User talk:Nightstallion/μ

Constitutional Act that proclaimed the St. Miter's

...adopted by the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia (Tonight's News paper; source) on 30 September 2007:
1. ELECTIONS for national deputies in the National Assembly will be scheduled by the President of the Republic, earliest in the timespan of 45, and latest in 120 days after the adoption of this Law
2. Elections for the President of the Republic shall be scheduled by the Speaker of the National Assembly until 31 December 2007, or the latest 60 days after the day the last law regulating the authorities and elections for the positions of the president of the Republic, Defense and the Military of Serbia, Foreign Affairs and Security Agencies is adopted
3. Elections for MPs in the Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina will be scheduled by the Speaker of the National Assembly until 31 December 2007
4. Elections for Deputies in assemblies of local self-management units will be scheduled by the Speaker of the National Assembly until 31 December 2007
5. The newly-elected composition of the National Assembly will, during its first session after the election of the Government, proclaim the Laws as per the Constitution that secure protection of citizens and civic rights for informing, and elect the Protector of the Citizens, the Governor of the National Bank of Serbia and organs of the State inspection institutions
6. During the second session after the election of the Government, the National Assembly will as per the Constitution affirm laws that deal with the application of the Constitution on Courts and Public
7. The election, or the naming of the Judges of the Constitutional Court will be conducted until the end of the second session of the National Assembly after the election of the Government the latest

There's the whole Constitutional Act. Happy? ;) --PaxEquilibrium 19:01, 13 June 2007 (UTC)

Where did you find the edition of 30 September 2007? Do they say who will win the tennis US Open this year? Švitrigaila 20:36, 14 June 2007 (UTC)

Quite happy; you don't need to convince me, though, we just need a source for the article. I suppose the link you gave me will do, though an English source would be even better... —Nightstallion (?) 19:20, 13 June 2007 (UTC)

Minority parties

How come we don't have an article (or anything similar) that deals with minority parties (not even a list, nothing)??? --PaxEquilibrium 19:56, 13 June 2007 (UTC)

No idea... —Nightstallion (?) 20:13, 13 June 2007 (UTC)

I started it... List of Minority political parties. --PaxEquilibrium 21:41, 13 June 2007 (UTC)

I'd capitalise it differently, though. Nightstallion 15:37, 14 June 2007 (UTC)

Kosovo Status Process

New negotiations?

BTW Milo is being demagogic regarding the Pljevlja, thus he has lost parliamentary majority with SDP CG officially withdrawing support. --PaxEquilibrium 12:27, 15 June 2007 (UTC)

I doubt it. New negotiations would not turn up anything new; Serbia and Kosovo would keep their positions, and it might only result in new uprisings in Kosovo out of anger over the new delay. Kosovo has nothing to win through further negotiations...

Servies Milo right. ;) What did he do or say as regards Pljevlja? Nightstallion 12:39, 15 June 2007 (UTC)

But Martti Ahtisaari has held only technical negotiations, barely a word was spilled regarding the final outcome (or the future status at all). Serbian politicians think Pristina intentionally stalled this in order to make it seem the negotiations are impossible, convinced they would get a better deal with an imposed solution.

Read: Privatisation Row Puts Montenegro Coalition Under Strain --PaxEquilibrium 13:05, 15 June 2007 (UTC)

Still, Kosovo has nothing to gain and everything to lose, and Serbia can not expect Kosovo to accept anything less than independence after what happened in 1999 and before... Thanks for the link! Nightstallion 13:12, 15 June 2007 (UTC)

I suppose the google has some interesting topics about this too... here and here but you'd have to search... --PaxEquilibrium 13:20, 15 June 2007 (UTC)

How come everything to lose?

By the way, even President Filip Vujanovic (who is, incidentally, from DPS) accepts direct general elections after the Constitutions.

