible, with all those who fail to possess proper papers to be
oppressively fined. Albanians like to stick to their tribal procedures in solving disputes
and hate administrative intervention in the walks of life they consider important to them.
Such legislation should be adopted which would force Albanians to ask for permission to
even possess a cow. To promote such regulations will persuade them to go abroad, and then
face serious impediments at the borders when attempting to come back. As for Serb enclaves
the procedure should be less complicated, while in the cities where services are common to
the whole community, like the Ministry of Interior, citizens of different nationalities
should be treated in different ways. These procedures will undoubtedly result in
dissatisfaction in their community which will be a precondition for a broad readiness for
involvement in various organizations, including terrorist ones. Therefore, individuals
from the state security must be "infiltrated" by agents who could pretend to
press for establishing such underground or/and hostile organizations, or even become the
leaders of such groupings. Such ruses could be exploited by the state as a pretext to
undertake uncompromising actions against all their organizations which would result in
inter-ethnic tensions and a further ruptures in their parallel life. To this end, more and
more such groups are needed, while the police would now and then destroy one of them,
which could then be allowed to consolidate again and look like genuine and "bona
fide" organizations. Political parties of Albanians should be created through
specific legislation and at the same time scandals should be created to discredit them.
This could discredit their leaders in eyes of the domestic and foreign public opinion, a
particularly sensitive consideration for Albanians. Distinguished individuals who play
important roles in their political life should be eliminated through scandals or by
staging traffic accidents, jealousy killings or infecting them with the AIDS virus when
they travel abroad. Their infection would be discovered when crossing borders thus they
could be quarantined. Through adequate propaganda in their mass media such events can
create such an artificial picture of an intolerable percentage of infected people, which
would be used as an excuse to isolate large groups of people. This would help in promoting
a picture of Albanians as an infected people.
Information and propaganda
To broadcast special radio and TV programs in the Albanian language which would aim at
eroding their patriarchal and tribal mentality by offering the most decadent values of the
West, which can be easily adopted by primitive people. The Serb enclaves could be spared
from such programs primarily owing to language barriers, as well as through establishing
cable television in newly erected buildings and settlements for Serbs. It is fundamental
to establish a powerful and efficient propaganda machinery to feed international public
opinion, something which has been already used. Even an underground (secret) publishing
activity must be originated to enable them to defuse the criticism against the Serb
regime. Albanians must be denied all kinds of social assistance, for it has facilitated
their high birth rate. This birth rate among the national minorities of the Moslem faith
has resulted in a very high population in Kosova and Metohija. Such a thing creates a
demographic surplus, therefore emigration of Albanians is indispensable and could be
carried out without any pressure by the Serb authorities. A crucial element of the Serb
national program is to have a third and fourth child. Serbia has enough space and economic
resources to handle dozens of millions of inhabitants, hence an increased birth rate is
important in every respect. In order to have the Serb birth rate increased, which would
directly impact on Kosova and Metohija itself, scores of concrete actions must be
undertaken, be that stimulative or restrictively, respectively. Serb mothers who have
three, four or more children should be entitled to their retirement earlier. They must be
granted children's allowance, regardless their family income. Planning and enlarging of
families must be the top priority of all individuals, families and entire society. Serb
families with more children must be granted loans for house and private business, they
must be granted apartments, they must be given jobs and other facilities and incentives to
bring up their children. It is necessary to open in Kosova and Metohija region military
and police schools and academies, additional military institutions and other state
institutions such as ministries which would facilitate the settling there of thousands of
army officers, policemen, state clerks, together with their families, with the
infrastructure needed for normal life. All the Serbs who wish to live in those areas must
be given free, fertile land, construction sites, and sites for their private business. All
those who locate their economic facilities there and have at least 10 employees, should be
provided with abundant opportunities, such as being exempted from taxes for ten years.
Retired officers from the army, policemen and state clerks can have their
accommodation/housing problems solved by allocating to them comfortable and maximally big
apartments in the region of Kosova and Metohija. The border belt, a minimum of 50
kilometers adjacent to Albania should be used for settling Serbs. This would avert any
danger of having the zone jeopardized, while the neighborly relationship could work in
compliance with needs and interests of both sides. The border zone near Albania could be
exclusively allocated to Serbs, while the rest of land would be the property of the
Yugoslav army.
