Welcome to my talk page! Feel free to discuss my actions, my personality, my lifestyle and whatever else you can think of here; critical comments are, of course, appreciated. If you just want to chat, that's fine, too!
I may have found the ISO codes for both St. Barthelemy and St. Martin. According to this UN document, the three letter code for St. Barth could be BLM; the numeric code could be 652. For St. Martin, the three letter could be MAF, the numeric code could be 663. (I'm unsure about the two letter codes for both places. I have a feeling the codes could be BL for St. Barth and MF for St. Martin. This is based on the process of elimination.) Once ISO 3166/MA puts out a newsletter with the changes, I have new cells ready for the table in the ISO 3166-1 article here. - Thanks, Hoshie08:02, 3 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Yesterday's Elections and fate of monarchy on Jamaica
What’s your opinion about perspectives of Jamaica to became a Republic in short term after loosing of control under parliament by PNP on Yesterday's Elections? --User:CrazyRepublican (--Ex-User:212.98.173.133) 10:37 04.09.2007 (UTC)
Your Majesty, it gives me great pleasure to bestow the Triple Crown in recognition of your contributions to Wikipedia. May you wear them well. DurovaCharge!13:38, 4 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
A while ago one of three Montenegrin newspapers, which was always in the middle but in the end pro-governmental and pro-Milo, has completely transformed its politics to an opposition newspapers (the Serbs and other have got Day, so this one is now supposed to be for the Liberals), and is a harsh critic of the Montenegrin regime and Milo Djukanovic.
And guess what - the stationman of the newspapers was threatened (they said they'll hurt his family) by two unknown people a while ago (they were arrested), while yesterday, the Chief Director of the News was very severely beaten up by three men (two masked), who had specific orders to beat him up. They said that they will do worse things to him if he doesn't change his papers "you know what way" or they'll do worse things to him. He has openly accused Milo Djukanovic and his part of the government for this, stating that all they want is to do is control every aspect of life in Montenegro. Milo Djukanovic has announced charges for these accusations, and we all know that his Italian lawyers (infamous in Italy for defending the Mafia) are very powerful, and that all courts answer to the government. The government has run out now and remains with only one (of three major totally) newspapers that is pro-regime, and that is Victory, which is unlike the other two who were formed after the fall of Milosevic created by the Communists after WWII. Its popularity is drastically decreasing and today most consider it a regime's propaganda pamphlet (which it was in Tito's time, in Milosevic's time and many say it remained so today). All TV and Radio stations are state-controlled, but the government is losing on the newspapers field, so it's panicking.
Nebojsa Medojevic said that all we need to do is to is to observe the fact that almost all media are state-controlled and those that are in opposition are heavily oppressed, and that this when combined with the fact that no law regulates freedom of speech nor independence of media in Montenegro, as well as the fact that the Courts are directly dependent on the Government, is a correct indication that Montenegro isn't quite a democracy. He said (overestimating to my opinion though) that the only thing remaining is formal ban of civic rights. He commended that the West has finally began to criticize the Montenegrin regime, but said that he will never be able to forget for taking so much time, with a "light" dictatorship forming in front of Europe's eyes. The youth of the Liberal Party of Montenegro is making yet another movie to show the truth, the "Two-way", one story, idolized through the televisions under control of Milo Djukanovic, which make him a God and Montenegro the center of freedom, where everything is growing; and the other "behind the scene" truth. However this movie is already banned at start, just like countless other movies - Montenegro has a law which enables it (and which it regularly uses) to ban movies that are "against the state and the Montenegrin people". So these documentaries are mostly shown in Croatia and Serbia, where they are very popular (to a lesser extent Bosnia). However the Liberal and Democrat opposition is very furious because the Croatian and Serbian governments, as well as the EU, are actually not paying attention very much to the horrors conducted by the "South Slavic Castro".
A DPS candidate would win the first round of the presidential election, but there's a chance to be beaten in the 2nd. However, polls say that even (hypothetically) in a dual between Milo Djukanovic and Nebojsa Medojevic, both would be evenly matched.
EU officials have stated that Montenegro cannot entered the European Union with such a poor constitution as presented by the DPS-SDP. I myself must say that FINALLY the West is starting to see the truth in MNE, but I cannot understand why opposition to Milosevic is enough ignore some of the worst things imaginable in political life. I know that USA supports many hard-core dictatorships (with horrible things occurring) many a time for political goals, but that's not the characteristic of Western Europe at all... isn't it? --PaxEquilibrium16:25, 4 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
DS and DSS are "playing" again. This time, Kostunica completely ignores the principle that the President and Prime Minister couldn't come from the same party (the one from the government), by which he became the first real President of the Serbian government. This is yet another attempt of the minority Populists to impose their will on the whole government. In an attempt to prevent that, the Populists have secured the support of the Socialists and the Radicals, as well as the Roms, to adopt Constitutional Amendments (!). However, they will need to ensure the success they'll need to convince at least LDP (super-majority), which means it's not gonna happen. DS & G17+ threaten they'll stop supporting Kostunica and withdraw from the government if a new Premier isn't placed, if the DSS-NS ever bring the proposal to the assembly.
DSS has just adopted a new program. This one is a bit conservative, puts lower priority on European integrations, puts that DSS should prevent at any cost entrance of Serbia into the EU NATO, demands closer links with diaspora Serbs (priority on Republika Srpska) and mentions opposition to independence of Kosovo. Dusan Prorokovic, 'the State Councilor for Kosovo-Metohija (from DSS) has said that if Kosovo unilaterally declares independence, they will violate the Kumanovo Agreement and Serbia could freely protect its territorial integrity'. He says that Serbian forces would block Kosovo's borders with Albania, Macedonia and Montenegro, impose a trade embargo (isolation) and martially protect the Serb enclaves (including whole North Kosovo). The current Government of Serbia has absolutely no common stream, and its ministers are acting completely independent and on their own. For instance, the Serbian Orthodox Mileševo Episcop Filaret isn't allowed entrance to MNE - so Velja (NS) has refused to go to MNE to arrange the construction of a first Serbia-Montenegro major route (a highway). Kostunica's council has spat at MNE, calling it an uncivilized quasti-state, causing international protests and bad relations between traditionally allied countries of Serbia and Montenegro. Filaret isn't allowed to enter Montenegro because the EU has accused him as a potential hider of ICTY indictees.
If you ask me, DSS is closely inspecting and checking out the situation. Kostunica wants to see where is the future of Serbia - with DS or SRS - in attempt to keep the seat as head of government in any case. Because we all know that after December this year (if Kosovo declares independence), Serbia will instantly completely change like on 5th October 2000. My guessing is that if they manage to delay/get a good offer for Kosovo, they'll remain with DS and receive the credit, while in the case of independence, they will attempt to blame DS for it and head to make a new Serbia with the Serbian Radicals! --PaxEquilibrium13:37, 8 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I'm not sure. In the end, all folds down to Kosovo in December, and the alarming statement that the USA would recognize/support a unilateral declaration of independence that has riled up entire Serbia. I guess one of the viable options is for DS to repeat the path of SDP in Croatia... "solidarize"... but I guess that's not gonna happen... good think that Boris Tadic's Montenegrin - if he weren't, I don't think that MNE and SERB would so quickly recover their good relations. Montenegro has also at the requests of its faithful granted permission to Serbian Orthodox Episcop Filaret to come and hold service in his Eparchy in MNE... --PaxEquilibrium19:18, 8 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Still, what did Serbia expect since 1999? The people aren't more stupid than anywhere else, they can read the newspapers just like anyone else -- why the hell do they still think there's any chance of keeping Kosovo, after what happened in the past and due to what current international politics clearly indicate? I just don't get it. —Nightstallion20:03, 8 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Are you talking about the politicians or the people?
