Romania "could recognize Kosovo" - PM

Hi we dont need to recognise anyway there are 100 countries they recognised kosovo and get lost romania we need you at all leave them people alone and get way your life
Kosovo is kosovo and dont need to talk about our place and Serbia will recoginised soon just need to think and decide
(Zmajl Sokoli, 27 May 2015 14:41)

This dude sokoli sure as hell smells Serbian to me! Maybe Ari fools-gold, or Ratko, maybe it is Peggy in disquise? Anyway the more recognitions the better, can't wait for the EU's remaning 5 members to make their recognitions of the republic of Kosova official. We all know, the world over knows quite well, that Kosova's 1.8 million inhabitants will never again allow for Serbian governship over their country again!

Great news. this should be old news except for the fascist belgrade regime that loves to drag out misery. They will be the guilty of history, but are so blind to it all, and that is sick and sad...

Ha, ha, another smoke-bomb from Ponta!

At the end of April, Ponta was shaking hands in Craiova, Romania, with Serbian and Bulgarian Prime-ministers, while emphasizing the need for regional cooperation. So much for his seriousness!

There is no interest in Romania for recognizing Kosovo. Nobody cares about Kosovo, as long as politicians are smart enough to ignore the issue. These are the reasons:
1. Nobody is pressuring Romania on this issue. Neither EU nor USA. Probably because Americans are busy with other issues, and EU has other priorities.
2. There is no need for us to spoil our good relation with Serbia - best neighbor so far, except Black Sea :)
3. There is a general idea that Romania has done its part regarding the Kosovo issue: we supported NATO in 1999, we supported UNMIK, we support EULEX. As for EU... We see Holland, Germany, UK refusing Romania's access into Schengen Area. And thy want Kosovo recognized by us? Sorry, we are too old for such childish games.
4. There is no need to give Russians a stick to use against Moldavia Republic, regarding Transdnistria separatists.
4. Kosovo still has to prove itself. So far, we've seen strange things: ex-KLA fighters from Kosovo going with weaponry in Macedonia to start a rebellion, being shot by police as terrorists (correctly!) and then being buried with honors back home, by their ex-colleagues in KLA.

AND KOSOVO WANTS TO BE TREATED AS A COUNTRY? This looks more like a Hollywood movie than a country!

Most romanians disagree with their PLAGIATOR:
http://www.ziare.com/victor-ponta/premier/ponta-romania-ar-putea-recunoaste-kosovo-1365501

Hi we dont need to recognise anyway there are 100 countries they recognised kosovo and get lost romania we need you at all leave them people alone and get way your life
Kosovo is kosovo and dont need to talk about our place and Serbia will recoginised soon just need to think and decide

Dear readers and commentators,

Take a frank advice from a Romanian. DO NOT LISTEN TO WHAT THIS CLOWN OF A PRIME-MINISTER SAYS !

Besides the obvious fact that the prime-minister has 0 (zero) competences in foreign relations, it is only the Parliament who may recognize new countries.

Also, he is known to joke around serious issues, and this is a grotesque joke that he is making about recognizing Kosovo.

So, please do not make such fuss about this statement. Besides, Mr Ponta is on the go in Romania.

As a Romanian, I feel obliged to point out several things.

First, the current Romanian Prime Minister has a very unstable position. His party is crumbling under corruption charges, with leaders resigning and defecting each day. This year, his government has lost a minister per month due to arrests for corruption, same goes for his Social Democrat Party... These days, a senator and former Minister of Transportation, close friend of Ponta (Dan Sova is the name) is to be removed from the Senate, per request of anti-mafia prosecutors, and there are strong reasons to believe that his indictment will involve Ponta into the scandal. I will be amazed to see Mr. Ponta still in office in July this year!

Second, I strongly suspect that Mr. Ponta is not serious in his announcement - he has a custom to promote issues on public debate and then simply abandon the ideas. Right now, he really needs to distract Romanians from the situation of his corrupt party and failed government. By the way, today, the mayor of Constantza (2nd biggest city of Romania, over 300,000 inhabitants), an important person in the Social Democrat Party, simply resigned from the party - he is already on house arrest, accused for (what else?) corruption!

Last but not least, in Romania the president of the country has the leadership in foreign policy. Mr. Iohannis is of German ethnicity. Most probably he will try to avoid complicating his life with the issue of recognizing Kosovo.

So, lets wait and see.

@ Albanian
"It's about time Romanians return to their Illyrian-Thracian (Dacian) roots and side with their Albanian "distant relatives"."

However, things are not so simple.
We tried to do as much as possible for Albanians, in the last 100 years. Details are here, in the words of your compatriots:
http://www.top-channel.tv/english/artikull.php?id=7387

I am not mentioning this to show off, but just to make sure that you (and others) understand us.
We want Albanians as friends, as we want Serbs as friends, now and in the future. But we cannot fight your battles for you. And being friends with both sides, we refuse to choose.
This is why we supported NATO in 1999 against Milosevic (for sure, upsetting many Serbs by doing that), and that's why we do not recognize the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo.

Both Serbs and Albanians, please be careful with those big powers: yesterday they were friends with a side, today they are enemy of the respective side. This goes also for US, and for Russia. Big powers can afford to take sides, because they care only about themselves, and if their interest asks for it, they will change the side in a minute. Small countries, like Romania, should care about international law, because having powerful allies is good, but to upheld the correct principles of international law is better. Powerful allies today may be not so strong tomorrow, but a just thing will remain just forever.

No surprise to me! Remember Romania in World War Two allied with Hitler and Nazi Germany. Covered up and not advertised much but yes Romanians equiped and armed by Hitler came to Banat and many parts of Serbia to commit horrific crimes and murder of poor innocent Serbian civilians in Serbia! During World War Two Romanians also in Nazi uniform went to Russia to kill and murder poor innocent Russian people for Hitler! Then lets remember March 24, 1999 when Romania gave permission to USA, England and Germany to use Romanian airports for staging grounds for attack aircraft bombers who were destroying and murdering Serbia! Romania as in the Second World War continues to be dominated by Hitler and Germany. Germany has set up a lot of " sweat shops " through out Romania and keeps the slaves barely alive with only a few pennies to survive and for that all this support to Hitler! So go ahead Romania, spit on your religion and please Satan, look what it has gotten you so far and you will see where it will lead you to!

Kosovo still has to prove itself. ...
AND KOSOVO WANTS TO BE TREATED AS A COUNTRY? This looks more like a Hollywood movie than a country!
(Ioan M., 27 May 2015 22:17)

In the other word Ioan,North Korea,Chad,Somalia and some othe countries that Romania has recognized were better than Kosovo?

C'mon,man don't make a joke of yourself.
So USA, UK, Germany, Canada, Australia, Japan, Switzerland, Italy,France and 104 other UN countries are wrong?

As for US, they pressed u last year and Romania told US vice president Joe Biden, that Romania will recognize Kosovo in 2015.
Now we are in 2015 and is time for Rumania to keep its word.

@ Dragoljub Djurkovic

комшија, do not jump to conclusions, based only on words. And try to keep calm. Why so hurry to blame those who befriend you? Silly. As for the history, remember that Hitler offered Serbian Banat to Romania, and we refused. What more do you want? We had our reasons to go with Germany, as you have yours, today, to befriend Russia.

So far, there are only words. Personally, I think no recognition will came in the near future.
It may sound strange to you, but in Romania we consider that if we recognize Kosovo, this will give a boost to pro-Russian separatists in Moldavia Republic. Then Moscow will claim that since we recognized Kosovo, than we and Moldavia and EU etc. should recognize the self-proclaimed "Transdnistria Republic".

