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Sat, May 26 2012
Politics does not take the day off for Christmas
It was not shared throughout the Balkans, where faiths other than his Roman Catholicism predominate, but on Christmas Day Pope Benedict XVI called on the world to abandon violence and vengeance - and showed no sign of strain after an 'unstable' woman lunged at him, forcing him to the ground, on Christmas Eve.
Christmas Day in the skies over Greece saw not Father Christmas and his reindeer, but an incursion by Turkish jet fighters.
In the Balkans, Christmas Day does not necessarily mean a holiday from politics and politicians.
In Belgrade, Serbian foreign minister Vuk Jeremić sent a December 24 2009 (strictly, not Christmas Eve in Serbia, which celebrates that day on January 6 in accordance with the Julian calendar) letter to countries that had not recognised the independence of Kosovo, thanking them for – as he put it – upholding the United Nations charter and voicing hope that they would continue to respect Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
As reported by Serbian news agency Tanjug, Jeremić’s letter, addressed to the foreign ministers, said that the coming period is very important for the final decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding the legality of the unilateral proclamation of independence by Kosovo.
On Christmas Day, Belgrade daily Blic said that Serbia was ready to go to the international court in The Hague with a case against Croatia on the basis of claims of genocide against Serbs in the 1991/95 war.
It was not only in Belgrade that court action was on the minds of some.
In Tirana, the leader of opposition Socialist Party of Albania, Edi Rama, was preparing court action against prime minister Sali Berisha over slender and insult, Macedonian Radio Television said, as quoted by Bulgarian news agency Focus.
This is the second claim filed by the Rama family, after Edi Rama’s mother Aneta, recently lodged court action against Berisha.
Recently, Berisha alleged that Rama was the head of the mafia in Albania, had tortured his former wife, had been estranged from his son for 19 years, and said that Rama was known by the nickname "the naked politician" because of nude photos of Rama that had been made public.
Greek news agency ΑΝΑ-ΜPA reported on December 25 that Greek military authorities had said that up to eight Turkish fighter aircraft violated Greek airspace after entering the region south of the eastern Aegean island of Limnos.
In the Balkans, Christmas Day does not necessarily mean a holiday from politics and politicians.
In Belgrade, Serbian foreign minister Vuk Jeremić sent a December 24 2009 (strictly, not Christmas Eve in Serbia, which celebrates that day on January 6 in accordance with the Julian calendar) letter to countries that had not recognised the independence of Kosovo, thanking them for – as he put it – upholding the United Nations charter and voicing hope that they would continue to respect Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
As reported by Serbian news agency Tanjug, Jeremić’s letter, addressed to the foreign ministers, said that the coming period is very important for the final decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding the legality of the unilateral proclamation of independence by Kosovo.
On Christmas Day, Belgrade daily Blic said that Serbia was ready to go to the international court in The Hague with a case against Croatia on the basis of claims of genocide against Serbs in the 1991/95 war.
It was not only in Belgrade that court action was on the minds of some.
In Tirana, the leader of opposition Socialist Party of Albania, Edi Rama, was preparing court action against prime minister Sali Berisha over slender and insult, Macedonian Radio Television said, as quoted by Bulgarian news agency Focus.
This is the second claim filed by the Rama family, after Edi Rama’s mother Aneta, recently lodged court action against Berisha.
Recently, Berisha alleged that Rama was the head of the mafia in Albania, had tortured his former wife, had been estranged from his son for 19 years, and said that Rama was known by the nickname "the naked politician" because of nude photos of Rama that had been made public.
Greek news agency ΑΝΑ-ΜPA reported on December 25 that Greek military authorities had said that up to eight Turkish fighter aircraft violated Greek airspace after entering the region south of the eastern Aegean island of Limnos.
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Oh dear Peggy, do Get A Life. You are so prickly-over sensitive to anything that anyone else posts, even when it may be (for once !) well-meant.
My posting about Sydney Carter was NOT meant to be sarcastic or ironic - he just happened to write some very memorable modern "Christmas Carols" with a strong Quaker and pacifist message.
This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained foul, abusive or discriminating language
servile
Mon, Dec 28 2009 00:53 CET
love the servs, who they can turn 'western' xmas into a lobby process of pathetic actions.
they deserve their land cave.
hope they will lobby for a cage around that cave, so nobody will catch thei disabilitys
=========================
Then you must feel the same way about your beloved Sediju because he sent a Xmas card to the Pope and asked him to recognise Kosovo.
He has done exactly the same thing [...]
Read the full comment as the Serbs. Does that make him the same?
love the servs, who they can turn 'western' xmas into a lobby process of pathetic actions.
they deserve their land cave.
hope they will lobby for a cage around that cave, so nobody will catch thei disabilitys
Koinos Nous
Sat, Dec 26 2009 16:09 CET
"My comment was meant to be highly ironic, but clearly you - Peggy - as as deaf to irony as you sometimes are to reason. "
=======================
Dear Epaminondas, I did you attack you in any way nor did I have anything to say about your post, so why do you delight in always attcking me and trying to make me look like something I am not?
Do you think it makes you look smart?
No, [...]
Read the full comment it only makes you look like a petty little man who need to put others down in order to look big himself.
Pathetic, really.
Koinos, a.k.a. Epaminondas, George II and many other personalities you take on here, what are you babbling about?
Please do stay on topic.
My comment was meant to be highly ironic, but clearly you - Peggy - as as deaf to irony as you sometimes are to reason.
There is a precent for Christian irony at Christmas, in the songs of Sydney Carter, notably "The Present Tense" and "Every Star Shall Sing A Carol".
Vuk, I wish you had not sent out the message you did for Christmas. Even though it is not Orthodox Christmas you do not mix Christmass greetings with politics.
There is a time and place for everything and clearly you are mixing the two up.
Christmas greegrings is wonderful and a thank you card for not recognising Kosovo can go out later not at the same time.
Seidju did the same thing. Sent a Christmas card to the Pope in which is lobbying for a recognition.
[...]
Read the full comment Both of you are being very tacky here.
Oh dear - Kales Giortes to everybody - Vesele Praznike - Kellemes Kara'Csonyi - Wesolych Swiat i Szczesliwego Nowego Roku -
Nadolig Llawen. Or just Happy Balkan Christmas....
Situation doesn't seem to get any better, does it ?