Well, you forget that in 1999 no one thought that Kosovo could one day become an independent country, not even even the Kosovar Albanian leaders (well, at least openly). --PaxEquilibrium18:28, 10 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Keep on mind that if say, the 2007 parliamentary election was held today, the so-called "Populist coalition" probably wouldn't get half the votes it got on 21 January (667,615; 16.55%).
Yeah. All global politicians opposed the "handling" of the situation in Kosovo as well as separatist tendencies of a part of its population. In the (failed) Ramboullet talks the United States convinced the Kosovar Albanian leaders to forfeit their independence plans, for which the KLA protested and organized assassination attempts of them. The United Nations Security Council 1998 & 1999 Resolutions 1160, 1199, 1203 and 1239 which never set on foot all call for end of hostilities between the KLA and the Yugoslav/Serbian forces and introduction of a peacekeeping force that would secure peace in the province. The final 1244 resolution was adopted in '99 and it mandates the UNMIK till today. FRY had to hand over all sovereignty over Kosovo to the UN who would take over administration and protect the civil population from further violence and prevent separatist tendencies in Kosovo. Representatives from both Serbian and Yugoslavian regimes in Belgrade signed in Kumanovo in 1999 with the shadow Kosovar Albanian leaders the "Kumanovo (peace) Treaty" in which Belgrade decided to withdraw all of its forces from Kosovo as well as give up on administration while the other side forfeited all independence desires. Future negotiations were determined to establish the level of Kosovo's autonomy (those're the failed ones, 2005-2006, led by Martti Ahtisaari). After the end of the bloodshed the Council of Europe brought the decision of full support of the act (including Serbian sovereignty), and when FRY was accepted into the UN after Milosevic's fall in 2000 the UN High representatives voiced their support of the plan to soon draft the level of Kosovo's autonomy within the Serbian state.
It is actually this "evolution" of opinion of many factors across the globe, including the Kosovar Albanians, that frustrate many Serbians. Many analysts in Serbia refer to Kosovo and the USA as "Revisionist forces", comparing them to Germany and Italy from the beginning of the 20th century, trying to revise the previously signed treaties in their own personal favor. Hence the stereotype in Serbia that Serbs are hated in the world, hence the mischief rumors about Kosovar Albanian criminals bribing western politicians - hence the strong Serb Radical electorate. I myself never begin to amaze how the European Union supported a common state of Serbia and Montenegro even to the very end in 2006 (anticipating that which is occurring right now, I guess), but very quickly adopted US' views on an independent Kosovo. --PaxEquilibrium21:33, 12 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Yeah, the informal name of the coalition is the "Populist coalition", their members, supporters and thereof call themselves "The Populists". It's actually an attempt to match the DS and theirs "The Democrats". Of course, I don't even need to mention "The Radicals". --PaxEquilibrium22:29, 13 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
SRS (ate SPS' and many DSS') and DS (ate LDP's, G17's and many DSS') are gaining in strength. Polls say that other parties are even further losing in popularity as the Democrats' popularity further grows attempting to become one of two main USA-like parties in Serbia, while the Radicals are growing even stronger. The other parties, unless running in large (DSS-NS-like) coalition, would probably not pass the census. Serbia is becoming bi-polar like USA... like Montenegro used to be until just recently. --PaxEquilibrium12:24, 15 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Mh. I'd prefer to see more of the LDP, actually, but still... Could you link to one of the polls or give me some results? I'd be interested in some numbers. —Nightstallion14:13, 15 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
It's not actually polls but CeSID's research. They will not release official polls until they're on-time regular reporting time releases, and that will be either during the electoral campaign or their annual report at the end of this year. --PaxEquilibrium15:10, 15 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Well, do their reports contain any estimates, or just voters' leanings changes which you indicated above? BTW, do you think the LDP will grow further, stay as it is, or shrink back to nothing? —Nightstallion15:12, 15 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Voters' leanings changes just. LDP maybe has a political future, but only long-term. Now with the "Battle of Kosovo" on-line, it'll be a bad game of cunning play between DSS, DS and SRS this year. --PaxEquilibrium19:37, 15 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Where did you get the date for the unilateral declaration of independence of Kosovo (28 November?). They said they'll all wait for 10 December to see how it goes from there. --PaxEquilibrium12:56, 15 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Hi, sorry to bother. I wonder if you could pop back and comment on the EU talk page, again. We just need to sort out the number of cities (yes, still on that) for the table. If you have time I'd be greatful if you could drop a comment. Thanks so much! - J Logant: 07:15, 7 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
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The Military history WikiProject Newsletter : Issue XVIII (August 2007)
The contest department has completed another month of competition. The leader for this month, with 23 points, is Blnguyen; JKBrooks85 is in second place, with 17 points, and Carom is in third place, with 13 points. Carom is also the overall leader, with 45 points in total. All project members are encouraged to submit the articles they're working on as entries.
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Member news
The project has currently 261 members, 7 joined & 0 leavers since the last newsletter at the start of August 2007.
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Say me please, what from now existing subnational monarchies are legalize by Constitution. As I understand, it’s KwaZulu-Natal in South African Republic, and 5 kingdoms in Uganda. I found that there are more subnational monarchies in German version of a table “Subnational monarchies”. Do you want to add its regions to the table? I don’t found in English version of this table the kingdom of Mustang in Nepal, but I think, that Tibet and Maori king will must be clear from this list as a pretenders but not as real leaders with the control under claiming territory. What can you say me about?--User:CrazyRepublican 15:17 09.09.2007 (UTC)
Hi! Just FYI, you're naming election articles slightly incorrectly: It should not be "Area council election year", but "Area council election, year"... —Nightstallion11:24, 11 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for your comment regarding the titles of the election articles I have created. I have started moving them to the correct titles and will correct them alll over the next few days. Davewild18:14, 11 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Thanks for the kind message; recognition, here or elsewhere, is always nice. Making the front page was a pleasant, warm surprise, too. Lapicero20:51, 14 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
SAA with Albania - Ratification in Italy
I was the anonymous editor that deleted the WRONG table entry regarding Italian ratification of SAA agreement with Alabania. As i stated in the edit summary on 03/08/07 the bill was proposed by the cabinet. Anyway if you feel that I'm wrong i suggest you read:
Official press release of the Italian Govern concerning tha approval by the cabinet of the draft bill to be presented to the parliament [1]
Of course these are in Italian. I suppose if you continue not to belive me and not to have enough humility to check before revert correct changes you can at least read Italian. --87.4.96.17014:21, 15 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
PS I deleted again that wrong info.