Some fellows Romanians here, they already tried to explain that Ponta statement it's just a smoke cover for a cornered politician. Not to mention that the statement was given to a TV station from Pristina (not to a Romanian media institution). Usually with such declarations, some things are lost in translation, and everybody understands what he or she wants. I think Ponta spoke as "if... we may...".
For now, the Romanian National Agerpress Agency is quoting Serbian Television (!).
I expect over the week-end the issue to be picked-up by Romanian media, and a storm from all sides of Romanian society will rain over Ponta :-) By Monday, a new statement will be out, retracting what he said and blaming "a misunderstanding".

(A guy from Bucharest, 28 May 2015 12:07)

Bravo for a comment- especially last part.

I am Serbian from Banat and only wish you like us Serbs a bit more then Kosovars.If nothing else but for being a good, peaceful neighbor ...I wish you knew better - if your first neighbors were Kosovars the peace in Romania would not last long.

@ Teodor Muzaka
Between what I wrote and what you understood - biiig difference! Probably the problem is my poor English. As for insults, where did you see such things in my post?

I will not explain more why Romania doesn't recognize Kosovo, there are several posts doing that already.
Regarding "the call from Washington, London and Berlin": such simplistic view of international relations makes me laugh. Look at the map of Europe, see where is Romania positioned, and you will understand how things are in reality.
In the international context, the economical situation of a country is just one of the factors. Kosovo doesn't need to get the economy of Taiwan to get recognition (although it may help, for sure). Other things are also important for a full-fledged member of international community: a stable and resilient society, a working democracy (imperfect, but still a democracy), a functioning bureaucracy, lack of inter-ethnic tensions and discriminatory attitudes, low organized crime (no killings), strict control on weapons, skilled workers, liberal attitudes, a working education system, openness towards foreigners, no nationalist quarrels with the neighboring countries, not being a regional troublemaker.
How many of these features has Kosovo already? Not so many. So, you need to work harder. And keep talking with the Serbs, this will not make things worse.

@A guy from Bucharest,

Still there is no comparison to what Serbia did to Kosovars even way before the war. But if you want to buy into Serbian propaganda that's fine with me. I think the only reason why Romania is not recognising Kosovo yet is because of Moldovo/Transnistria, but that would come in the future.

It's about time Romanians return to their Illyrian-Thracian (Dacian) roots and side with their Albanian "distant relatives".

@Teodor Muzaka

"North Korea,Chad,Somalia and some other countries that Romania has recognized were better than Kosovo?"

You embarrass yourself, like a child who tries to speak in front of men. You should have a better model - like Taiwan. Better like Taiwan and not recognized, than recognized and seen by others as a new North Korea or Somalia, don't you think? But the real question is: are Kosovo Albanians able to build up a new Taiwan? After last 7 years, the answer seems to be a big NO.
Oh, and don't complain that Serbia is keeping you down! Taiwan worked and developed in the shadow of the 1 BILLION PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA!

"So USA, UK, Germany, Canada, Australia, Japan, Switzerland, Italy, France and 104 other UN countries are wrong?"

Yep. Nothing new here. There was a time when almost all Europe and half the World was behind Hitler. And after 1945, half the world was living in USSR shadow. Numbers and power cannot replace the law. But the law should be followed, whether we like it or not. Like in a marriage, for better and worse :)

"As for US, they pressed u last year and Romania told US vice president Joe Biden, that Romania will recognize Kosovo in 2015."

There was no pressure. Biden was just reciting his talking points. And the same Ponta was trying to outsmart the former President, Traian Basescu - also a pro-American. Ponta made no promise per se, just small talk.

Things not so simple in this big world of international relations, isn't?

For Mendo:

What happened 16 year ago is part of what happened in Kosovo since 1912. Neither Albanians or Serbs are completely blameless. But it's not for Romanians to settle the accounts.
Responsibility is an individual category: we answer for what we did, no less, no more. There was and there is no collective responsibility, because by this logic, all Germans or Japanese should have been exterminated in 1945.
Romanians supported NATO against Milosevic regime, to stop ethnic persecutions against Albanians in Kosovo, NOT to help them to build a separate country. And Milosevic was removed from power. We expected that Albanians, now protected by UN and NATO, will show they deserve to enjoy maximum collective rights as permitted by international law, except a separate state. Even Serbia said so: more than autonomy, less than independence. For this, Albanians had only to treat Kosovo minorities (Serbs included) as they wanted Serbs to treat them, before 1989. Was this too much to ask?
It was not the first time an oppressive regime was removed from power in the world. Whites left power in South Africa in 80s, and Russians in Baltic states, after 1989. But I don't know of white people lynched by mobs in Pretoria, or Russians stabbed in daylight, down-town Riga or Vilnius. Ethnic cleansing of Serbs and Roma cannot be accepted as pay-back for ethnic cleansing of Albanians.
Albanians behaved in 2000s as if was 1800s. So, do not blame us for rejecting the result of such behavior.

KOSOVO IS SERBIA FOREVER!

Wow, all the Romanians that this brought out who by the way are giving Serbian views and not Romanian.
(just a note, 28 May 2015 14:00)

Buna ziua tuturor.
Lucrurile spuse aici de catre compatriotii mei sunt corecte. Si, ca sa spulber orice banuiala, am scris (si) in romaneste.
Apropo, stimati romani, scrieti si in romaneste, ca sunt niste tantalai pe-aici care cred ca suntem sarbi (!) sau ca sarbii ne spun ce sa scriem!

Hello, everybody,
All that was said here by my Romanian compatriots is correct. And, to eliminate any doubt, I am writing (also) in Romanian.
By the way, dear Romanians, please write in Romanian, too, because there are some weak-minded people here, who believe that we are Serbs (!) or that Serbs are telling us what to write!

Suficient, domnule "just a note"? As putea sa scriu si in franceza.
Enough, mister "just a note"? I could also write in French.

La revedere si numai bine de la Oradea, Romania!

@Petre Marinescu (Brasov, center Romania)

In the other words your excuse is that Kosovo is not like Taiwan so Rumania will not recognized it.

What a lame excuse!

I think the real problem is that Rumania hasn't got the call from Washington, London and Berlin yet.
When Rumania will get the phone call, and I am pretty sure it will happened this year, you will recognize Kosovo as independent country, even though it will not be like Taiwan...

But until then, you will continue to make excuse about your stance on Kosovo.
For God's sake even Serbia is moving faster than you on recognition of Kosovo...
And before you insult Albanians remember that Victor Eftimiu and several other great people who contributed for Rumania were Albanians.

...We expected that Albanians, now protected by UN and NATO, will show they deserve to enjoy maximum collective rights as permitted by international law, except a separate state. Even Serbia said so: more than autonomy, less than independence...

@ A guy from Bucharest,

Do you mean that Serbs were ready to accept Hashim Thaci and Ramush Haradinaj as Foreign Minister and Minister of defense of Serbia???
No man they need the lend but they never will share power with albananians.

Or Taxation without representation?

Because this " more than autonomy, less than independence" without giving Albanians power in central government in Belgrade is a joke.

Secondly, if another Milloshevic (actually Nikolic is worse) will come in Serbia, which is not unlikely because 90% of Serbians are chetnik, Will Rumania protect Albanians again?
The answer is NO.

There is no guaranty that after accepting "more than autonomy less than independence" than Sesel or Nikolic can not abolish it.

After 1989-1999 Serbia has lost its moral right to govern in Kosovo, that's why Kosovo moved on with the help of the West( I assume Rumania is not the West) and declared independence.

Wow, all the Romanians that this brought out who by the way are giving Serbian views and not Romanian.
(just a note, 28 May 2015 14:00
===========================
Right, because nobody will ever back a Serbian point of view. So when non Albanians post here you don't get suspicious?

It's time now everyone is seeing how cruel Serbian s r but in a time Serbia will recognize Kosovo aswell.