One interesting thing about Milo I forgot to mention is that Montenegro was historically a Parliamentary Republic, but after he forfeited the seat of Prime Minister in favor of President in 1998, very interestingly, he transformed Montenegro into a Presidential republic. When he stepped down the seat of President of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro in favor of Svetozar Marovic (fearing too many problems, as well as loss of the pro-independist support), Montenegro was returned to a Parliamentary republic as per the re-integrating S&M Belgrade Treaty. Interestingly enough, he resigned deposed then's Prime Minister (Filip Vujanovic), resigned from the office of President and scheduled new presidential elections, and got elected for new Prime Minister (his term ended last year). Do you follow? ;) --PaxEquilibrium 13:39, 15 June 2007 (UTC)

Well, if there is an uprising in anger over the delay, public sympathy will drop *SHARPLY*; with the lost international support, chances of attaining independence would shrink.

I had heard of that, yeah. Nightstallion 13:42, 15 June 2007 (UTC)

But wouldn't, if delaying occurs, USA even more support the independence of Kosovo afterwards? --PaxEquilibrium 14:16, 15 June 2007 (UTC)

Present plans are for the EU to use the four months of talks (announcement tomorrow, I predict) to see whether or not there can be a single EU position on recognising a UDI. If they can get the holdouts (Spain, Greece, Cyprus) into line, or if they can safely ignore one or more of them, then the US and most of the EU will recognise a UDI at the end of the talks (gosh, would that be 28 November!). No chance of getting into the UN without getting through the Security Council, but a de facto independent Kosovo with the EU invited in for a few years. DSuser 20:54, 31 July 2007 (UTC)

Of course, if they can't get a common EU position, then it's either pretend to have another round of talks while the US figures what the hell to do (and violence tips opinion against), or the US backs UDI and provides security (unlikely, I would think) DSuser 20:56, 31 July 2007 (UTC)

New Serbian Provinces

Circles within the Democratic Party (I guess as a response to SRS's threats of abolition of Vojvodina) have drawn the question of forming a new autonomous province, identical to that of Vojvodina - in the south and south-east of Serbia, with the capital in Niš. DS is urging the adoption of Laws that define the formation and abolition of autonomous provinces in the National Assembly. Similar to the minority languages officially recognized in Vojvodina (Hungarian, Romanian, Croatian, Slovak, Rusyn), the DS vice-president in question proposed Bulgarian and Albanian.

Although the ever-notable List for Sanjak has been extremely centralist, it has received some attention of interest with this question. --PaxEquilibrium 14:16, 15 June 2007 (UTC)

Interesting idea, yeah. I know someone from that area. ;) Nightstallion 14:26, 15 June 2007 (UTC)

Perhaps as DS and LSDV originally proposed, the confederalization of Serbia, might be the solution to this problem? I tend to agree. How about you?

From Nis or Sanjak? --PaxEquilibrium 14:47, 15 June 2007 (UTC)

Possibly, though Kosovo would still demand the right to an independence referendum after a certain time period... From around Nis. Nightstallion 14:53, 15 June 2007 (UTC)

I didn't have Kosovo on my mind at all... --PaxEquilibrium 14:58, 15 June 2007 (UTC)

... sorry, but I'm pretty certain that all major parties will then proceed to propose the same status to Kosovo... ;) Still, it would be a good idea for Serbia. Nightstallion 15:06, 15 June 2007 (UTC)

Of course, but new atuonomous provinces will be created, regardless if Kosovo becomes independent or not. --PaxEquilibrium 22:29, 15 June 2007 (UTC)

Aye, that's good, then. What would be the proposed name for the Nis province? Nightstallion 07:46, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

No idea. Some speculate "Old Serbia", but that's just rumors.

By the way, the Serb Republic has given up from using its illegal Flag and Coat-of-Arms. It (just like FBiH) has no flag or coat of arms at all, and it has removed lyrics from its God of Justice anthem - now, it's just music. Instead of national symbols, RS officials will you tricolor emblems containing the double-headed eagle with the 4 Betas. --PaxEquilibrium 14:23, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

I tend to disagree with the proposal. Do you not think that further divisions and inner segregations will spur even more fury and wrath? For instance, analysts even now expect that independence of Kosovo might bring the irredentists in power (although with the arrival of DS in power, it seems less and less likely relevant). Don't you think that could breed a monster, to whom the 1990s would look like child's play (I repeat, remember our talk about the Weimar Republic)? --PaxEquilibrium 14:28, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