PPS Found something in English [3] hope this sound enough official
Fair enough about the correction, but the last source is irrelevant -- those are only the dates when the ratification is deposited, not when it occurs. —Nightstallion14:29, 15 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you. Just a comment. It woud be difficult in Italy to know when the ratification actually takes place. The Parliament authorizes the ratification but it's the President that ratifies almost all the treaties. And the ratification may occur of course the same day the authorization is given but could also occur later. --87.4.96.17015:18, 15 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Never see such a kind of notice from the presidency. But this is not a surprize. It wouldn't be easy for a President that prevoiusly signed the law allowing him to ratify the treaty subsequently refusing to ratify the very same treaty. I think it would sound quite a nonsense. As far as i know when talking about a ratification it's custormary to make reference to the law that authorized that.--87.4.96.17017:31, 15 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I updated the independence referendum section information based on the words of the new president, but I'm not sure what to do with the elections section, since an election was already held this year, which I'm assuming was under the old election system, not a revised one. Lexicon(talk)14:52, 15 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
The election was an election by the assembly of a new president after the former president lost a no-confidence vote on August 31, so plans for a reformed nationwide election shouldn't be considered altered by it in any way. Lexicon(talk)20:28, 15 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
The thing that gives SRS strength is the alleged use of double standards. The US Ambassador to Serbia isn't very popular down there. When asked about the status of RS he replies that there are signed treaties that balance the world, but with Kosovo he says that everyone should stop looking into the past and look at the future. This way, hundreds of thousands believe that RS cannot become independent because most of them are Serbs, and Kosovo can because most aren't. And then they can believe in any anti-Serbian conspiracy the Radicals spread and then, what is horrible truthfully, SRS' biased claims have a foundation. --PaxEquilibrium20:00, 15 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Whom do you know thinks Bosnia's status is settled beside the OHR? He is the only thing which prolongs the status quo, and by using his internationally-mandated nearly absolutist powers further riles up the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina? --PaxEquilibrium22:37, 15 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Let me rephrase that: most Serbian politicians believe that Kosovo has been settled internationally, internationally being considered a part of Serbia. They consider it an internal problem, as mandated by the peace treaty between the two sides and the international resolution, to determine the level and shape of autonomy of Kosovo within Serbia. --PaxEquilibrium01:49, 16 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Bingo. Today. Which is a result of evolution of opinions, or perhaps new politicians. Which is frustrating simpleton masses in Serbia. Which is giving SRS power.
Many Serbian politicians assure the Serbian population that all the cards are on its side, while the Kosovar Albanian political leaders are shooting blank artillery shots. Kostunica "reminds" (?) that we are not in the Age of Depression with a fragile League of Nations, but in an organized order with a strong United Nations, so that there's no chance that will occur. --PaxEquilibrium19:43, 16 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
The only moment when the international community made a precedent in recognition were the cases of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina (I'm skipping Slovenia because it's a totally different case). Everywhere else, except with the case of Pakistan and Bangladesh in 1971, was international law obeyed. Even the recognitions of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, which many consider also illegal, were so, because the Soviet imposed annexations of the Baltic states weren't ever recognized. So, with a precedent already made in former Yugoslavia, I do not understand why Serbian politicians think it's not going to happen again, since this is practically the same place? --PaxEquilibrium19:57, 16 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
DSS canceled all agreements on transferring control over some state resources to DS. Negotiations will have to start all over again. Ya know, I'm becoming very pissed at how this party acts. It controls 70% of state's companies and just wants to prolong this to control it "some more time"! --PaxEquilibrium11:58, 18 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
You're only now becoming very pissed at how this party behaves? ;) Frankly, I think they're the second worst party in Serbia, possibly even the worst -- because everyone *knows* what to expect from the Radicals, but Kostunica is a lying backstabber IMO. —Nightstallion12:04, 18 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Well they are still stronger than the Liberals, so it's enough for me to consider them worthy of notion. Also I guess when they voice themselves about the presidential election we'll find out their candidate (if they have one). He's/her's fairing will show us just how irrelevant they are.
BTW, I can know firmly tell you (I assumed using common sense and logic as my sources). DSS (or some parts of it) seem to be willing to cooperate with SRS should the ruling coalition crumble at the end of this year of Kosovo. They also seem to be willing to openly consider that the Kosovo war still lasts if "one side brakes the peace treaty", by sending forces down there.
But I don't understand Kostunica himself. He is for long unhappily married (we've never ever seen his wife in public), and still after a long marriage they have no children. He lives modestly, in an apartment, and is known for not taking a lot of money (he donates large amounts of his pay to many people). He's quite an odd fella. It seems that political power is actually the very only thing he has in his life? --PaxEquilibrium11:33, 19 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Actually that's only possible in the case of Kosovar independence. And that's why I'm counting on that the PISG Assembly of Kosovo will not declare independence by the end of this year. I'm counting on further status quo, at least until the presidential and local elections are over. --PaxEquilibrium21:13, 19 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
The Serbian government and the parliament have adopted new laws on citizenship. All in the world are now free to apply for Serbian citizenship, with special marking of those who are ethnic Serbs - an explanation was that that is standard practice applied by neighboring countries and to prevent assimilation of Serbs. The Law also grants Montenegrin citizens who have lived up to the dissolution of the state union the freedom to apply for citizenship, a number of over 250,000 (if you ask me, much more) people. The Montenegrin government (Montenegro's practically estimated one hundred thousand inhabitants desire Serbian citizenship) is lodging official international protests.
Serbian police busted a major cigarette gang which used Croatian, United Arab Emirates and Chinese products to smuggle into Montenegro, Croatia and south Italy. From Serbia cigarettes were/are across Hungary shipped to Western Europe across illegal channels. They have been connected with the Government of the Republic of Montenegro. This is the true root of the growing Serbo-Montenegrin political conflict.
(continuing from the 1st paragraph) DPS President and national leader Milo Djukanovic responded to it by openly announcing that every single citizen of Montenegro that applies for citizenship of any other country will be automatically deleted from Montenegrin citizenry, not recallable. By making the diaspora apply for local citizenships, this way they will be free to "delete them", thereby forever removing the fact that most of holders of Montenegrin citizenship are ethnic Serbs, which the government sees as a potential threat. And Serbian citizenship of its inhabitants would be an obstacle to assimilation aggressively pursued by the DPS regime, according to the Radicals who are one of the original draftees of the law.
For long now DPS has fought against more than one citizenship, because the potential electorate could considerably change the election results. Its speaker and vice-president, Miodrag Vukovic (current Minister, Deputy Prime Minister in the 1990s and known mafia boss, indicted by the Italian state prosecutor) says that the new Constitution will clearly ban any Montenegrin citizen to have another citizenship and that they will never cross over that one. The Montenegrin government still hasn't regulated the status of several tens of thousands of Serbian citizens living in it, who are still illegal citizens. However the Serbian government has made special annexes to help ease the status of Montenegrin citizens in Serbia: Montenegrin citizens in Serbia will henceforth be treated domestic, as a personal temporary solution to their difficult situation.
Nebojsa Medojevic asks why most of the thousands of ethnic Croats have freely Croatian citizenship, which was a result of an open compromise between the two countries and why, for instance, even one governmental official has US citizenship too? He points out that this has nothing to do with anything but "a grossly corrupt system with holes trying to pry its cold icy fingers everywhere to sustain itself at any cost"... this whole situation is getting more and more disgusting! --PaxEquilibrium23:38, 15 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Indeed. Generally, I'm in favour of allowing dual citizenship; while I generally recognise if states want to limit their citizens to one citizenship only, in this case it's quite obviously apparent that Djukanovic is scheming again. —Nightstallion23:41, 15 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Well all Yugoslav countries have agreed to allow citizenship, if there are good enough reasons, between each other. Consider it a sort of ZND Russia-like "compromise" of former Yugoslavia (where everything's so mixed everyone is partly from another republic). Technically meaning that one could be a citizen of SERB, BH, CRO, FYROM and SLO at the very same time. That is, all five, except Montenegro.
Just several days ago Boris Tadic and the Hungarian President (hard to type the name) have reached a compromise - the ethnic Hungarians in Vojvodina can now freely apply for Hungarian citizenship. --PaxEquilibrium00:45, 16 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Yeah, I've read it at B92. What's interesting about that is that Hungarian voters rejected the proposal to grant all ethnic Hungarians abroad the Hungarian citizenship since they were afraid that they would all come to Hungary and cash in on the social services -- I hope the Hungarian government knows what it's doing, this may be rather controversial actually. —Nightstallion00:48, 16 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Speak of citizenships, I'm a little worried about the situation in Slovenia. The deleted citizens and minority rights don't sound good. What can you tell me "from the inside (of EU)"? --PaxEquilibrium01:01, 16 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
That from all the countries which joined the EU in 2004 and 2007, Malta was likely the only one who really met all the entrance criteria? Okay, possibly Czechia and Hungary, too, but the rest -- no chance.
