This weekend, I attended a huge outdoor concert just outside of Pristina known as the Freedom Festival. Musicians from all over the world performed, including American hip-hop artists Method Man and Redman.  The occasion? Ten years of FREEDOM.

On June 12, 1999, NATO forces entered Kosovo after a 78-day bombing campaign. Their objectives included halting all (Serbian and Yugoslav) military action, bringing about the immediate end of violence, and the establishment of a political structure in Kosovo in conjunction with international agreements and the United Nations. NATO’s mission in Kosovo is often touted (by some) as one of NATO’s great success stories, so much so that this week, it was announced that the number of KFOR troops will be reduced to 10,000 by 2010 (whereas in 1999 there were 50,000 NATO troops on the ground).

(There has been significant criticism of NATO’s military campaign against Serbia and the Former Republic of Yugoslavia, in which civilians and civilian targets were subject to NATO bombs. For more information, see Amnesty International’s “Collateral Damage or Unlawful Killings” at http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/EUR70/018/2000/en/e7037dbb-df56-11dd-89a6-e712e728ac9e/eur700182000en.pdf).

British troops land in Kosovo on June 12, 1999

So, June 12 in Kosovo has been dubbed Freedom Day. This year, the President of Kosovo, Dr. Fatmir Sejdiu, has even released a moving public statement. He stated, in part, “It was ten years ago this day that Kosovo joined the free countries of the world, following a long period of efforts and suffering and struggles in every field: in education, in culture and in a political and armed resistance. Part of these endless and ceaseless efforts was the entire people of Kosovo, who have built the freedom that we enjoy today with a lot of sacrifice, love and unwavering belief”(for the full statement, available in English, see http://www.president-ksgov.net/?id=5,67,67,67,e,1548).

But many young Kosovars are tired of the rhetoric while the nation suffers unemployment and poverty rates that are worse than most countries categorized as “developing.” In fact, according to a recent UNDP survey, Kosovars of all ethnic groups view the economic situation in Kosovo as the biggest threat to the nation’s stability (for the full report, see “Early Warning Report Fast Facts 24,” at http://www.ks.undp.org/repository/docs/FF_24_English.pdf).  Finally, they are tired of watching their neighbors advance towards the future they so desperately want for themselves - membership in the European Union and all that comes with it - while corruption remains rampant in their country. Institutionalizing words like “freedom” doesn’t change that.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that they didn’t enjoy the concert.

But first, a little history lesson.

The territorial sovereignty of Kosovo is a regional hot button, and has been throughout history. During the Medieval Period, Kosovo was part of the Serbian Empire prior to being conquered by the Ottomans. Kosovo was once again incorporated into larger Serbia in 1912. In the modern era, even as Serbia and Kosovo became part of Yugolsavia, nationalistic Serbs did not forget this history.

Upon his rise to power in 1989, Slobodan Milosevic revoked Kosovo’s status as an autonomous province within Serbia that had been granted by the Communist power structure in 1974. The Serbian government then began systematically violating the rights of its Kosovar-Albanian citizens. In the early 1990′s, civil unrest erupted in the form of armed conflict between Kosovar-Albanian paramilitaries and Serbian and Yugoslav military forces.

The actions of Serbian forces in the course of fighting were categorized as ethnic cleansing by Western leaders, and in particular by US President Bill Clinton. In 1999, NATO intervened and carried out a 78-day bombing campaign against military and civilian targets in Yugoslavia. Shortly thereafter, the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) (http://www.unmikonline.org/index.html) was created by UN Security Council Resolution 1244. NATO continues to maintain its presence in Kosovo via its Kosovo Force (KFOR) (http://www.nato.int/KFOR/) to preserve stability within the region.

Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on February 17, 2008 and just one day later, the US government officially recognized the new nation. The US was the second country to do so, after Costa Rica. (For a complete list of other nations who have recognized Kosovo and to read their official statements of recognition, check out http://www.kosovothanksyou.com/).

It is therefore generally held that Kosovars L-O-V-E the United States. Americans who come to Kosovo are warmly welcomed (I can personally attest to that!). A major road in the capitol city of Pristina has been renamed Bill Clinton Boulevard, complete with an enormous portrait of the former President overlooking the roadway.

Bill Clinton Boulevard

The current administration is also held in high esteem.  Vice President Joe Biden visited Pristina just last month to reaffirm the US’s relationship with Kosovo and was awarded the Medal of Freedom by the Assembly of Kosovo. Vestiges from his visit remain throughout the city, including billboards such as the one pictured below. (Although his visit occurred before my arrival, you can check out pictures of the event at http://kosovotravelogue.blogspot.com/2009_05_01_archive.html).

Billboard dedicated to US Vice President Joe Biden

As I was stuck in traffic this past Friday evening on my way to Maxi supermarket, I even saw a replica of the Statue of Liberty on the roof of a local hotel named Hotel Victory. According to their website, it is the second largest Statue of Liberty replica in the world.

Hotel Victory

And now for the part you have all been waiting for… the joke. The following joke was told to me by a Kosovar and is said to be swiftly making the rounds throughout UN agencies and NGOs in Pristina.

A Spanish KFOR soldier was working in Prizren. Throughout the day, an elderly man assisted him. Finally, the Spaniard turned to him and said “Why are you being so nice to me? My country does not recognize yours.” The old man replied, “Yes, but Spain discovered America!”

Having traveled around Europe, I must admit that it is a new and pleasant experience to discover such a positive attitude towards my home. I laughed at this joke, as did the Kosovar and Americans who heard it along with me. But is Kosovo’s relationship with the US helping or hindering the development of the nation’s democratic institutions?

I have only been in Pristina for a few days, but already I am hearing another side to the story. People are talking, and I am listening and learning.

So stay tuned.

UPDATE: On July 5, a group of activists representing the Vetevendosje or “self-determination” movement held a protest outside of government buildings in Pristina to publicly criticize the service record of US Ambassador  Tina Kaidanow. They claim that the Ambassador has “misused her position as the most powerful international official in Kosovo” by exhibiting “totalitarian behaviour” and a bias against Albanians. Furthermore, after performing a skit in which actors portraying President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Hashim Thaci begged Kaidanow, whose term in Kosovo is ending, not to leave the country, activists proclaimed: “Our last request: Dear Tina, since you had the ability to hurt Kosovo this much, you can help our country if you insert our politicians in your diplomatic suitcases, since they cannot do anything without you.”

The following video shows the aforementioned performance. Although an English translation of the dialogue and interviews with bystanders is not available at this time, it is still worth watching.