Al Jazeera..."professional" journalism

Few years ago, the European Union has announced a program called "Schengen Visa Liberalisation program" targeted mainly to the countries in the Balkans to obtain a Visa Free system between them and the EU. This step means that the nationals of the countries applying to the program will no longer need the EU VISA to enter EU, but rather just their national passport and get a stamp from the first border and then travel freely within the EU for 3 months for tourism and family visits.

The countries that applied for the program are : Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania. The EU announced the conditions of becoming part of that program. The conditions were technical and political.

Technical in the sense of improving several aspects: illegal migration reduction, reforms in issuing citizenship, introducing the new Biometric passports, connecting all borders check points with unified center and creating a national Visa center and make the entrance of foreign nationals more organized and controlled.

Political in the sense of improving Political stability in the country and corruption reduction.. in order for the EU to be able to protect itself from any illegal economic activity once they are able to travel inside the EU.

The EU created a special commission and marking scale, in which each country will be evaluated and graded.. and then the commission passes the recommendation to the European Parliament that at the end decided weather the country deserves to have a VISA free system or no.

Earlier this year.. Spring 2009, the commission travelled to all the countries and checked the progress of each country.. and graded the country based on the previously mentioned criteria and then announced the marks later. In June the commission announced which countries were qualified enough and stated the reason why each country got the visa system.. or didn't get the visa system.

The result was that 3 from the 5 countries got the Visa Program and those are : Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia. Whereas Albania and Bosnia & Herzegovina were encouraged to continue the reforms required and that they will be graded and reviewed again later on.

Al-Jazeera news the other day made a report about that program and made a weird conclusion : "Bosnia didn't get the Visa system.. because they are Muslims" and " Muslims are not welcomed in Europe". I wonder how the hell they get that conclusion? What about Albania.. aren't they Muslims as well..? why the stress on Bosnia? on the other hand... if they are that professional journalism they should have known that 25 % of the Macedonians are Muslims.. and since Macedonia got the grades required.. they got the VISA free system.. including the Muslims in the country..! So according to Aljazeera.. Muslim Macedonians should not be able to go to EU..! Shameful journalism.

Such report is just one of the hundred miss leading reports, in which Aljazeera is trying to create negative feelings between Muslims and Christians.. or EU in general. Its a shame that such respected news agency.. is hiring such un-professional journalists and even more they don't search the correct news.. but rather are willing to create problems between nations.. just to increase the number of their viewers.

Yugoslavia

Yugoslavia, a former slavic country in South Eastren Europe.. was a great mixture of religions, ethnic backgrounds and languages, but also of a great tragedy against humanity and nature. Now after 18 years, the woond hasn't healed yet.. and even though each country has started its own journey in the world.. people still say "Nismo znali sta smo imali" - We didn't know what we had, or sometimes "Sve je isto samo njega nema" - Everything is the same.. only He is not here..

We all have heard about what happend in the Yugoslav war and how violent was its breakup for most of its 6 republics (Bosnia and Hercegovina,Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia and Montenegro) and how it still provokes disputes and tension in the uniletral declaration of independence by Kosovo.. and the ongoing ethnic tensions in Republika Srpska in Bosnia & Hercegovina.

The worst part of the Yugoslav war, took place in Bosnia and Hercegovina.. killing thousands of people.. and causing an endless fear and misstrust between Croats, Serbs and Bosniacs.

The best way to feel the tragedy done in Bosnia, is by spending few hours with a "Yugoslav" immigrant and talk a little bit about his experience.. I have never imagined it was that difficult for the normal citizens.. as i thought that they were supporting their leaders... but it turned out.. that once again the media didn't show enough of what actually was going on. Why? because a lot of countries wanted the Yugoslav dream to be done.. because they were afraid of the unity and diversity of that nation.. 

"...Retrospectively it can be said that we all loved Yugoslavia and never wanted for it to be abolished. During its existance it was one of the most beautiful countries in the world, having a domestic production of aircrafts, cars, chemistry, textile, military and industry in general. 

This unlikely creation of a land, reminding more of a dream than reality, gave the observer the impression of having succeeded to unite several nations and religions under one common direction and alliance. But the injustice that was nourishing inside the soul of Yugoslavia ever since its birth had a devestating implementation upon its citizens primarily by Serb, and some Croat, nationalist currents..." - BosniakPassion

"... they would anounce in what location of Sarajevo the authorities will send drinking water, and peoplewould rush to gather as much as they can for their thirsty children.. until the poor people would be surprised with the rain of missiles landing on their heads and between the water tanks..." -  Croat from Bosnia.

"... you would sleep in ur own house.. in the middle of your village and suddenly hear the sound of the Yugoslav national Army (JNA) tanks... and you just know that only luck would save ur house.. or your family..so you just stay still and pray.." - Serbian from Bosnia

People nowadays in Bosnia & Hercegovina(B&H).. look back at the past 20 years.. and wonder what have those 2 decades left? The Ottomans left their religion, culture and architecture... Yugoslavia of TITO has built the country.. and made it what is it today... did the independence do anything to B&H and the other 5 republics except the torture and endless dreamless nights .. for those who survived?

With the beginning of the economic crises.. every citizens in the countries of the former Yugoslavia.. remembered the old good days of TITO.. whose dream was to build a country that all the world will wish to live in.. in which he succeeded..until 4th of May 1980 came.. and he passed away. 

For the memory of this great Leader.. and remembering 4th of May.. i will leave you with this clip showing Yugoslavia in its glory...After all.. everything is the same (between the people) but only He is not here...  =)