The three Baltic states: neo-Nazism, no rights or citizenship for ethnic Russians, and so on.
Poland: homophobia, too agricultural.
Slovakia: authoritarian tendencies (Meciar), treatment of Roma and Hungarians.
Slovenia: deleted citizens, minority rights.
Cyprus: I don't need to mention that it was completely irresponsible to let Cyprus join while it was still divided -- now there's no chance in hell the Greek Cypriots are going to compromise, since *they* are already in the EU...
Bulgaria and Romania: simply too poor.
Honestly, I'm absolutely pro-enlargement, but most of them weren't ready -- Slovenia was one of the more harmless problems, apart from those two issues, they're even "better" EU members than Greece or Portugal (economically, for instance). All in all, the issue is pretty much ignored AFAIK... Which is not good. —Nightstallion01:08, 16 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Exactly. I'd say Czechia was ready, but not Hungary, perhaps just a month or two more for economic development. I too am for enlargement, but am for a strictly strict policy, not like with Bulgaria and Romania. Frankly, I thought that EU committed suicide when it accepted those ten states... by the way, did you know that there was a referendum in Slovenia in 2003 in which the majority voted against minority rights?
Could you elaborate on the SDP issue? I hope that the election will be won by Türk, or Gaspari -- I'd prefer it not to be Peterle, and Jelincic would be horrible. What have you got against Drnovsek? I find him rather... amusing. ;) —Nightstallion12:54, 17 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Don't you mean SDS? It's nothing worthy of greater mention. Compared to the ruling parties in the rest of Yugoslavia (e.g. HDZ in Croatia, SPS in Serbia and DPS CG in Montenegro) the party is practically paradise. But comparing it to the other EU (not the right-wing ones in Slovakia and Poland, though), it's "backing" in its origin. Some of the party's founders (though not working today) were extreme Slovenian nationalists and a openly ready for war (not pacifist at all). They were also the ones who deleted 18,300 Slovene citizens originating from other Yugoslav republics searching across population censuses, based on "not being of Slovene ethnicity". It's originally "closeness" on grounds that ownership is entitled only on Slovenian citizens of Slovene ethnicity (excluding the Italian minority as well), that was revoked only in 1996 by the Liberal Democracy of Slovenia. But of course, the current SDS is a lot different from their Social Democrat origins. It's also a bit far too conservative in forms of Catholicism still today.
AFAIK I have nothing at all against Drnovsek. ;) I'm just glad he's retiring from politics, for you-know-which personal reasons (cancer). I mean I also don't think it's natural for the president to spend a year resting trying to mend his heavy illness, rather than the duty he's supposed to. He himself constantly kept announcing withdrawal, and constantly prolonged doctor's care in favor of presidency. And now, he's dying because of it.
That's (referring to most up) why I to an extent agree with Zobel's highly overestimated estimate that Serbia (and Kosovo) should enter the EU some time between 2025 and 2050. --PaxEquilibrium13:07, 20 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
All I know is that the judges are members of the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro and that all courts (legally) answer to the Government of the Republic of Montenegro. You can conclude from that as much as I can. --PaxEquilibrium19:48, 16 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
You added this source to support the claim that the chiefs have already been elected, but I don't think I'm reading it the same way you do. "Also in the parliament are 12 traditional chiefs seen as allied to the SLPP", to me, is a reference to the allocation of those 12 seats to the chiefs, and it says they are allied to the SLPP because that is the tendency the chiefs have displayed in the past. I don't think it's referring to an election already having taken place for them. Everyking04:11, 16 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I changed it back to Sammarinese. It didn't look right, but I never was good at spelling. The issue I was trying to fix at the time was frustrating me so much that I thought perhaps the spelling could be in question as a possible solution. But of course, it wasn't.
--Theeuro01:07, 17 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Someone moved the article to Decidere. I do prefer an English title for the article. What is your opinion and what can we do to fix the current situation? --Checco01:12, 17 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Have you been following the changes to the United States and the International Criminal Court page? I'm concerned about some of the recent edits, but have had a hard time convincing the editor who made them of the issues (even the topic headings, i.e. The Skeptical Left, the ICC, and the United Nations are concerning). I wonder if you had any thoughts on the edits? Cheers, JCO31218:25, 17 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
If you have time and don't mind reviewing the edits I've made and commenting on them briefly (however you feel about them, of course) I think it help to convince the editor in question. Thanks, JCO31202:26, 18 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Isn't the case with DSS and NS' similarity not a coincidence. DS was created a party on purely everything against SPS, and the two (DS and SPS) are the only two political parties in Serbia which never to this very day have had any contacts with each other whatsoever. DSS seceded from DS in 1992 as a "more moderate" version. SPO was a party with SRS as its worst imaginable enemy. In 1997 NS seceded from SPO. and Now DSS-NS together, with similar attitudes of reluctance towards SPS and SRS? Is it a political phenomenon or a coincidence? --PaxEquilibrium21:51, 19 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I'm working on "Category:Political party factions". If you find or create articles about party factions, you can put them into the state-by-state subcategories. --Checco18:54, 20 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I've noticed that some (but only some) election table results have weird colors to the left of the list(s). What is that?
Actually, do you know some "perfect" (as much as it can be) election result table on Wikipedia according to which I should align the parliamentary election in Serbia? To use as a model? I ask because I find so many different variations. --PaxEquilibrium09:59, 21 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Party colours are simply the colours officially or commonly associated with the party -- red for the SPÖ, black for the ÖVP, green for the Greens, blue for the FPÖ, and so on. Isn't that system also used in the Balkans? —Nightstallion12:12, 26 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I don't think so, it's very strange to me. What, a color just associated with a party? I think DS is Blue and SRS is Light Blue. G17+ could be said Yellow, and LDP Red. DSS-NS uses Red-Blue-White Serbian tricolor, can that be put? --PaxEquilibrium12:34, 27 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Interesting... Well, yes, just a colour associated with a party. In most European countries, there's a colour with which a party is identified -- usually, red is social democratic, dark red is communist, green is green, yellow is liberal and blue or black is conservative/nationalist, but there are lots of exceptions and special cases. Using a tricolour would be very difficult, but possible, I suppose. —Nightstallion12:37, 27 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I have an idea - how about if I just put the colors associated to them by the Republican Electoral Commission when it published graphically the seats gained? --PaxEquilibrium12:50, 27 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Mh, in that case it's rather difficult; if it's obvious that one of the parties of the coalition was the main part, I'd compare the results to those, or simply don't compare votes and percentages, but seats only, for those cases where a direct comparison is unfeasible. —Nightstallion12:37, 27 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Well the SRS is the only list which single-handedly ran on both cases. All others either didn't run in 2003, or are grossly different coalitions. Should I just add for SRS and leave all the others empty? :) --PaxEquilibrium12:51, 27 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I've got an unorthodox idea - how about I split the votes proportionally in accordance to gained seats? It isde facto the number of votes each individual party got. --PaxEquilibrium13:43, 27 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
OK - almost all done with utmost perfection. However a problem has surfaced. I can't calculate 5 lists because their differing coalition members didn't pass the threshold in 2003, so I cannot add to them a proportional number of votes. What to do? --PaxEquilibrium15:16, 27 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Simply leave them out of it then, I suppose, perhaps with a note about the problem. Do you need help with the colours, or have you figured out how to do it? —Nightstallion08:59, 28 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I'll do a little research, go to the parties' centers to try to get the coalition contracts.
