Macedonian commentary analyses expansion of Albanian "terrorists" in region
Forum - May 1, 2004

Excerpt from commentary by Bulgarian-Macedonian Friendship Association Chairman Stefan Vlakhov Mitsov entitled: "A keg with powder and terrorism"; published by Macedonian newspaper Forum on 1 May

The reasons for the Balkan conflicts are the complicated relations between the peoples of the former Yugoslav federation and the planned destruction of Yugoslavia from outside. During the process of disintegration of Yugoslavia, every outside power supported a power inside Yugoslavia. Germany supported Croatia, France supported Serbia, while the United States opted for the Muslims in the former Yugoslavia. Instead of recognizing the Republic of Macedonia, which had fulfilled all of the criteria of the Badinter Commission EU commission setting out criteria for recognition of breakaway Yugoslav states (1991-92) , Europe decided to recognize Croatia under pressure from Germany, which set Croatia's independence as a condition for signing the Maastricht Treaty. (Passage omitted)

In 2003 a presidents' meeting was organized in Ohrid where the participants discussed Balkan understanding and tolerance, and just a few days later the Albanian terrorists made their presence known in Kumanovo.

All this confirms that in the Balkans, just as in many other places in the world, there is a huge difference between words and deeds. (Passage omitted.)

The lowest form of terrorism in the hierarchy of terrorism is that based on ideology. In the past this form of terrorism accompanied the national liberation movements. It is enough to recall the Thessaloniki assassins from the year 1903. Today this form of terrorism is closest to the religious movements, such as the movements among the Pakistanis. The recent terrorist attacks in Madrid were a warning to the US's European allies in the aggression on Iraq. Apart from the aforementioned characteristics of terrorism, terrorism in Chechnya also involves certain Mafia interests.

Precisely terrorism, as a business, has a central position in the hierarchy of the ideological movements and state structures. It hides behind the masks of nationalism or patriotism. Typical activities of this form of terrorism are the Albanian bandit activities on the territories of Kosovo, southern Serbia, and western Macedonia. The whole world knows that most of these bandit groups and their commanders, who are calling for the formation of a Greater Albania are, in fact, drug dealers who control the drug routes and prostitution routes that lead to other parts of Europe. They have no problems with involving political aims in terrorism. One of these aims is Kosovo's independence. Occasionally they conduct similar tests in Macedonia, as well, despite the Ohrid agreement and despite the fact that even before 2001 the Albanians in Macedonia enjoyed rights as no other minority in even the most developed countries in Europe did. Let us not mention the fact that some of these countries do not even recognize collective minority rights. We must also stress the fact that the positions and appeals of some commanders of the phantom organizations, such as the Albanian National Army, coincide with the positions and commitments of some US congressmen and lobbyists. This means that there is some interaction between the US interests and plans for the Balkans and the activities of the Albanian terrorists. The aim of these activities is to provoke and maintain the tension between the Macedonian and Albanian communities. The Albanians' aspirations towards Kosovo and western Macedonia raise the level of political tension throughout the region, especially because it is clear that the Albanians also have aspirations towards northern Greece and southeastern Montenegro. Now the Albanian "invasion" is directed at Bulgaria, considering the fact that the Albanians are starting to buy property in the centre of Sofia and Varna.

Objectively, the idea of a Greater Albania is just a bluff by some concerned sides in the United States, and the Albanian drug lords are buying it. All this is done at the expense of the ordinary Albanian people, who are torn between their own Mafia and the international Mafia. In a, God forbid, provoked war, this ordinary people will just be cannon fodder for the future "peacemakers." They are also taking advantage of the fact that the two ethnic communities in the Republic of Macedonia got the chance to form a mutual state late, which is why now they have to compensate for lost time. Balkan terrorism can be eliminated easily if the governments in the region agree no longer to be just bystanders, and if the international community gives the corresponding institutions in Serbia and Macedonia a free hand in dealing with the provocation on their territories.

SOURCE: Forum, Skopje, in Macedonian 1 May 04

Copyright 2004 British Broadcasting Corporation
BBC Monitoring Europe - Political
Supplied by BBC Worldwide Monitoring

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