MTCowgirl's Kosovo Blog

Get those pens ready!  EULEX has posted its latest call for applications for local jobs and the deadline in 27 May 2010!  It is rumored that EULEX will only do calls for applications 3-4 times a year for international jobs and possibly less for local positions. For the application, visit EULEX’s Local Job Site and a [...]

Four people have been killed in a shoot-out with Macedonian police at the Kosovo border area.  Macedonian police reportedly tried to stop a van suspected of carrying arms when the occupants opened fire.  The police returned fire and killed four passengers in the van which turned out to be carrying a large amount of weapons [...]

As part of an ongoing investigation of the Special Prosecutor’s Office, EULEX police in plain clothes reportedly searched the offices of the Ministry of Transport and escorted staff from the premises today.  The Ministry of Transport and its head, Fatmir Limaj, have been the focus of many corruption allegations in the media in the past [...]

While the Albin Kurti Comedy Tour continues with it’s eighth postponement (or is the ninth?  I’m quickly losing track!) and complaints that the Kosovo judiciary is weak, EULEX now is scrambling to maintain it’s reputation and integrity after 16 Romanian police officers and their bus driver were caught smuggling alcohol and tobacco out of Kosovo.  Macedonian Customs officials found [...]

Despite re-opening the case for the February 2007 riots against Vetevendosje leader, Albin Kurti, EULEX has failed to hold a court hearing due to the defense lawyers refusing to cooperate and the failure of the Kosovo Police to execute an arrest warrant for Kurti.  The announcement of the trial’s postponement have become more of a [...]

Following the involvement of armed KSF members in the 5-7 March Nights of Fire, a commemoration of the Kosovo Liberation Army, NATO has announced that it has suspended its support of the Kosovo Security Forces.  Reportedly, KSF had agreed with NATO to participate without weapons but later violated the agreement when members of a honor [...]

Many Kosovo Albanians have applied for new biometric passports issued by Serbia after the application of the white schengen visa rules.  While Kosovo has started to issue new passports, they are not included in the white schengen zone and must obtain visas to travel to Europe. In other news, Kosovo Montenegrins are working to gain minority status [...]

Strangely when I arrived back in Kosovo last week I started noticing an absence of EULEX vehicles on the streets.  At first I thought that perhaps it was due to vacations but as the trend continued so I started checking with friends what was the story.  As it turns out, the higher-ups in EULEX got [...]

Kosovo offers aid to Haiti. Remembering those who served in Kosovo.

Today EULEX celebrated its one year anniversary of its official deployment in Kosovo.  Head of Mission, Yves de Kermabon (affectionally known by staff as YDK) said that the mission has done well but challenges remain.  Serbia took the opportunity to make statements that say they will continue supporting EULEX as long as it stays “status [...]