I just discovered recently looking some info, Western politicians' reports on the Balkans. It appears that Milo Djukanovic actually asked the NATO to bomb Montenegro, in 1999. The latter I cannot confirm, but his proposed targets were supposed to be Milosevic's supporters and pro-Serbians. He allegedly suggested bombing of numerous houses of prominent Montenegrin politicians that supported Milosevic or were pro-Serb, like of his own model, Momir Bulatovic's, for instance. He also listed the HQ of the Socialist People's party of Montenegro, "The Day" newspaper and allegedly, even the following two: the Tzetinye Archbishopric seat and the Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts. --PaxEquilibrium08:50, 22 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I'd never seen Myanma in use before. The circles I travel in seem to use Burmese. Anyway, sorry for causing the confusion with my unilateral move of your page. I figured it was just a mistake. Again, sorry. Thanks for your work on the article and moving it back to the correct name. — WiseKwai14:00, 21 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
No problem, no harm done. I'd certainly prefer to use "Burma" and "Burmese" again, too, but as long as the military dictatorship is active, I'm afraid it's unlikely the name change will be reverted... —Nightstallion14:14, 21 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
The President of the Democratic Institute of Montenegro reminded that tens of thousands of Montenegrin inhabitants also have Croatian, Bosnian, Albanian and US citizenship. He reveals the truth of the governmental panic over the all-Serb-citizenship-right. The Government had hoped and promised the people that when MNE became independent, all nationalist controversies would die forever. However as it's closing by to another (the Constitutional) referendum, the Montenegrin people is frustrated with the same old primitive fights on two halves repeated. On the 2006 parliamentary election DPS has barely, but succeeded in retaining its "half", while the other squandered into bittering smaller lists - the spine of the pro-Serbian coalition SNP-NS-DSS winning the 3rd place in the opposition lists, and subsequently SNP braking off from the other two, replacing its leadership and adopting a Social Democrat line. But now, the "undead" Serb bloc appears to be almost shortly resurrected, with newfound strengths facing the constitutional referendum. And the final answer is - if more than a hundred thousand Montenegrin inhabitants take Serbian citizenship (and not get deleted as per the threats), the Serb bloc will be forever "eternalized", which's the Montenegrin government's worst horror after the independence referendum.
P.S. Recently several people were rounded up and arrested across MNE. The charges are "offending administrative officials", no further comment. One of them is a Serbian nationalist writer known for his 1990s speeches. Another is a member of the Montenegrin Board for Democracy and European Integrations. I'm not sure, but it seems to be there was also a Moslem Priest. --PaxEquilibrium12:43, 27 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Of course, many of them are hard core nationalists, and I could never forgive if they include the SRS into the government (if they every win). An exception is the People's Party which is moderate, includes members who nationally declare as Montenegrins, Serbs, Muslims, Bosniacs and Albanians and people of all three religions (Orthodox, Catholic and Muslim). They're pro-Serbian, but not a dip more than simply holding to Montenegrin cultural heritage & tradition. They're sworn enemies of the Serb List, frequently accusing it of Serbian nationalist xenophobia and spreading hatred in Montenegro. The only other exception is the Democratic Serb Party that just gathers Serbs, but is completely pro-European, democratic and not nationalistic.
Sadly, they're minor parties without much prospect for the future. Nationalism is always an easier means, and I am worried because the political alliance under the Serb People's Party is gaining in strength with every passing moment, mostly at the expense of other pro-Serbian elements. I sincerely hope they don't use the constitutional referendum for further gains (so that you can understand better, they're like a "lite" SRS in Serbia). --PaxEquilibrium13:37, 27 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
That's what I forgot to say - the party with the greatest number of prospect for the opposition is the Movement for Changes, and it isn't one bit pro-Serbian. It's going to be (if it's not already) the leader of the opposition. :) --PaxEquilibrium13:49, 27 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Anyway in short all parties in Montenegro were/are Socialist, and with Liberalism dead, the people are in general getting tired of the Leftist option (when I say Left-Right politics, I mean solely the economic view). The reason why PzP is so interesting in MNE, because its the very first political party which advocates "Liberal Capitalism", Open Market, privatization etc... Never has any like it existed in MNE. The people actually perceive it as a door to a "new path" not treaded before. --PaxEquilibrium14:05, 27 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Well, the "two-prong negotiations" just began. Serbia and the Kosovar Albanians will try to negotiate the status of Kosovo (from today), while the Montenegrins will try to negotiate the new constitution; both of the cases are 2nd round and is very little possibility of success. The Center for Democratic Montenegro's opinion is that MNE will probably not manage to bring a constitution by the end of this year.
And as for the other matter, Serbian authorities are taking more and more a more direct approach to the Kosovo issue. Its negotiating team has demanded that negotiations not be held in the UN building because Kosovo isn't an international factor, its representatives are boycotting international gatherings with members from Kosovo, and the Parliament will even start discussions on whether CEFTA needs to be revised. Local elections in Serbia might be held on 17 November, symbolically because of Kosovo's elections. --PaxEquilibrium09:25, 28 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
shrugs No harm done if they hold their elections at the same time, but -- what do they think their actions will effect? It seems to me that Serbia is on its way to international isolation again if they aren't careful... —Nightstallion09:58, 28 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
The popular opinion in Serbia is the the Western Powers were convinced that after without Slobodan Milosevic Serbia is wimpy, weak and that it would stand to absolutely nothing. Some of its politicians' acts (in this manner) are a means to show "toughness". I do not think it's on its way to international isolation; first, DSS has to start braking relations with other countries that recognize Kosovo after 10 December as promised, and stubbornly keep opposing its independence even after the proclamation. :) I don't think that DSS's allegations that the war could continue are serious, frankly.
In what I'm interested no are the recent proposals of the Hong Kong theme. EU member of the Trio has stated that he might be interested in that. Basically, it's only a slightly insignificantly amended Serbian proposal, so it's not as if Serbia would refuse that. ;) It's the Albanians that might have difficult time convincing. As for the other Italian-initiated proposal of confederacy - I'm sad that they're dead, as Kostunica riles up and does not want to hear anything about a confederacy - it reminds him how he failed to keep Serbia and Montenegro together. :( --PaxEquilibrium11:06, 28 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I sincerely doubt the Albanians would accept that -- frankly, a confederacy is the only compromise that would be sensible, and if Serbia rules that out, well, then there can't be a consensual resolution of the issue, I'm afraid... —Nightstallion15:00, 28 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
The only reason why the Kosovar Albanian political representatives want nothing but independence is because certain powerful factors in the world, most notably the US, support its independence - and it's just like your Minister of Foreign Affairs said, criticizing US "alternate outcome". I mean I can even freely say that the failure of the negotiations would mostly be because of US, much more than Russia which has stated that it supports just negotiations. But - since the EU might be willing propose, as Wolfgang said, a Hong Kong-type solution, which Serbia would undoubtedly accept - Kosovo might lose strong offshore allies in its independence movement, and perhaps could also gradually accept a solution. In 30 years or so, the world will be completely different, and Serbia won't care if Kosovo then becomes a separate country (perhaps even sooner), or Kosovo simply won't want it. Doesn't that sound like a possible scenario? (Some of the) Serbian political analysts predict a major international crisis after 10 December, with this eventual outcome some time in 2008. --PaxEquilibrium17:56, 28 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I doubt that the Kosovo Albanians would settle for "possible independence in thirty years" -- you might get them to accept some sort of compromise, confederacy- or autonomy-based, with the promise of an independence referendum in ten or fifteen years' time or so -- provided, of course, that the Serbians who lived in Kosovo will be resettled there. That's a sensible compromise, IMO. —Nightstallion18:03, 28 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Let me remind you that I became a Serbian citizen several months ago. ;) (you)
How do you mean the first part...? Yeah, sounds like a good idea. Still, I doubt that either Serbia (still too much) or Kosovo (too little) will accept it. sighs Well, they say that a compromise is achieved when *ALL* people are dissatisfied with the result... ;) —Nightstallion18:16, 28 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
By the way, did you know that there was no election threshold for minorities in Montenegro, just like it's today in Serbia? Also the minorities needed twice less votes for each seat than Montenegrins. Those rights were regularly used by Moslem/Bosniac and Albanian political parties. But in 2003 a large mass of the Montenegrin population brought their political affiliations into the population census and declared as Serbs. In 2006 the parliamentary DPS-SDP majority quickly enacted a law that abolished all minority rights, just when the Serb List coalition was formed and announced that it would run as an ethnic minority list, on the grounds that giving more power to the minor ones is undemocratic. :) But mass protests of Albanians occurred, Albanian political movements to secede eastern Montenegro and grant it to Albania were gaining in strength, full-scale separatism was born in Kraja, whose villagers miraculously self-declared a Republic and there were even acts of terrorism. So, the government made special laws on which elections would be repeated in 5 municipalities in which Albanians were in majority, each giving a single seat. To symbolically show that Milo does care for minorities, they included the Croatian Civic Initiative into their coalition. However this permanently chased away most Bosniacs and Slavic Muslims, of whom only a minority now supports Milo.