@ just a note

I did not see your post as insulting, I do have a sense of humor :)
My point was that it's quite difficult to pass as a born-speaker of a foreign language. This is why I asked Romanians to write ALSO in Romanian.
Quote with "ALSO" in capitals: "Apropo, stimati romani, scrieti SI in romaneste(...).
In English it looks a little different, the keyword is "TOO":
"By the way, dear romanians, please write in Romanian, TOO (...)".

So, as you see, I was not advising Romanians to write only in Romanian (as you said, this would be silly) but to write ALSO in Romanian, besides English, to prove themselves. However, this may also be a silly idea :)

I have met Albanian posters who think Romanians are opposing Kosovo independence only because friendship with Serbs (seen as hate against Albanians). This is wrong. Kosovo is 600 km from our border, we should be interested in what happens there. Romanian soldiers are in KFOR, Eulex, UN, OSCE, etc. As opposed to people of US, Canada or Australia, we have historical relations with both Albanians and Serbs.
Therefore, saying that we simply allow Serbs to put words in our mouth is wrong. Some of the Serb arguments may be true, despite that they come from Serbs. Same goes for Albanian arguments. It is for you both to compromise.
As for Romanian arguments (of 5-6 posters) to be identical to Serb ones, it may be a coincidence. Still, I bet Serbs have more to say on Kosovo than what was said on this post.

@A guy from Bucharest
"We tried to do as much as possible for Albanians, in the last 100 years."

Thank you for your support, but really this is only a small portion of our common history. I am not mentioning this to show off, but Albanians were very important in Romanian history. Wallachia and Moldova were governed by Albanians for centuries (Gjika/Ghica dynasty, Vasile Lupu, etc.) If I'm not mistaken it was Gjergj Gjika (George Ghica) who established Bucharest as his capital. "Coincidentally" Bukur-esht means "beautiful-is" in Albanian!


"Neither Albanians or Serbs are completely blameless. But it's not for Romanians to settle the accounts."

You are taking sides! You simply cannot compare the tens of Serb casualties in the 2000s with the tens of thousands of Albanian casualties in the last 200 years during Serbia's expansionism. Or the hundreds of thousands that were permanently expelled from Kosovo as well as Nish, Leskovac, Vranje, Krusevac, Kraljevo, Jagodina from the early 1800s through the late 1990s. Please read Cubrilovic's memo. What Russia did in Ukraine, Georgia etc in the past decade, Serbia has been doing for centuries in the Balkans!

Romanians can chose to not speak up for what's right, and not join most of Europe in recognizing Kosova, but know that you ARE taking a stand by not recognizing. Poor souls, you don't even know where your alliances are, if it was up to the Serbian-Russian Slavic brotherhood, Romania wouldn't even exist!

Aleksander Vucic told them to do that :)

Wow, all the Romanians that this brought out who by the way are giving Serbian views and not Romanian.

@a guy from Bucharest,

Yeah they are all true that for the past 100 years Romania help Albania but one thing I don't understand is how can you say we don't take sides but clearly you are on the side of butchers of the Balkan. How do you expect us to go under Serbian boot when you know what happend 16 years ago?

@ Albanian

Keep cool. It was you who stated that: "You simply cannot compare the tens of Serb casualties in the 2000s with the tens of thousands of Albanian casualties in the last 200 years (...)"

You imply that Albanians lives are more important than Serb lives. IMO, such statements are wrong. Every life is valuable. And you cannot dismiss 1,000 of their dead because 100,000 of your dead.

As for Gheorghe Ghica, ruler of Moldavia (1658-1659) and Wallachia (1659-1660), let me clarify some details:

He came to Moldavia as Albanian merchant. Vasile Lupu, then ruler of Moldavia (himself born of Albanian father and Aromanian mother) liked him enough to made him a small boyar. Because he was loyal, Lupu sent him as ambassador of Moldavia to Istanbul. There, he was appreciated by the Grand Vizier. To use this connection, Vasile Lupu's successor, Gheorghe Stefan, even accepted Ghica as son-in-law, which made him royalty. After Stefan, Ghica was appointed ruler in Moldavia, then in Wallachia.

In Wallachia, he only moved the capital city to Bucharest, per Ottoman request. The name Bucharest is much older and is attested in 1459, by a decree of Vlad Tepes (the Impaler).

The name itself may belong to the Thracian substratum, common to Romanian and Albanian languages. In Romanian, "bucurie" means joy, happiness, not beautiful as in Albanian. For beautiful we use "frumos", as the Latin "formosus", like hermoso in Spanish, formoso in Italian, Portuguese etc.

@ Albanian

Some explanations how Kosovo issues was/is framed in Romanian public opinion (no judgments, just describing reality):
- We have as many Serbs as Albanians in Romania. Both loyal, no prejudices. However, Serbia being a good neighbor, Serbs are better known than Albanian... Also, during Ceausescu, we saw Yugoslavia as a Western country, while Albania was poorer than Romania.
- During Kosovo crisis, nobody was speaking for Albanians in Romania. Old Commies/Nationalists spoke for Serbs, most of the time only to spite the Westerners. Pro-NATO/democrats spoke for NATO, not directly for Albanians. Same after 2008. There was a huge demand for somebody articulate like Veton Surroi to come here and talk about all historical connections between us. Instead, we had CNN bashing Serbs all day. And we know (as you do) how big powers behave: yesterday Milosevic was OK in Dayton, today he is no good in Rambouillet. So, without malicious intent, Romanian media in 1998-99 ascribed to this narrative: "Kosovo Albanians want a Greater Albania, Serbs are defending their country"... And the reaction was: "Albanians? Isn't there already one Albania? Who they think they are?"
- Today, it looks like you wait for EU+USA to pressure us into recognition. They will not, because they need us for things like the American missile shield or the sanctions against Russia...
- Also, you lost a lot of sympathy when Hungary recognized Kosovo. Yep, we have our idiocies, nobody's perfect :)

(Rocky, 27 May 2015 16:38)
What you say about him sounding Serbian is very true. Usually you have people on here that have a good command of English and then some who as a second language they make a lot of spelling or grammatical errors and then you have those that want to sound like an ignorant jack ass for a reason and they intentionally butcher the language to the point that only a fool would believe it. But hey, does it really matter, I doubt anything posted on this site has changed anyones view one way or the other.

Most on here assume some type of fictional character and play into it, whether it be a financial wizard or someone who attends all the high level meetings of govts and spills the beans here on B92, or maybe an expert on international law, or have a "phd",
None to be taken seriously, all are presenting one man or womans opinion, nothing more, nothing less.

(Cristian C., 28 May 2015 14:53)
Românii nu au aceleași probleme ca sârbii și motivele pentru care nu recunoaște Kosovo ar fi diferit de argumentele prezentate de sârbi.

Wow, look at that I must be Romanian too!!!

@just a note

Nice try. But Google translate is not very reliable. Therefore, the phrase you wrote would reveal you (at best) as a 2nd grade schoolboy with a parent Romanian and another one foreigner :)))

I will write the phrase again, using capitals for the correct plural forms:
"Românii nu au aceleași probleme ca sârbii și motivele pentru care nu RECUNOSC Kosovo ar fi DIFERITE de argumentele prezentate de sârbi."

@ Albanian

If you thought that killing Serbs in 2000 to avenge Albanians killed in 1912 (even at a ratio of 1 Serb for 100 or 1,000 Albanian victims) would help Kosovo to be accepted, then the plan was wrong.
I am afraid that you have made a confusion between the "termination of the Serbian oppression in Kosovo" (which Romania supported in 1999) with "termination of Serbian presence in Kosovo", which happened after 1999 NATO victory.

We do not insist in being friends or allies with Albanians of Kosovo, or Albanians generally speaking. Maybe you think that you have plenty of friends among those hundred countries that have recognized Kosovo... Serbs also thought they had a lot of friends, and yet got bombed.