---

The Presevo Albanians have just decided to boycott all Serbian institutions until further on. They demand annexation of Presevo and Bujanovac to Kosovo immediately. An Albanian para-military group is threatening the Serbian government with violence. --PaxEquilibrium 22:29, 15 June 2007 (UTC)

Not a good idea; border changes would open up a LOT of Pandora's boxes on the Balkans. Better to leave some minorities unsatisfied than to have Albanians from Montenegro and Macedonia, Serbians from Bosnia, Croats from Bosnia, Serbians from Montenegro, Montenegrins from Croatia and Serbians from Croatia demand border changes, as well... Nightstallion 07:46, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

I myself don't see how could it present a problem. The Serbian National Assembly should first vote the laws for abolition, change and creation of new/old autonomous provinces, and then we'll see. But if the parliament agrees to expand Kosovo's borders to include the Presevo Valley - and excludes North Kosovo from the province/territory (North Kosovo is practically more in Serbia than in Kosovo, and the Presevo Valley is on fire already), receiving recognition from the UN and NATO for it - what problems could appear? Is the Serbian Republic in Bosnia and Herzegovina going to ask to include Brčko? No way Sarajevo is going to grant it to them. ;) What problems are you talking about? --PaxEquilibrium 13:44, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

Mh, yeah, that would possibly be an idea that could work. —[[User:Nightstallion|Nightstallion 13:54, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

Local elections

Are articles made for local elections and are they included in those tables (I ask because that act also calls for national local elections by the end of the year)? --PaxEquilibrium 14:39, 15 June 2007 (UTC)

Yes and no, there's usually separate templates for local and regional elections (this would include elections in Vojvodina and Kosovo, as long as Kosovo is nominally part of Serbia). Nightstallion 14:45, 15 June 2007 (UTC)

I actually meant like elections for Civic Assemblies of Belgrade, Nis, Novi Sad, Novi Pazar,... You're "yes-no" is confusing. ;X --PaxEquilibrium 14:53, 15 June 2007 (UTC)

Yeah, that would be important enough to create an article for; and no, they wouldn't be in Template:Serbian elections, but in Template:Serbian local elections (like Template:Belgian local elections). Nightstallion 07:45, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

Done. --PaxEquilibrium 14:12, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

---

What about elections not based on popular vote? --PaxEquilibrium 15:06, 16 June 2007 (UTC)

They're usually not included in the templates. Why, which ones are there? —[[User:Nightstallion|Nightstallion 08:54, 17 June 2007 (UTC)

Well there were before a lot, but nowadays still only the election for the President of the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government in Kosovo. --PaxEquilibrium 11:43, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

E.g. the election of the Parliament of Serbia and Montenegro. --PaxEquilibrium 18:37, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

Well, we do have articles for those, usually, but they're not in the templates. —Nightstallion 18:41, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

Progressive Democrats

I will find very interesting to know your personal opinion about Talk:Progressive Democrats#Ideology. --Checco 09:29, 17 June 2007 (UTC)

Could you plase comment?

Could you please give your comment at the discussion at Talk:List of political parties by country. Electionworld Talk? 18:53, 17 June 2007 (UTC)

News

Croatian national minority local elections: In Croatia, the day before yesterday National Minority Local Elections. Almost every German voted, but Serbs barely voted at all (although a bit more than the previous times.

Oh and... the Feral Tribune is shutting down... ;( very sad news for the whole Balkans... --PaxEquilibrium 12:36, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

Sounds like it was a good newspaper... —Nightstallion 15:41, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

It was the sole opposition anti-war newspaper in Croatia. Tudjman had payed off the numerous loans of other newspapers (and HDZ continued afterwards), and Feral Tribune's debt has reached millions and millions of E. They're shutting it down. --PaxEquilibrium 17:43, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

Bah, that's not good. —Nightstallion 17:59, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

Montenegrin Constitution: Four days ago the preliminary discussion for the Constitution's amendments ended. As it seems, PzP withdrew its support. It, just like SDP, does not like DPS's urgent need to sell all of the country's good assets - and mostly to controversial Russian tycoons. The strains of a possible another "epic clash" that might occur in a referendum are present, according to polls], 44% would support the new Constitution, 14.8% would oppose and 41.2% are so tired of all the elections that they will be abstinent. 29.8% of the citizens believe Milo's Constitution will be adopted and 19.6% are certain of it. Have a read also about Montenegrin democracy levels.