What do you think of this? ;) --PaxEquilibrium09:52, 28 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I haven't been able to find one on-line -- have you tried e-mailing the party yet? When I did that for an Austrian party, they sent me a high-quality version of their logo with expressed approval to use it on Wikipedia; you could try the same... —Nightstallion15:09, 27 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
What do you think about starting an article about national liberalism. It is not a very oft-used concept, but it is a little bit interesting (see for instance this): do you think that it deserves an article? I personally do. We have also a source. --Checco15:32, 27 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
The Federal BH authorities refused special links with Serbia, and Kostunica stated he wants only with Republic of Srpska. Tadic, alone without allies, is defeated on this initiative. RS and Serbia have drawn much closer, economically their key companies have merged and a "Council of the Republika Srpska and the Republic of Serbia" has been created from parliaments of both entities. The 1992 special links treaty mandated its creation, but it was AFAIK never realized before 2007. And there's a very bizarre act from Kostunica - the Government of Serbia has personally funded a creation of a school in Banja Luka called "The Serbia" (!). --PaxEquilibrium18:26, 28 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
OHR stated that RS has made no violation of the Constituency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (principally the Dayton Accords), making completely legal and allowed procedures, on the outrage of some Bosniac and Croat politicians. --PaxEquilibrium18:29, 28 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Yes, but only links. The Serbs say they won't give up RS police.
Speak of the devil, you're missing BH on the Constitutional reform in your notes. The UN (OHR) has put the deadline up to this month, but local politicians are ready to reach a consensus in October. It's about a new Constitution and new order of BH! --PaxEquilibrium18:38, 28 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
There's supposed to be a Wikipedia article on that: Constitutional reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but obviously iy lost editors. Sorry I couldn't find German/English-language good online info. All I could find is this.
Milorad Perovic from DSS Speaker of the Civic Parliament will be the acting Mayor until the local election. Then if the new laws are finally adopted, Tadic's second hand Mr Jovanovic from DS will be Mayor. If not (if the current laws are re-enacted), Aleksandar Vucic of SRS will be elected through popular vote. --PaxEquilibrium16:56, 29 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
It's really terrible for Belgrade. Nenad Bogdanovic is the first...only Mayor of Belgrade who has greatly contributed it. After all, he's also the first mayor elected by popular vote. During his era, hundreds of structures and streets were renewed, the "Wonder" Temple of Saint Abbass has been brought to completion and Belgrade has been officially (re)accepted as a Metropolis, and the most prosperous city of South-East Europe. --PaxEquilibrium17:39, 29 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
The new negotiations in the Constitutional Assembly were supposed to start tomorrow (1 October), but the ruling coalition decided to delay them for some other matters to attend to, so Ranko Krivokapic scheduled for 15 October. I am very satisfied to say that the opposition (SL, PzP & SNP) is unified in its demand that general elections be held immediately after the election's proclamation. So far the Opposition has made a consensus on several matters - the current ultra-nationalist preamble is unacceptable. Also the national symbols and language, as well as the judicial matter, you already know.
BTW the opposition is negotiating among themselves to present a common candidate whom all would support directly in the first round. The most mentioned opinion is that he should be from the strongest opposition - which means that it would be either from PzP as the strongest party or SL as the largest coalition. --PaxEquilibrium09:37, 30 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
The ruling coalition will never give up on control of courts. I'd reckon there's far more chance they'll be a referendum. The opposition fears of a referendum, because it would again be a rematch and divide the population into two half yet again. They also fears of losing. If the Milo's coalition wins - then the international community would accept the constitution, which would be horribly dreadful for Montenegro.
The reason for this broad alliance of completely differing people is the most recent decision of the ruling coalition several days ago. The Parliament was supposed to ratify the "Seven Points for the Montenegrin Constitution from the Council of Europe", which is also one of the promises for MNE joining the CE. While most of the opposition voted for it, the ruling coalition voted against, making it fail. The argument is that the demands of the Council of Europe are not realistic, and are jeopardizing Montenegrin integrity (they mostly relied on judicial independence and right of minorities, btw).
Oh, you should also know that the Albanian Alternative has joined the Opposition (with capital O). They did that because the ruling coalition is now conducting bizarre checks of ethnic Albanian citizens in eastern Montenegro, in "Tuzi and Malesia", because of fears of terrorism and Greater Albanian activity. --PaxEquilibrium09:53, 30 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Oh. Well, as I said. On 15 October the session will begin and negotiations between DPS-SDP and The Opposition. Btw "The Opposition" has adopted (sorry, only in Serbian) a common Platform (a political alliance "constitution"). According to the platform, it calls for
1. unlocking the negotiation status and adopting the Constitution in the Parliament
2. reordering the Constitution's composition in a more orderly manner
3. declare illegal all illegitimate regimes
4. not declare Montenegrin language official
5. separation of the Church and the State
6. right of citizenship guaranteed for Montenegrin inhabitants (because of that issue, remember?)
Mh, I agree with all of that, but I'm not sure what the big problem with declaring Montenegrin the official language is...?
Well it's difficult to explain. Mostly because below 22% people declared Montenegrin language their native tongue. There is no standard for Montenegrin language, so declaring a not yet formed language official is a huge glitch. That move have been highly criticized by a large portion of the Montenegrin intelligence, most notably the Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts. The reason why conservatives and Serbian nationalists want that needs no explanation. Anyway, in the end it's mostly centered at declaring solely the language official, as per the ruling coalition's desires. For example, as I've posted to you the attitudes of all political parties in Montenegro long before - PzP wants "Serbo-Montenegrin" or "MonteSerbian" or similar... --PaxEquilibrium10:57, 30 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Mh, fair enough, I suppose "Serbo-Montenegrin" or "Serbian and Montenegrin" would be just as fine. The lack of standardisation is something which should be remedied beforehand, of course -- but on the other hand, a lot of languages are not regulated or standardised officially at all... Euro-Atlantic integration in the constitution is a good idea. —Nightstallion11:01, 30 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Really? Which for example?
