This post sees us drive from Capital to Capital, leaving Skopje in North Macedonia (Country 4) and entering Pristina in Kosovo (Country 5) via Kaçanik Gorge, Gadima Cave, Monastery Gračanica, Badovac Lake and the Pristina Bear Sanctuary, all in Kosovo.
Kosovo (Pop 1.78m, Highest Peak 2,403m, 16% the size of Tasmania), officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a partially recognised state in Southeast Europe. It lies at the centre of the Balkans. Kosovo unilaterally declared its independence from Serbia on 17 February 2008 and has since gained diplomatic recognition as a sovereign state by 97 member states of the United Nations but remains an UN Observer and not a full member of the 193 UN Member countries. It is bordered by Serbia to the north and east, North Macedonia to the southeast, Albania to the southwest, and Montenegro to the west. Kosovo might as well be an extension of Albania – it is 97.4% Muslim with 92% ethnic Albanians and only 4% Serbs. As a result Albanian is the most spoken language followed by German given most have worked in Germany and returned. It has a President, Prime Minister and Parliament. The history and situation of Kosovo will feature later in this post. Kosovo is derived from a Serbian word meaning “Field of Blackbirds” and indeed they are everywhere !!!
Our border entry into Kosovo was very friendly, smooth and quick. We drove alongside a green forest covered gorge which then opened up to a huge plain with many home-maker retailers and supermarkets with no apparent cities or towns nearby – just farmland – strange. We visited the Gadima Cave – very cold inside and not too impressive – only the end had stalactites and stalacmites. The Monastery Gračanica featured the Serbian Orthodox Church of the Dormition, built in 1321 and still in its original condition and covered in Byzantine wall icons inside – so well preserved that the church is UNESCO protected. The church was built Serbian King Milutin who was declared a Saint. Badovac Lake is very ordinary and there are only a few lakes in the country that is completely landlocked. 40% of Kosovo is covered by thick forest - the highlight of our drive was the Bear Sanctuary only 19km from Pristina. It was opened 12 years ago with 20 Brown Bears – the oldest 20 years and the youngest 3.5 years. We saw four bears and very close up.
Pristina (Pop 210,000, Elev 652m, Founded 4th Century) is far from pristine. Apart from Mother Theresa Boulevard it is an unkept city with incomplete construction, dusty damaged roads, stray dogs and garbage everywhere. In some places it looks like the war of 1998-1999 never ended !!! Despite all of this it does have its gems. The Catholic Cathedral of Saint Mother Theresa is terrific and so are the many cafes on a boulevard bearing her name. The many mosques here are interesting in that no two are alike – one is even made of wood !!! Kosovo is in love with Bill Clinton and his team as evidenced by the statues of Bill himself, Madeline Albright and Rob (Bob) Dole – all of whom supported the annexation of Kosovo from Serbia with plenty of financial aide to make it a reality.
The other strange phenomenon is that all the people we met had never seen an Australian before. We spoke to most people in German since most do not speak English and many who fled war torn Kosovo took refuge in Germany for many years and then returned. Like Croatians, Kosovo adores grilled meats. There are grill houses everywhere and where they are absent they are filled with bakeries selling Burekes (Pies) of every stuffing.
Slobodan Milosevic caused the Kosovo War of 28 February 1998 to 11 June 1999. He refused to recognise the rights of the Muslim Albanian majority controlling the sacred area of Peja, which has been the historic centre of Serbian Orthodoxy. Milosevic used Orthodoxy as an excuse to get rid of the Muslim Albanians who created an uprising that led to the war that killed 13,500+ civilians and displaced 1.5 million representing 90% of the population at the time. NATO with the backing of Clinton cut off vital supplies and eventually Milosevic was forced to accept the terms of the UN to annex Kosovo, which was backed by 110 UN Member Countries at the time. The only countries that refused to back Kosovo were the Orthodox countries of Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and others who did not wish the Historic Orthodox Diocese of Peja to be Muslim-Albanian hands. At present they co-exist peacefully.
Pristina is full of construction – mainly huge high-rise apartment buildings – we have no idea who will live in them and where they will find the employment to pay them off. Our only deduction is that they will be taken up by many thousands of retiring ex-pats who plan to return to their homeland from abroad since the conflict of 98-99.
Enjoy the emerging nation of Kosovo…
SKOPJE TO PRISTINA:
Gadima Cave
Monastery Gračanica:
PRISTINA:
This is made of STAPLES !!!
FAREWELL PRISTINA:
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