Education
The education system in state schools should stick to elements and values of the Serb,
European and world culture and art; the instruction language must be Serbian. Open
perspectives and free development in Serbia are very attractive for the minorities.
Schools in languages of minorities will be treated as private, while if one wants to have
a job he will need a verification proving he has completed courses pursuant to the state
curricula. A careful selection and normal inclusion of all positive Serb values and
structures will be included in their education in this way. Following the overthrow of the
Albanian parastate, the Serb University of Prishtine has made a radical change and it is
in a good way to achieve enormous results, which directly determine the fate of Kosova and
Metohija and the state itself. This course should be further stabilized and promoted, in
harmony with the new needs and curricula. All the efforts should be made that conditions
at the Serbian University of Prishtine be more favorable than in Serbia proper. Efforts
should be made to further maintain and promote the current illegal parallel education of
Albanians, because in this way they will have all the doors closed for employment and
incorporation in the society. All these efforts should be made to have the population
dispersed all over the world, including Macedonia and Albania. Such activities should be
carried out concomitantly with various forms of pressure and creating feelings of
uncertainty. All the tools, though modified to specific circumstances, should be used to
prevent Albanian secessionists from having a job.
Army
In order to have the Kosova and Metohija problem solved, the Yugoslav army must be turned
into the Serb army. People from the republics that have seceded from the federation must
be immediately driven out of the army, in the first place all those holding commanding
posts, except those who have distinguished themselves as verified and gallant combatants
in defending the freedom of the Serb people. Such an army would be more consolidated and
more capable to solve complicated military and war issues, and, furthermore it could be
less expensive. The Law on the Army should be so severe that it would oblige every citizen
of Yugoslavia to make his contribution in defense of the country, while members of
national minorities could contribute with money or labor. These issues must be arranged in
details by a specific law. In the vicinity of the existing military bases it is necessary
to intensify the settling of Serbs, while non-Serbs must not be allowed to build houses
there. The current situation in this respect is catastrophic, therefore urgent measures
are needed to have it changed. Some military facilities of a vital importance should be
relocated to Serb enclaves, but at the same time they must maintain full control all over
the territory of Kosova and Metohija through visits, maneuvers and other activities of the
army. Within the army, it is indispensable to legalize the operation of professional
Chetnik guerrilla units, who should be located in localities of strategic importance in
Kosova and Metohija.
Police
The police are a very important element of the state, responsible for keeping Kosova and
Metohija as the permanent property of the Serb state. However, the police must be better
trained and more professional than they are now. The police must have young and educated
people, while all its members must complete additional courses. The police academy will
play a crucial role in this respect. Police forces in Kosova and Metohija will be
exclusively involved in protecting Serb inhabitants, as an endangered people in these
areas.
Public Services
The route through which the Serb army withdrew in 1915 has significantly determined the
direction of a future highway (Nis, Prishtine, Podgorica, Bar), which would in a solid way
connect Serbia with Montenegro and the Adriatic Sea, via Kosova and Metohija. The
realization of such a project must be a priority for the public services. Even during the
international sanctions and economic crisis it is possible to have a rapid progress in
this direction, which would have an epochal impact on the problem of Kosova.
Defense
The current situation in Kosova and Metohija can result in unpredictable consequences,
especially if outside factors aim at implementing such a scenario. Therefore, particular
attention must be paid to preventive actions, first of all by seizing all kinds of
weaponry, in with licenses or without them, so to neutralize all paramilitary, para-police
and para- territorial defense formations. If we have to fight a war to defend Kosova and
Metohija, it should be fought with all possible means and have it finished as soon as
possible. No talks or agreements should start with representatives of Albanians until the
law on citizenship is adopted and until it is verified the exact number of those who
recognize and accept this state as a state of theirs. To those Albanians who claim to be
citizens of Serbia or Yugoslavia, respectively, the state should be more tolerant, and
they can be incorporated into state and political bodies if they accept the Serb state and
its laws.
A statement by Serb Deputy Prime Minister Voislav Seselj in Velika Serbija, The
Greater Serbia Journal, Belgrade, Oct.14, 1995