The state media are playing dirty (watching it myself). They're assuring the population that PzP has changed their attitudes and will support, giving it a parliamentary majority - which, when their website is observed, is a complete invention. On their website they even wrote that it's an invention from the ruling coalition. :))) --PaxEquilibrium11:07, 30 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
No, actually. Some may consider Oxford or Merriam-Webster to be one, but there isn't an authorative source which defines how English should be used. —Nightstallion13:02, 3 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
In June this year Montenegrin public persons have been rated with grades (Center for Human Rights and Democracy research, from 1 to 5):
1. Vanja Ćalović, President of CEDEM - 3.18
2. Željko Šturanović, Prime Minister (DPS)- 3.14
3. Nebojša Medojević, opposition leader (PzP) - 3.1
4. Milo Đukanović, national leader (DPS)- 3.09
5. Filip Vujanović, President (DPS) - 2.99
6. Gordana Đurović, Deputy Prime Minister (DPS) - 2.86
7. Andrija Mandić, opposition leader (SL) - 2.51
8. Vujica Lalović, Deputy Prime Minister (SDP) - 2.48
9. Ranko Krivokapić, Speaker (SDP) - 2.45
10. Srđan Milić, opposition leader (SNP) - 2.27
All parties are included. All the other polls I gave you are too much overloading info, so just observe this table. :) Where a party isn't mentioned, it's a part of another (obviously which). --PaxEquilibrium15:13, 30 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
You might also be interested in these, from the latest June 2007 poll:
EU membership
Yes
78.3%
No
6.5%
undecided
15.2%
NATO membership
No
39.7%
Yes
32.9%
undecided
27.4%
ICTY cooperation
Yes
48.2%
No
30.6%
undecided
21.2%
language
Montenegrin
33.3%
Serbian
30.7%
Serbo-Montenegrin
3.1%
Mother tongue
2.5%
other
1.6%
undecided
28.8%
And a list of entities with whom Montenegro should be closer:
1. Serbia
2. European Union
3. Russia
4. USA
You'll probably be interested to know that DPS has presented its amended draft proposal to the Opposition. They altered the language part, so that it now includes that Serbian, Bosnian and Albanian languages are recognized, next to Montenegrin being official. --PaxEquilibrium20:33, 3 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
The minorities - perhaps. Which is sad because I really thought that this is going to be some sort of a Montenegrin DOS. SL, SNP and NS-DSS probably won't. This is actually an attempt to bribe off smaller parts of the alliance, in order to destroy the unity of the Opposition - because none of the PzP's proposals on Free Courts or general elections afterwards have been added. But the opposition remains united through their platform - when they hold negotiations, they send a representative from a party to represent all of them. They take shifts. One day the Albanian was there for example. Most of the time Nebojsa Medojevic leads.
I mean it's actually a funny picture - the ethnic Albanian is attacking the government for brainwashing the population and conducting hideous propaganda, denouncing its Serb tradition, while the SNS nationalist is defending Albanian and Muslim minority rights (!!!!!). :)))))))))) It's very interesting and funny to see this actually, I could never expect ever to see something like that in ex Yugoslavia, not after the 1990s. --PaxEquilibrium22:07, 3 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
DPS-SDP proposal includes "The Church, the Islamic Community and other religions are separate from state", while The Opposition thinks none, or all should be named.
Also the day before yesterday's declaration of the Montenegrin government's interesting. It says that the aims of Montenegro are to enter the EU, enter the NATO and create a close as possible community with Serbia. I think they're trying to make peace. :)
Also, Filip Vujanovic has lodged an official protest in the Council of Europe about the Serbian law that grants citizenship - he clarified that this law is an invasion of Montenegrin sovereignty. --PaxEquilibrium11:44, 6 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
NS (&DSS) withdrew from the negotiations for good, calling for referendum. PzP seems to have brought a compromise with DPS-SDP. Nebojsa said that the amendments of the Council of Europe will have to be in the constitution and that he will never go beyond that. DPS seems to have accepted that, including the Movement's request that general elections be held exactly one year after the constitution is adopted. On the other hand, Medojevic gave up of dual citizenship (Serbian Montenegrins). However, a super-majority is still lacking - and SNP thinks that negotiations should be continued. I don't know about SL, but I think they'll probably back down and ask for a referendum. LPCG also hasn't voiced its opinion, but it seems they'll call for boycott (of the referendum). --PaxEquilibrium19:34, 6 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Well, PzP will most surely vote - however SNP refused, but is prepared for more negotiations. The Serbs, Bosniacs and Albanians seems to be backing off from the negotiations (perhaps aiming for referendum?). --PaxEquilibrium20:29, 7 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
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It has been a long time since I stop to bother you. But I have a question maybe you can answer (and maybe not). I've found a strange coin: it's a French commemorative €2 coin « TRAITÉ DE ROME 50 ANS, EUROPE, RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE », but very poorly struck. On the national face, the twelve stars are almost unvisible. Only two (maybe three) stars can be guessed on the bottom (under the "RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE"). Do you think this coins can have a special worth? Is it rare? Or is it simply a fake? (unrelated PS: Go and see that) Švitrigaila11:12, 30 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Hi, I noticed that the article on MLPÖ was deleted. I could, however, not find any AfD posted for it. Please undelete it, and we can discuss an AfD. --Soman11:59, 1 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I was wondering why you undid my changes to the €2 commemorative coin page. As it stands it is factually incorrect as the countries it says haven't produced such coins yet have in fact done so this year with the Treaty of Rome coin. I was just making this clear.
I also thought it was worth adding that in certain cases no ordinary €2 has been issued, but you seem to disagree.
I've addressed your concern regarding the common issue, but the lack of ordinary €2 coins is completely out of the scope of the article. —Nightstallion14:13, 1 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I am afraid the map is still incorrect in stating that the red countries 'have not issued a €2 commemorative coin', and simply referring to the Treaty of Rome coins at the end of the main text does not properly negate the statement "Four eurozone countries have not yet issued such coins (France, Ireland, the Netherlands and Slovenia)". Also, "there has also been common Treaty of Rome €2 commemorative coin" does not make grammatical sense - it should be 'have' and 'coins'. Finally, I have just noticed that the totals for Belgium and Germany are incorrect. On the point about the irrelevance of referring to ordinary €2 coins, I don't see how this is any less relevant than the earlier statement that the reverse of ordinary €2 coins cannot change before 2008. Regards, Angus. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.110.42.84 (talk) 14:27, 1 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
It is correct insofar as it is *one* common design. The part about the reverse is relevant as it was part of the same reform that made €2 commemorative coins possible. Clarified the legend for the map, thanks for alerting me to the incorrect totals. —Nightstallion14:32, 1 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
RS presidential election, 2007
It's sad. Milan Jelic is the very first democratic and reformist President of RS (no matter how trivialized his position was). And he barely stood for a year...
By the way, Kostunica is convincing the Serbian people that great victory he achieved in New York. He said that both sides have signed the New York Declaration, which reconfirmed the UNSCR 1244, for the first time after the 1999 Kumanovo Treaty when it originally accepted. He said that this means that the Kosovo Albanian side bounded itself to respect Serbian territorial integrity. He also said that the US Foreign Affairs Minister stated that USA draws back from supporting unilateral recognition of independence after 10 December, as a response to irresponsible statements by Condoleezza Rice.
Also Kostunica has accepted to support Boris Tadic and has succumbed to DS demands to hold presidential and local elections at the same time, but he asks that a DSS mayor be elected for Belgrade. The compromise is that the Speaker schedules the elections by the end of this year, and that they are held after the Kosovo Status Process, in March 2008. --PaxEquilibrium09:29, 2 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I'm not expressing happiness, I'm expressing worry.