Therefore, in my humble opinion, maybe you should keep in mind that we are already in those places you only hope to be, and in a rather distant future. We got there because our efforts and our friends, that we made while being around for some centuries in this part of Europe, in war and in peace, despite Russians and others. And we didn't need Albanians help for this, although we welcomed them on our lands, and some did well.
On the other hand, you did need us, starting with 1912, up to 1999. And you still need our help.

So, please, keep talking with the Serbs and don't mind us. We'll call you, if needed (same +381?), probably between 2nd of never-through and 15th of ain't-gonna-happen, but miracles have happened before...

Check!

Why shouldn't Romania when it hosted republic of kosovo handball team which Serbia played!! Serbia recognizes Kosovo independence and plans a Kosovo independence referendum
http://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-RTBB-4928

(Cristian C., 29 May 2015 08:34)
The post was not to try and fool anyone into thinking I actually knew the Romanian language and my guess is that probably 95% knew I used google translate.
My point was to poke fun at you because you said for all Romanians to write in Romanian to show that you are truly Romanian. But this being an English site most nearly all the people would not know whether you are writing Romanian or jibberish so you were not proving a point at all. Most if they were interested would have to use Google translate to find out what you say.
I did plug in the response you gave(never did the original one as the interest was not there) and the translation did not come close to what I had written.
Don't know much about the Romanian language and cannot think very many people actually know it UNLESS they work or travel frequently to Romania. Not meaning anything derogatory about the language but outside of that circle, knowledge of the language does not really have any benefit.
But basically my original point is Romanians may have many many reasons not to support an independent Kosovo, but that view will NOT be identical to the Serbian one.
On this post and others people like to take on a different persona and try to fool others into thinking they are from a third party supporting either the Serbs or the Albanians, and I believe that several of the "Romanian" posters here are doing exactly that.

@ Albanian

If you thought that killing Serbs in 2000 to avenge Albanians killed in 1912 (even at a ratio of 1 Serb for 100 or 1,000 Albanian victims) would help Kosovo to be accepted, then the plan was wrong.
I am afraid that you have made a confusion between the "termination of the Serbian oppression in Kosovo" (which Romania supported in 1999) with "termination of Serbian presence in Kosovo", which happened after 1999 NATO victory.

We do not insist in being friends or allies with Albanians of Kosovo, or Albanians generally speaking. Maybe you think that you have plenty of friends among those hundred countries that have recognized Kosovo... Serbs also thought they had a lot of friends, and yet got bombed.

Therefore, in my humble opinion, maybe you should keep in mind that we are already in those places you only hope to be, and in a rather distant future. We got there because our efforts and our friends, that we made while being around for some centuries in this part of Europe, in war and in peace, despite Russians and others. And we didn't need Albanians help for this, although we welcomed them on our lands, and some did well.
On the other hand, you did need us, starting with 1912, up to 1999. And you still need our help.

So, please, keep talking with the Serbs and don't mind us. We'll call you, if needed (same +381?), probably between 2nd of never-through and 15th of ain't-gonna-happen, but miracles have happened before...

This dude sokoli sure as hell smells Serbian to me! Maybe Ari fools-gold, or Ratko, maybe it is Peggy in disquise? Anyway the more recognitions the better, can't wait for the EU's remaning 5 members to make their recognitions of the republic of Kosova official. We all know, the world over knows quite well, that Kosova's 1.8 million inhabitants will never again allow for Serbian governship over their country again!
(Rocky, 27 May 2015 16:38)
=============================================
Let me put your mind at rest, it is most certainly not me. I don't have any need to use another name in order to bolster my opinions. Strange how people are so quick to jump at conclusions. So rest assured you won't find me using different names. I don't appreciate being suspected of it too.

@ Ionel Branescu, Romania
"If you thought that killing Serbs in 2000 to avenge Albanians killed in 1912 (even at a ratio of 1 Serb for 100 or 1,000 Albanian victims) would help Kosovo to be accepted, then the plan was wrong."

This shameless twist of the point made does not deserve a response. Your bias for the Serbs must have taught you some of their "logic".

"And we didn't need Albanians help for this, although we welcomed them on our lands, and some did well."

Gjergj Gjika was not "welcomed in your lands" by you?! When he was sent to govern Romania (by another Albanian ruling family in Istanbul), your people didn't even have a say, let alone have the authority to "welcome" someone. Gjergj and his descendents ruled Romania for centuries set the foundations for your nation to re-discover their roots and to one day become independent of the surrounding Slavic ill-wishers. Gjergj even named your capital in Albanian, whether you like it or not.

You're wrong in saying we need your help. We don't insist of being your friend either. Our true friends are far less spineless and more helpful than Romania will ever be ;)

You think I am biased just because I explain Romania's national interest in not recognizing Kosovo independence(namely, to protect Moldavia Republic from Russian separatists).

You should know the difference between national interest and personal opinion. For example, in my opinion, Romania should recognize Kosovo, no matter what Belgrade says, if and only when we will be the last country in EU not doing that (of course, if by then Belgrade would not have recognized Kosovo...). So, first to go are Spain, Greece, Cyprus and Slovakia.
But, no matter my opinion, compared with the national interest.

And please, extending the debate to WW2, Nazis and Jews, ISIS and Kurds etc. makes no sense. Not to mention that you twist the analogies: like Americans fighting to save the Jews in WW2 Europe, Romania helped Albanians in Kosovo in 1999, by supporting NATO to bomb Serbia. Do you get it? But I don't remember USA forcing Germany to give up land for a Jewish state...

By the way, when today USA supports Israel refusing to recognize a Palestinian state, who do you think is right? Israelis who claim the land is theirs and who don't recognize Kosovo, or Palestinians, of the same Muslim faith as most of Albanians, and who are living in Gaza and West Bank from the beginning of the history?

See, life is made of grey nuances, people may be good and bad in the same time, nobody is perfect. And killing people never helps, unless is Hitler, Stalin, Hoxha, Ceausescu or Milosevic.

@ (Ionel Branescu, Romania, 11 June 2015 11:15)

"You think I am biased just because I explain Romania's national interest"

Had you actually mentioned that, I'd understand and wouldn't bother debating. Your initial argument was more about placing guilt on both sides, but I'm glad we mostly agree now. I don't think recognizing Kosovo would affect Moldova, but that's not for me to decide. You're right, Serbia will probably recognize it before Romania so there's no major need for you to do so. I was initially surprised because I would have expected Romania to be one of the first countries who would recognize it.

"I don't remember USA forcing Germany to give up land for a Jewish state"

How do you think Israel was created? :) Germany actually lost a lot of land populated with a German majority after WWII. That's what happens when a country engages in genocide and loses a war. Funny that you mention Israel, because Israel is one of the main supporters of an independent Kosovo. The Palestineans, not so much. They're more into running shady deals with Serbia. I understand Israel's national interest in not recognizing Kosovo though, but they've done a lot for Kosovo nonetheless and we all know that.

Shame on you!

"Gjergj Gjika... There, he was appreciated by the Grand Vizier"

Yes, that's what I was referring to. He was appreciated by a Grand Vizier who belonged to the powerful Albanian Qypriliu (Köprülü) family that gave the Ottoman Empire several Grand Viziers who were at the time more powerful than the Sultan himself and practically governed the Empire (see Grand Viziers era or Köprülü era). I didn't know the rest of the relationship with Vasile Lupu though, that's interesting.

"And you cannot dismiss 1,000 of their dead because 100,000 of your dead."

Ah, so you're giving me the "every life is valuable" speech... Yes, every life is valuable, but I was hoping we could go beyond those "basics". By your same logic then, the West should have stayed neutral in WWII because Jews also killed some Nazis in self defense. We should also not take a stance against ISIS, because Kurds and others are killing ISIS members too so they are also guilty because ISIS members' lives are also valuable, right? How do you know what's right and what's wrong then? Or is everything just gray to you? You can keep spreading your bias, but I doubt anyone would buy your logic. Your bias is mindboggling.