Next week the preliminary version of the Constitution will be drafted. Around 25 June 2007 will the Constitutional Committee submit the final version of the Constitution and present it to the assembly to either vote a super-majority or fail.

One of the main problems is that Dragan Šoć, parliamentary leader of the People's Party and Democratic Serbian Party, is the President of the Constitutional Committee. He shares a very conservative and pro-Serb view and manages to be quite a large pain in Milo's ass.

Oh and as it seems, SDP has abandoned DPS in Pljevlja. But to my greatest shock, SNP supports DPS in its effort to privatize the coal mine and the power plant. It appears SNP will replace SDP in the local management as DPS's partner in Pljevlja... horrible, I didn't even expect that SNP could start returning to DPS...! --PaxEquilibrium 12:22, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

So I suppose it will come to a referendum? —Nightstallion 15:41, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

Far too early to say. I still have in my mind the episode around the Serbian government, and keep on mind that MNE is even more politicized than SERB. --PaxEquilibrium 17:43, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

Will certainly be interesting... —Nightstallion 17:59, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

Serbian flag incident. On Thursday, the Croatian Flag stood in the National Assembly. The Deputies can't stop talking about how this occurred; the SRS, expectedly, accuse the Speaker for "forcing his national viewpoints to the Serbian institution". :D LOL --PaxEquilibrium 12:08, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

Curious... :) —Nightstallion 15:41, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

I think some little idiots from SRS put it there so that it could bug the President afterwards... I guess it plan succeeded. It delayed the drafting of new laws a lot. --PaxEquilibrium 17:43, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

Very mature action, though... ::sighs:: —Nightstallion 17:59, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

BTW, do you think there'll be early elections in Albania due to likely failure to elect a new president? —Nightstallion 17:59, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

Very likely. But I don't expect it very briefly. I am also disappointed that they started the discussion for presidential elections through popular vote only weeks ago, thus failing to reach a consensus... I am a fierce endorser of independent and direct elections of presidents (that's why I adore the semi-presidential system). Speak of elections, how come does Turkey pass by with such absolutely horrible election conditions? --PaxEquilibrium 18:42, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

Not every system with an elected president has to be a semi-presidential system; in fact, most aren't. Anyway, about Turkey... I don't know. 10% election threshold is absolutely incredible. —Nightstallion 18:43, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

If you ask me, I'd abolish the census (in Serbia). --PaxEquilibrium 18:53, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

You mean the threshold? —Nightstallion 18:58, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

Yeah... it's call "census" in Serbo-Croatian... --PaxEquilibrium 19:25, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

I'd agree, it works just as well in the Netherlands (no threshold) or Israel (2% threshold). —Nightstallion 14:42, 19 June 2007 (UTC)

By the way, compare the 2001 Kosovar election with the 2004 one (Kosovar parliamentary election, 2001, Kosovar parliamentary election, 2004). Do you notice something strange regarding the minorities? --PaxEquilibrium 18:53, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

What do you mean? —Nightstallion 18:58, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

See the results for Coalition "Return" in 2001 and then the Serbian List for Kosovo and Metohija and Civic Initiative Serbia in 2004. --PaxEquilibrium 19:25, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

Mh, there seems to be a distinct lack of Serb votes, unless they boycotted it or many left in that time period. —Nightstallion 14:42, 19 June 2007 (UTC)

To decrease from 100,000 to 1,000? True, many left in the meantime (like in the 2004 March unrests), but that figure is not very large at all. I think that they have disappointed in the PISG, and given up, especially after the public assassination of one of their Deputies. But also the main reason is North Kosovo, which fully separated from the remainder of Kosovo in 2005 and partially re-integrated into Serbia. --PaxEquilibrium 21:54, 20 June 2007 (UTC)

Just like in that local elections in CRO recently, of the 215,000 Serb voters, shockingly, barely 25,000 voted. --PaxEquilibrium 09:58, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

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I guess I was right after all - the Kosovo's status resolving has been delayed. --PaxEquilibrium 21:54, 20 June 2007 (UTC)

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Bordered flags

Hi Nightstallion. Can you please state your opinion here as you have a lot of flagicons on your notes page… Also, if you know others who are interested in this discussion, can you point them there? Thanks. —MC 15:26, 19 June 2007 (UTC)

Environmental Record Task Force

You are being recruited by the Environmental Record Task Force, a collaborative project committed to accurately and consistently representing the environmental impact of policymakers, corporations, and institutions throughout the encyclopedia. Join us!