By the way, make that eight years now. And for all the "waiting", better count since 1989, which makes it 18 years. We could even count it for almost a whole century, even since Serbia/Montenegro regained it. The same things were said before, and yet those Albanians were reintegrated twice - once while they were even a part of Albania. --PaxEquilibrium12:10, 2 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I'm worried, too. While I'm generally supportive of independence movements, my worry in this case is regardless of that -- I'm just afraid something terrible will happen in the Balkans again if there won't be a solution which both sides can somehow accept... —Nightstallion13:09, 2 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
By the way, both the local and the presidential elections will be held in March 2008 at the same time. DSS and DS agreed; they will only be scheduled by the end of this year (so that no incoming Kosovo crisis could further postpone it). DSS will directly support Boris Tadic. The only remaining controversial matter is that DSS wants the seat of Mayor of Belgrade in return, traditionally held by DS. --PaxEquilibrium18:59, 2 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Sure, obviously - but it's still not yet final. Boris Tadic has refused that any non-DS man hold the Mayor of the Capital City, which is traditionally the Democrats'. Kostunica has even accepted that his Civic Speaker Milorad Perovic switches places with the Deputy Speaker from DS, so that he becomes the acting Mayor when the Parliament officially abolishes Nenad Bogdanovic's term (currently held by his deputy, Radmila Hrustanović from G17+). It appears that DS might be willing to grant the places of several municipal presidents to DSS. Although I think this really goes nowhere, this party makes fearsome demands so the following ones no longer seem so fierce.. and on and on... --PaxEquilibrium20:29, 3 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
It's the official name, isn't it? I don't see much of a problem with using the official name, if it's widely used and not too complicated... —Nightstallion13:56, 3 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Yeah, I was going to get to the poll. It's interesting how SPS further falters, and strange for G17+ - which is a ruling party. LDP strengthens greatly too. --PaxEquilibrium20:45, 3 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
SPS didn't shrink too much -- but the DSS did, good news. ;) The fact that both the DS and the LDP grew a lot is great news in my eyes; the fact that the Radicals are growing, too, worries me a bit. As do the other poll results, which value Kosovo more highly than the EU... But at least two thirds support EU membership, and very few people are now prepared to fight for Kosovo. —Nightstallion21:11, 3 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I was referring to the differences between the two CeSID polls.
Both SRS and DS are gaining in strength, just like I said a while ago. However DS appears to be faster. DSS has managed to keep the same amount of supporters - but only by including the NS electorate as well. SPS falters and LDP rises, both significantly. It's also interesting that SPO even further continued to fall, so that it's now officially not considered a major party. :))) Also, again only a third of the electorate is determined to vote - which is very bad. --PaxEquilibrium21:31, 3 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Not great to my opinion. I hate two-party systems (like the one in Montenegro until a while ago), and simply adore when there are countless minor parties offering so many different choices, that one can always find the one you like instead of always picking a lesser evil - I'm referring to the extinction of SPO and the obvious path G17 is taking. --PaxEquilibrium21:48, 3 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
That's not what I mean, I just meant that it's good that the political directions which I do not favour (most notably SRS, DSS and SPS) are either shrinking or not growing as fast as their rivals. I dislike two-party systems, as well. —Nightstallion21:57, 3 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I would say be carefull with using right-wing and left-wing. The LDP is clearly a non-nationalist party without conservative values. I would label them as liberal, not as right-wing or left-wing. ElectionworldTalk?13:49, 5 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I mostly think connoting rightism with nationalism and similar is actually a very bad stereotype - just like "Montenegrins are lazy" or "Bosnians are stupid" - very, very horrible. For example, the ultra-nationalist Serb Radical Party has all symbols of a leftist party. The nationalist Albanian movements (that created the KLA) in the early 1990s were Marxist-Leninist, etc. I mostly use Liberal Capitalism as the clearest point showing LDP's right-wing. --PaxEquilibrium22:20, 5 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Rightism needn't be nationalism, but the key point Electionworld made is that it has few conservative values, if any -- therefore it's centrist. —Nightstallion23:29, 5 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Well then's the elections (local and presidential). There'll be also the presidential election in Montenegro in the meantime, the Croatian parliamentary and the RS presidential. I'll manage to cover everything before. :)) --PaxEquilibrium20:38, 4 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
The manager of Croatian national television has been sacked by the Government, under accusations of working against national interests - in a popular TV show known as "The Pyramyd", one of the three guests was the leader of Slavonian Serbs, who was for a short time a member of the Serb Radical Party during the war. The journalist that replaced her is Hloverka - a well-known Tudjman's personal literally "Mistress for Propaganda" back in the 1990s. Ever since she kicked in, the television is conducting somewhat anti-SDP propaganda, while HDZ and HSP are favored. On the television we could see the SDP potential future Premier on the concert of Marko Perkovic Thompson (the musical band that glorifies the Ustashas and Tudjman's war crimes), while the (originally pro-Ustasha political party) HSP is presented quite strange through several political talk shows. They say that strongest links with Serbia are necessary, even if the SRS stood on the other side (!). We could also see HDZ officials highly criticizing SDP's claims that it supports continued closeness of Croatian market to Serbian capital/economy. The most recent developments actually back-fired SDP straight in the head. :) Anyway, I sort of think that this act of HDZ is a way of desperacy. --PaxEquilibrium20:52, 4 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Did you know that Austria in Serbia is mostly presented in Serbia as a "friendly country", while Germany is observed as an opponent (as Milosevic kept saying "an extremely hostile nation")? That's very strange, considering the 'closeness' of the two countries? --PaxEquilibrium10:22, 5 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
What closeness of the two countries? We speak the same language, that's about all there is. We have more in common with Czechia, Slovenia and Hungary, frankly. —Nightstallion10:27, 5 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Mh? Why? I think there was some talk about problems arising with having neutral states in the EU, but the same would have applied to Finland, so Germany wouldn't have needed to lobby for Austria alone... —Nightstallion23:27, 5 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
Kosovo potential refugees
The US envoys have come to Croatia to negotiate the possibility of hundred thousand non-Albanians receiving an exodus when Kosovo declares independence. He was there to ask the Croatian government to accept possible waves and stop them, before reaching NATO countries, further destabilizing them or jeopardizing NATO's reputations in those countries after it supports Kosovar independence. The Croatian authorities insured them that they will prevent further inflow of refugees and accept them in Croatia. --PaxEquilibrium20:59, 6 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
The DPS-SDP amended draft now notes that there are no direct elections by the President - the President of the Republic of Montenegro will henceforth be elected by the Parliament. Milo said that the ruling coalition will not go beyond that line. If you ask me, this is because they lack candidates that could win the election. Since DPS now again refused general elections immediately after the constitution's adoption, I believe that when Filip Vujanovic's current mandate expires, the present session (which will last until 2010) will elect a President.
P.S. DPS's proposal also accounts that any person can be elected for President unlimited number of times until his/her death.
The Opposition is due to hold a session, on which it will decide whether to support or oppose this Constitutional Draft. It's widely expected they will oppose. They will also decide whether there's actually any possibility/point left for future negotiations with Milo's alliance.
By the way - it has been announced that a Triumvirate would return (President, Premier and Speaker): Milo Djukanovic, Svetozar Marovic and Filip Vujanovic. Any guessing how they'll take the office perhaps? --PaxEquilibrium14:19, 8 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I seriously hope that the constitution proposal fails. That change is absolutely horrible in my eyes -- taking democratic power away from the people. —Nightstallion14:48, 8 October 2007 (UTC)[reply]
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