@Albanian

No surprise to me! Remember Romania in World War Two allied with Hitler and Nazi Germany. Covered up and not advertised much but yes Romanians equiped and armed by Hitler came to Banat and many parts of Serbia to commit horrific crimes and murder of poor innocent Serbian civilians in Serbia! During World War Two Romanians also in Nazi uniform went to Russia to kill and murder poor innocent Russian people for Hitler! Then lets remember March 24, 1999 when Romania gave permission to USA, England and Germany to use Romanian airports for staging grounds for attack aircraft bombers who were destroying and murdering Serbia! Romania as in the Second World War continues to be dominated by Hitler and Germany. Germany has set up a lot of " sweat shops " through out Romania and keeps the slaves barely alive with only a few pennies to survive and for that all this support to Hitler! So go ahead Romania, spit on your religion and please Satan, look what it has gotten you so far and you will see where it will lead you to!

Hi we dont need to recognise anyway there are 100 countries they recognised kosovo and get lost romania we need you at all leave them people alone and get way your life
Kosovo is kosovo and dont need to talk about our place and Serbia will recoginised soon just need to think and decide

Ha, ha, another smoke-bomb from Ponta!

At the end of April, Ponta was shaking hands in Craiova, Romania, with Serbian and Bulgarian Prime-ministers, while emphasizing the need for regional cooperation. So much for his seriousness!

There is no interest in Romania for recognizing Kosovo. Nobody cares about Kosovo, as long as politicians are smart enough to ignore the issue. These are the reasons:
1. Nobody is pressuring Romania on this issue. Neither EU nor USA. Probably because Americans are busy with other issues, and EU has other priorities.
2. There is no need for us to spoil our good relation with Serbia - best neighbor so far, except Black Sea :)
3. There is a general idea that Romania has done its part regarding the Kosovo issue: we supported NATO in 1999, we supported UNMIK, we support EULEX. As for EU... We see Holland, Germany, UK refusing Romania's access into Schengen Area. And thy want Kosovo recognized by us? Sorry, we are too old for such childish games.
4. There is no need to give Russians a stick to use against Moldavia Republic, regarding Transdnistria separatists.
4. Kosovo still has to prove itself. So far, we've seen strange things: ex-KLA fighters from Kosovo going with weaponry in Macedonia to start a rebellion, being shot by police as terrorists (correctly!) and then being buried with honors back home, by their ex-colleagues in KLA.

AND KOSOVO WANTS TO BE TREATED AS A COUNTRY? This looks more like a Hollywood movie than a country!

Hi we dont need to recognise anyway there are 100 countries they recognised kosovo and get lost romania we need you at all leave them people alone and get way your life
Kosovo is kosovo and dont need to talk about our place and Serbia will recoginised soon just need to think and decide
(Zmajl Sokoli, 27 May 2015 14:41)

This dude sokoli sure as hell smells Serbian to me! Maybe Ari fools-gold, or Ratko, maybe it is Peggy in disquise? Anyway the more recognitions the better, can't wait for the EU's remaning 5 members to make their recognitions of the republic of Kosova official. We all know, the world over knows quite well, that Kosova's 1.8 million inhabitants will never again allow for Serbian governship over their country again!

Great news. this should be old news except for the fascist belgrade regime that loves to drag out misery. They will be the guilty of history, but are so blind to it all, and that is sick and sad...

KOSOVO IS SERBIA FOREVER!

This dude sokoli sure as hell smells Serbian to me! Maybe Ari fools-gold, or Ratko, maybe it is Peggy in disquise? Anyway the more recognitions the better, can't wait for the EU's remaning 5 members to make their recognitions of the republic of Kosova official. We all know, the world over knows quite well, that Kosova's 1.8 million inhabitants will never again allow for Serbian governship over their country again!
(Rocky, 27 May 2015 16:38)
=============================================
Let me put your mind at rest, it is most certainly not me. I don't have any need to use another name in order to bolster my opinions. Strange how people are so quick to jump at conclusions. So rest assured you won't find me using different names. I don't appreciate being suspected of it too.

It's about time Romanians return to their Illyrian-Thracian (Dacian) roots and side with their Albanian "distant relatives".

@Petre Marinescu (Brasov, center Romania)

In the other words your excuse is that Kosovo is not like Taiwan so Rumania will not recognized it.

What a lame excuse!

I think the real problem is that Rumania hasn't got the call from Washington, London and Berlin yet.
When Rumania will get the phone call, and I am pretty sure it will happened this year, you will recognize Kosovo as independent country, even though it will not be like Taiwan...

But until then, you will continue to make excuse about your stance on Kosovo.
For God's sake even Serbia is moving faster than you on recognition of Kosovo...
And before you insult Albanians remember that Victor Eftimiu and several other great people who contributed for Rumania were Albanians.

(A guy from Bucharest, 28 May 2015 12:07)

Bravo for a comment- especially last part.

I am Serbian from Banat and only wish you like us Serbs a bit more then Kosovars.If nothing else but for being a good, peaceful neighbor ...I wish you knew better - if your first neighbors were Kosovars the peace in Romania would not last long.

Wow, all the Romanians that this brought out who by the way are giving Serbian views and not Romanian.
(just a note, 28 May 2015 14:00
===========================
Right, because nobody will ever back a Serbian point of view. So when non Albanians post here you don't get suspicious?

Most romanians disagree with their PLAGIATOR:
http://www.ziare.com/victor-ponta/premier/ponta-romania-ar-putea-recunoaste-kosovo-1365501

Kosovo still has to prove itself. ...
AND KOSOVO WANTS TO BE TREATED AS A COUNTRY? This looks more like a Hollywood movie than a country!
(Ioan M., 27 May 2015 22:17)

In the other word Ioan,North Korea,Chad,Somalia and some othe countries that Romania has recognized were better than Kosovo?

C'mon,man don't make a joke of yourself.
So USA, UK, Germany, Canada, Australia, Japan, Switzerland, Italy,France and 104 other UN countries are wrong?

As for US, they pressed u last year and Romania told US vice president Joe Biden, that Romania will recognize Kosovo in 2015.
Now we are in 2015 and is time for Rumania to keep its word.

For Mendo:

What happened 16 year ago is part of what happened in Kosovo since 1912. Neither Albanians or Serbs are completely blameless. But it's not for Romanians to settle the accounts.
Responsibility is an individual category: we answer for what we did, no less, no more. There was and there is no collective responsibility, because by this logic, all Germans or Japanese should have been exterminated in 1945.
Romanians supported NATO against Milosevic regime, to stop ethnic persecutions against Albanians in Kosovo, NOT to help them to build a separate country. And Milosevic was removed from power. We expected that Albanians, now protected by UN and NATO, will show they deserve to enjoy maximum collective rights as permitted by international law, except a separate state. Even Serbia said so: more than autonomy, less than independence. For this, Albanians had only to treat Kosovo minorities (Serbs included) as they wanted Serbs to treat them, before 1989. Was this too much to ask?
It was not the first time an oppressive regime was removed from power in the world. Whites left power in South Africa in 80s, and Russians in Baltic states, after 1989. But I don't know of white people lynched by mobs in Pretoria, or Russians stabbed in daylight, down-town Riga or Vilnius. Ethnic cleansing of Serbs and Roma cannot be accepted as pay-back for ethnic cleansing of Albanians.
Albanians behaved in 2000s as if was 1800s. So, do not blame us for rejecting the result of such behavior.

...We expected that Albanians, now protected by UN and NATO, will show they deserve to enjoy maximum collective rights as permitted by international law, except a separate state. Even Serbia said so: more than autonomy, less than independence...

@ A guy from Bucharest,

Do you mean that Serbs were ready to accept Hashim Thaci and Ramush Haradinaj as Foreign Minister and Minister of defense of Serbia???
No man they need the lend but they never will share power with albananians.

Or Taxation without representation?

Because this " more than autonomy, less than independence" without giving Albanians power in central government in Belgrade is a joke.

Secondly, if another Milloshevic (actually Nikolic is worse) will come in Serbia, which is not unlikely because 90% of Serbians are chetnik, Will Rumania protect Albanians again?
The answer is NO.

There is no guaranty that after accepting "more than autonomy less than independence" than Sesel or Nikolic can not abolish it.

After 1989-1999 Serbia has lost its moral right to govern in Kosovo, that's why Kosovo moved on with the help of the West( I assume Rumania is not the West) and declared independence.

@A guy from Bucharest,

Still there is no comparison to what Serbia did to Kosovars even way before the war. But if you want to buy into Serbian propaganda that's fine with me. I think the only reason why Romania is not recognising Kosovo yet is because of Moldovo/Transnistria, but that would come in the future.

@A guy from Bucharest
"We tried to do as much as possible for Albanians, in the last 100 years."

Thank you for your support, but really this is only a small portion of our common history. I am not mentioning this to show off, but Albanians were very important in Romanian history. Wallachia and Moldova were governed by Albanians for centuries (Gjika/Ghica dynasty, Vasile Lupu, etc.) If I'm not mistaken it was Gjergj Gjika (George Ghica) who established Bucharest as his capital. "Coincidentally" Bukur-esht means "beautiful-is" in Albanian!


"Neither Albanians or Serbs are completely blameless. But it's not for Romanians to settle the accounts."

You are taking sides! You simply cannot compare the tens of Serb casualties in the 2000s with the tens of thousands of Albanian casualties in the last 200 years during Serbia's expansionism. Or the hundreds of thousands that were permanently expelled from Kosovo as well as Nish, Leskovac, Vranje, Krusevac, Kraljevo, Jagodina from the early 1800s through the late 1990s. Please read Cubrilovic's memo. What Russia did in Ukraine, Georgia etc in the past decade, Serbia has been doing for centuries in the Balkans!

Romanians can chose to not speak up for what's right, and not join most of Europe in recognizing Kosova, but know that you ARE taking a stand by not recognizing. Poor souls, you don't even know where your alliances are, if it was up to the Serbian-Russian Slavic brotherhood, Romania wouldn't even exist!

Shame on you!

Wow, all the Romanians that this brought out who by the way are giving Serbian views and not Romanian.
(just a note, 28 May 2015 14:00)

Buna ziua tuturor.
Lucrurile spuse aici de catre compatriotii mei sunt corecte. Si, ca sa spulber orice banuiala, am scris (si) in romaneste.
Apropo, stimati romani, scrieti si in romaneste, ca sunt niste tantalai pe-aici care cred ca suntem sarbi (!) sau ca sarbii ne spun ce sa scriem!

Hello, everybody,
All that was said here by my Romanian compatriots is correct. And, to eliminate any doubt, I am writing (also) in Romanian.
By the way, dear Romanians, please write in Romanian, too, because there are some weak-minded people here, who believe that we are Serbs (!) or that Serbs are telling us what to write!

Suficient, domnule "just a note"? As putea sa scriu si in franceza.
Enough, mister "just a note"? I could also write in French.

La revedere si numai bine de la Oradea, Romania!

@Teodor Muzaka

"North Korea,Chad,Somalia and some other countries that Romania has recognized were better than Kosovo?"

You embarrass yourself, like a child who tries to speak in front of men. You should have a better model - like Taiwan. Better like Taiwan and not recognized, than recognized and seen by others as a new North Korea or Somalia, don't you think? But the real question is: are Kosovo Albanians able to build up a new Taiwan? After last 7 years, the answer seems to be a big NO.
Oh, and don't complain that Serbia is keeping you down! Taiwan worked and developed in the shadow of the 1 BILLION PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA!

"So USA, UK, Germany, Canada, Australia, Japan, Switzerland, Italy, France and 104 other UN countries are wrong?"

Yep. Nothing new here. There was a time when almost all Europe and half the World was behind Hitler. And after 1945, half the world was living in USSR shadow. Numbers and power cannot replace the law. But the law should be followed, whether we like it or not. Like in a marriage, for better and worse :)

"As for US, they pressed u last year and Romania told US vice president Joe Biden, that Romania will recognize Kosovo in 2015."

There was no pressure. Biden was just reciting his talking points. And the same Ponta was trying to outsmart the former President, Traian Basescu - also a pro-American. Ponta made no promise per se, just small talk.

Things not so simple in this big world of international relations, isn't?

Wow, all the Romanians that this brought out who by the way are giving Serbian views and not Romanian.

@a guy from Bucharest,

Yeah they are all true that for the past 100 years Romania help Albania but one thing I don't understand is how can you say we don't take sides but clearly you are on the side of butchers of the Balkan. How do you expect us to go under Serbian boot when you know what happend 16 years ago?

Dear readers and commentators,

Take a frank advice from a Romanian. DO NOT LISTEN TO WHAT THIS CLOWN OF A PRIME-MINISTER SAYS !

Besides the obvious fact that the prime-minister has 0 (zero) competences in foreign relations, it is only the Parliament who may recognize new countries.

Also, he is known to joke around serious issues, and this is a grotesque joke that he is making about recognizing Kosovo.

So, please do not make such fuss about this statement. Besides, Mr Ponta is on the go in Romania.

(Cristian C., 28 May 2015 14:53)
Românii nu au aceleași probleme ca sârbii și motivele pentru care nu recunoaște Kosovo ar fi diferit de argumentele prezentate de sârbi.

Wow, look at that I must be Romanian too!!!

Why shouldn't Romania when it hosted republic of kosovo handball team which Serbia played!! Serbia recognizes Kosovo independence and plans a Kosovo independence referendum
http://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-RTBB-4928

It's time now everyone is seeing how cruel Serbian s r but in a time Serbia will recognize Kosovo aswell.

(Cristian C., 29 May 2015 08:34)
The post was not to try and fool anyone into thinking I actually knew the Romanian language and my guess is that probably 95% knew I used google translate.
My point was to poke fun at you because you said for all Romanians to write in Romanian to show that you are truly Romanian. But this being an English site most nearly all the people would not know whether you are writing Romanian or jibberish so you were not proving a point at all. Most if they were interested would have to use Google translate to find out what you say.
I did plug in the response you gave(never did the original one as the interest was not there) and the translation did not come close to what I had written.
Don't know much about the Romanian language and cannot think very many people actually know it UNLESS they work or travel frequently to Romania. Not meaning anything derogatory about the language but outside of that circle, knowledge of the language does not really have any benefit.
But basically my original point is Romanians may have many many reasons not to support an independent Kosovo, but that view will NOT be identical to the Serbian one.
On this post and others people like to take on a different persona and try to fool others into thinking they are from a third party supporting either the Serbs or the Albanians, and I believe that several of the "Romanian" posters here are doing exactly that.

As a Romanian, I feel obliged to point out several things.

First, the current Romanian Prime Minister has a very unstable position. His party is crumbling under corruption charges, with leaders resigning and defecting each day. This year, his government has lost a minister per month due to arrests for corruption, same goes for his Social Democrat Party... These days, a senator and former Minister of Transportation, close friend of Ponta (Dan Sova is the name) is to be removed from the Senate, per request of anti-mafia prosecutors, and there are strong reasons to believe that his indictment will involve Ponta into the scandal. I will be amazed to see Mr. Ponta still in office in July this year!

Second, I strongly suspect that Mr. Ponta is not serious in his announcement - he has a custom to promote issues on public debate and then simply abandon the ideas. Right now, he really needs to distract Romanians from the situation of his corrupt party and failed government. By the way, today, the mayor of Constantza (2nd biggest city of Romania, over 300,000 inhabitants), an important person in the Social Democrat Party, simply resigned from the party - he is already on house arrest, accused for (what else?) corruption!

Last but not least, in Romania the president of the country has the leadership in foreign policy. Mr. Iohannis is of German ethnicity. Most probably he will try to avoid complicating his life with the issue of recognizing Kosovo.

So, lets wait and see.

Check!

@ Dragoljub Djurkovic

комшија, do not jump to conclusions, based only on words. And try to keep calm. Why so hurry to blame those who befriend you? Silly. As for the history, remember that Hitler offered Serbian Banat to Romania, and we refused. What more do you want? We had our reasons to go with Germany, as you have yours, today, to befriend Russia.

So far, there are only words. Personally, I think no recognition will came in the near future.
It may sound strange to you, but in Romania we consider that if we recognize Kosovo, this will give a boost to pro-Russian separatists in Moldavia Republic. Then Moscow will claim that since we recognized Kosovo, than we and Moldavia and EU etc. should recognize the self-proclaimed "Transdnistria Republic".

Some fellows Romanians here, they already tried to explain that Ponta statement it's just a smoke cover for a cornered politician. Not to mention that the statement was given to a TV station from Pristina (not to a Romanian media institution). Usually with such declarations, some things are lost in translation, and everybody understands what he or she wants. I think Ponta spoke as "if... we may...".
For now, the Romanian National Agerpress Agency is quoting Serbian Television (!).
I expect over the week-end the issue to be picked-up by Romanian media, and a storm from all sides of Romanian society will rain over Ponta :-) By Monday, a new statement will be out, retracting what he said and blaming "a misunderstanding".

@just a note

Nice try. But Google translate is not very reliable. Therefore, the phrase you wrote would reveal you (at best) as a 2nd grade schoolboy with a parent Romanian and another one foreigner :)))

I will write the phrase again, using capitals for the correct plural forms:
"Românii nu au aceleași probleme ca sârbii și motivele pentru care nu RECUNOSC Kosovo ar fi DIFERITE de argumentele prezentate de sârbi."

@ Albanian

If you thought that killing Serbs in 2000 to avenge Albanians killed in 1912 (even at a ratio of 1 Serb for 100 or 1,000 Albanian victims) would help Kosovo to be accepted, then the plan was wrong.
I am afraid that you have made a confusion between the "termination of the Serbian oppression in Kosovo" (which Romania supported in 1999) with "termination of Serbian presence in Kosovo", which happened after 1999 NATO victory.

We do not insist in being friends or allies with Albanians of Kosovo, or Albanians generally speaking. Maybe you think that you have plenty of friends among those hundred countries that have recognized Kosovo... Serbs also thought they had a lot of friends, and yet got bombed.

Therefore, in my humble opinion, maybe you should keep in mind that we are already in those places you only hope to be, and in a rather distant future. We got there because our efforts and our friends, that we made while being around for some centuries in this part of Europe, in war and in peace, despite Russians and others. And we didn't need Albanians help for this, although we welcomed them on our lands, and some did well.
On the other hand, you did need us, starting with 1912, up to 1999. And you still need our help.

So, please, keep talking with the Serbs and don't mind us. We'll call you, if needed (same +381?), probably between 2nd of never-through and 15th of ain't-gonna-happen, but miracles have happened before...

@ Albanian

If you thought that killing Serbs in 2000 to avenge Albanians killed in 1912 (even at a ratio of 1 Serb for 100 or 1,000 Albanian victims) would help Kosovo to be accepted, then the plan was wrong.
I am afraid that you have made a confusion between the "termination of the Serbian oppression in Kosovo" (which Romania supported in 1999) with "termination of Serbian presence in Kosovo", which happened after 1999 NATO victory.

We do not insist in being friends or allies with Albanians of Kosovo, or Albanians generally speaking. Maybe you think that you have plenty of friends among those hundred countries that have recognized Kosovo... Serbs also thought they had a lot of friends, and yet got bombed.

Therefore, in my humble opinion, maybe you should keep in mind that we are already in those places you only hope to be, and in a rather distant future. We got there because our efforts and our friends, that we made while being around for some centuries in this part of Europe, in war and in peace, despite Russians and others. And we didn't need Albanians help for this, although we welcomed them on our lands, and some did well.
On the other hand, you did need us, starting with 1912, up to 1999. And you still need our help.

So, please, keep talking with the Serbs and don't mind us. We'll call you, if needed (same +381?), probably between 2nd of never-through and 15th of ain't-gonna-happen, but miracles have happened before...

@ Albanian
"It's about time Romanians return to their Illyrian-Thracian (Dacian) roots and side with their Albanian "distant relatives"."

However, things are not so simple.
We tried to do as much as possible for Albanians, in the last 100 years. Details are here, in the words of your compatriots:
http://www.top-channel.tv/english/artikull.php?id=7387

I am not mentioning this to show off, but just to make sure that you (and others) understand us.
We want Albanians as friends, as we want Serbs as friends, now and in the future. But we cannot fight your battles for you. And being friends with both sides, we refuse to choose.
This is why we supported NATO in 1999 against Milosevic (for sure, upsetting many Serbs by doing that), and that's why we do not recognize the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo.

Both Serbs and Albanians, please be careful with those big powers: yesterday they were friends with a side, today they are enemy of the respective side. This goes also for US, and for Russia. Big powers can afford to take sides, because they care only about themselves, and if their interest asks for it, they will change the side in a minute. Small countries, like Romania, should care about international law, because having powerful allies is good, but to upheld the correct principles of international law is better. Powerful allies today may be not so strong tomorrow, but a just thing will remain just forever.

@ just a note

I did not see your post as insulting, I do have a sense of humor :)
My point was that it's quite difficult to pass as a born-speaker of a foreign language. This is why I asked Romanians to write ALSO in Romanian.
Quote with "ALSO" in capitals: "Apropo, stimati romani, scrieti SI in romaneste(...).
In English it looks a little different, the keyword is "TOO":
"By the way, dear romanians, please write in Romanian, TOO (...)".

So, as you see, I was not advising Romanians to write only in Romanian (as you said, this would be silly) but to write ALSO in Romanian, besides English, to prove themselves. However, this may also be a silly idea :)

I have met Albanian posters who think Romanians are opposing Kosovo independence only because friendship with Serbs (seen as hate against Albanians). This is wrong. Kosovo is 600 km from our border, we should be interested in what happens there. Romanian soldiers are in KFOR, Eulex, UN, OSCE, etc. As opposed to people of US, Canada or Australia, we have historical relations with both Albanians and Serbs.
Therefore, saying that we simply allow Serbs to put words in our mouth is wrong. Some of the Serb arguments may be true, despite that they come from Serbs. Same goes for Albanian arguments. It is for you both to compromise.
As for Romanian arguments (of 5-6 posters) to be identical to Serb ones, it may be a coincidence. Still, I bet Serbs have more to say on Kosovo than what was said on this post.

@ Ionel Branescu, Romania
"If you thought that killing Serbs in 2000 to avenge Albanians killed in 1912 (even at a ratio of 1 Serb for 100 or 1,000 Albanian victims) would help Kosovo to be accepted, then the plan was wrong."

This shameless twist of the point made does not deserve a response. Your bias for the Serbs must have taught you some of their "logic".

"And we didn't need Albanians help for this, although we welcomed them on our lands, and some did well."

Gjergj Gjika was not "welcomed in your lands" by you?! When he was sent to govern Romania (by another Albanian ruling family in Istanbul), your people didn't even have a say, let alone have the authority to "welcome" someone. Gjergj and his descendents ruled Romania for centuries set the foundations for your nation to re-discover their roots and to one day become independent of the surrounding Slavic ill-wishers. Gjergj even named your capital in Albanian, whether you like it or not.

You're wrong in saying we need your help. We don't insist of being your friend either. Our true friends are far less spineless and more helpful than Romania will ever be ;)

(Rocky, 27 May 2015 16:38)
What you say about him sounding Serbian is very true. Usually you have people on here that have a good command of English and then some who as a second language they make a lot of spelling or grammatical errors and then you have those that want to sound like an ignorant jack ass for a reason and they intentionally butcher the language to the point that only a fool would believe it. But hey, does it really matter, I doubt anything posted on this site has changed anyones view one way or the other.

Most on here assume some type of fictional character and play into it, whether it be a financial wizard or someone who attends all the high level meetings of govts and spills the beans here on B92, or maybe an expert on international law, or have a "phd",
None to be taken seriously, all are presenting one man or womans opinion, nothing more, nothing less.

@ Teodor Muzaka
Between what I wrote and what you understood - biiig difference! Probably the problem is my poor English. As for insults, where did you see such things in my post?

I will not explain more why Romania doesn't recognize Kosovo, there are several posts doing that already.
Regarding "the call from Washington, London and Berlin": such simplistic view of international relations makes me laugh. Look at the map of Europe, see where is Romania positioned, and you will understand how things are in reality.
In the international context, the economical situation of a country is just one of the factors. Kosovo doesn't need to get the economy of Taiwan to get recognition (although it may help, for sure). Other things are also important for a full-fledged member of international community: a stable and resilient society, a working democracy (imperfect, but still a democracy), a functioning bureaucracy, lack of inter-ethnic tensions and discriminatory attitudes, low organized crime (no killings), strict control on weapons, skilled workers, liberal attitudes, a working education system, openness towards foreigners, no nationalist quarrels with the neighboring countries, not being a regional troublemaker.
How many of these features has Kosovo already? Not so many. So, you need to work harder. And keep talking with the Serbs, this will not make things worse.

@ Albanian

Keep cool. It was you who stated that: "You simply cannot compare the tens of Serb casualties in the 2000s with the tens of thousands of Albanian casualties in the last 200 years (...)"

You imply that Albanians lives are more important than Serb lives. IMO, such statements are wrong. Every life is valuable. And you cannot dismiss 1,000 of their dead because 100,000 of your dead.

As for Gheorghe Ghica, ruler of Moldavia (1658-1659) and Wallachia (1659-1660), let me clarify some details:

He came to Moldavia as Albanian merchant. Vasile Lupu, then ruler of Moldavia (himself born of Albanian father and Aromanian mother) liked him enough to made him a small boyar. Because he was loyal, Lupu sent him as ambassador of Moldavia to Istanbul. There, he was appreciated by the Grand Vizier. To use this connection, Vasile Lupu's successor, Gheorghe Stefan, even accepted Ghica as son-in-law, which made him royalty. After Stefan, Ghica was appointed ruler in Moldavia, then in Wallachia.

In Wallachia, he only moved the capital city to Bucharest, per Ottoman request. The name Bucharest is much older and is attested in 1459, by a decree of Vlad Tepes (the Impaler).

The name itself may belong to the Thracian substratum, common to Romanian and Albanian languages. In Romanian, "bucurie" means joy, happiness, not beautiful as in Albanian. For beautiful we use "frumos", as the Latin "formosus", like hermoso in Spanish, formoso in Italian, Portuguese etc.

"Gjergj Gjika... There, he was appreciated by the Grand Vizier"

Yes, that's what I was referring to. He was appreciated by a Grand Vizier who belonged to the powerful Albanian Qypriliu (Köprülü) family that gave the Ottoman Empire several Grand Viziers who were at the time more powerful than the Sultan himself and practically governed the Empire (see Grand Viziers era or Köprülü era). I didn't know the rest of the relationship with Vasile Lupu though, that's interesting.

"And you cannot dismiss 1,000 of their dead because 100,000 of your dead."

Ah, so you're giving me the "every life is valuable" speech... Yes, every life is valuable, but I was hoping we could go beyond those "basics". By your same logic then, the West should have stayed neutral in WWII because Jews also killed some Nazis in self defense. We should also not take a stance against ISIS, because Kurds and others are killing ISIS members too so they are also guilty because ISIS members' lives are also valuable, right? How do you know what's right and what's wrong then? Or is everything just gray to you? You can keep spreading your bias, but I doubt anyone would buy your logic. Your bias is mindboggling.

You think I am biased just because I explain Romania's national interest in not recognizing Kosovo independence(namely, to protect Moldavia Republic from Russian separatists).

You should know the difference between national interest and personal opinion. For example, in my opinion, Romania should recognize Kosovo, no matter what Belgrade says, if and only when we will be the last country in EU not doing that (of course, if by then Belgrade would not have recognized Kosovo...). So, first to go are Spain, Greece, Cyprus and Slovakia.
But, no matter my opinion, compared with the national interest.

And please, extending the debate to WW2, Nazis and Jews, ISIS and Kurds etc. makes no sense. Not to mention that you twist the analogies: like Americans fighting to save the Jews in WW2 Europe, Romania helped Albanians in Kosovo in 1999, by supporting NATO to bomb Serbia. Do you get it? But I don't remember USA forcing Germany to give up land for a Jewish state...

By the way, when today USA supports Israel refusing to recognize a Palestinian state, who do you think is right? Israelis who claim the land is theirs and who don't recognize Kosovo, or Palestinians, of the same Muslim faith as most of Albanians, and who are living in Gaza and West Bank from the beginning of the history?

See, life is made of grey nuances, people may be good and bad in the same time, nobody is perfect. And killing people never helps, unless is Hitler, Stalin, Hoxha, Ceausescu or Milosevic.

@Albanian

@ Albanian

Some explanations how Kosovo issues was/is framed in Romanian public opinion (no judgments, just describing reality):
- We have as many Serbs as Albanians in Romania. Both loyal, no prejudices. However, Serbia being a good neighbor, Serbs are better known than Albanian... Also, during Ceausescu, we saw Yugoslavia as a Western country, while Albania was poorer than Romania.
- During Kosovo crisis, nobody was speaking for Albanians in Romania. Old Commies/Nationalists spoke for Serbs, most of the time only to spite the Westerners. Pro-NATO/democrats spoke for NATO, not directly for Albanians. Same after 2008. There was a huge demand for somebody articulate like Veton Surroi to come here and talk about all historical connections between us. Instead, we had CNN bashing Serbs all day. And we know (as you do) how big powers behave: yesterday Milosevic was OK in Dayton, today he is no good in Rambouillet. So, without malicious intent, Romanian media in 1998-99 ascribed to this narrative: "Kosovo Albanians want a Greater Albania, Serbs are defending their country"... And the reaction was: "Albanians? Isn't there already one Albania? Who they think they are?"
- Today, it looks like you wait for EU+USA to pressure us into recognition. They will not, because they need us for things like the American missile shield or the sanctions against Russia...
- Also, you lost a lot of sympathy when Hungary recognized Kosovo. Yep, we have our idiocies, nobody's perfect :)

Aleksander Vucic told them to do that :)

@ (Ionel Branescu, Romania, 11 June 2015 11:15)

"You think I am biased just because I explain Romania's national interest"

Had you actually mentioned that, I'd understand and wouldn't bother debating. Your initial argument was more about placing guilt on both sides, but I'm glad we mostly agree now. I don't think recognizing Kosovo would affect Moldova, but that's not for me to decide. You're right, Serbia will probably recognize it before Romania so there's no major need for you to do so. I was initially surprised because I would have expected Romania to be one of the first countries who would recognize it.

"I don't remember USA forcing Germany to give up land for a Jewish state"

How do you think Israel was created? :) Germany actually lost a lot of land populated with a German majority after WWII. That's what happens when a country engages in genocide and loses a war. Funny that you mention Israel, because Israel is one of the main supporters of an independent Kosovo. The Palestineans, not so much. They're more into running shady deals with Serbia. I understand Israel's national interest in not recognizing Kosovo though, but they've done a lot for Kosovo nonetheless and we all know that.