Hi Nightstallion,
I noticed your prodigious contributions to politics entries and am hoping you'll come by to check out the task force several editors have just started. We could use your help! Cyrusc 22:21, 19 June 2007 (UTC)

Electionworld

Just want to drop a note that I am back working at elections worldwide. Electionworld Talk? 18:32, 20 June 2007 (UTC)

Good to hear that! —Nightstallion 16:44, 21 June 2007 (UTC)

Head of State?

Which Balkan Head of State do you prefer among others? --PaxEquilibrium 10:05, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

I meant precisely which one do you reckon most democratic, liberal?

And more importantly, which European Head of State? --PaxEquilibrium 21:00, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

Well, head of state in the Balkans would likely have to be Tadic. Head of government in all of Europe... Mh. Usually, the Scandinavians and the Benelux countries are the most liberal, but I'm also quite fond of Zapatero and of Prodi, though Prodi is certainly not as liberal as many others; still, for Italy and especially compared to Berlusconi... —Nightstallion 10:43, 23 June 2007 (UTC)

Milo Djukanovic

...is toast. He has 20 days to prepare/present his defense or come to Italy for hearing. After 20 days Italy will demand the Parliament to abolish his political immunity and imminently arrest him. --PaxEquilibrium 22:33, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

::grins:: Very good. What for? —Nightstallion 10:43, 23 June 2007 (UTC)

..for being the mafia boss of an international criminal organization with branches in Italy, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Cyprus and former Yugoslavia that earned tens of millions of euros controlling much of Europe's cigarette, cocain, heroin and sex-slave trafficking. --PaxEquilibrium 19:46, 23 June 2007 (UTC)

Perfect! That means Montenegro might finally see the light of democracy? —Nightstallion 21:04, 23 June 2007 (UTC)

Yes, I was worried, because the European researched published polling results - SDP kept its popularity, DPS's rating slightly increased, while all others' dropped. This is because DPS is seen as the one who wants to bring the constitution and fight for national interests, while all others just plain obstructing factors. This is what made PzP withdraw its support. However the tide has now changed, but still Milo and another accused - M.I. his former Deputy Premier and current Minister in the present Montenegrin government, vigorously deny that they've been informed of any deadline at all. However officials of the Italian state prosecutors have publicly stated that they have and called the Montenegrin officials to stop lying the public.

After the figure of 100,000,000+ euros which Italy lost thanks to Milo Djukanovic was presented, the Italians want nothing but lynch Milo. ;) They're trying to nail Milo as hard as they can (I think 20-40 years or so) and they've been convincing Croatia and collecting evidence to try to bring up the Yugoslav wars, but they've been all but successful at this one. For Milo has smartly made excellent links with Croatia, so that the Croatian government regularly ignores appeals fro prosecuting any Montenegrin except Veselin Sljivancanin. And Milo made close links with Clinton and Holbroke, so the west is reluctant on prosecuting him (especially for the deal with opposition to Milosevic). And besides, the ICTY already had to guarantee him once that he won't be arrested on a testimony case, so ICTY probably won't charge him. They've also been collecting evidence on arms dealing, as allegedly he sold to mobsters and terrorists Yugoslav Army heavy weaponry, but except for supplying Palestinian terrorists on at least one account, there is no proof of anything else. The sex-slave trafficking case is also very weak, and it's obvious he won't be charged for white slavery.

I also remembered one other thing that happened under Milo's Premiership. A very tiny Moslem village near Pljevlja was burned to the ground and its residents slaughtered by Montenegrin forces. The incident was covered up and no one was ever charged for it.

But I guess him being charged as a Mafia Boss... actually is better (for all of us) than War Criminal, don't you think so? ;) I mean he will be remembered worse this way and he will await a worse penalty. --PaxEquilibrium 23:06, 23 June 2007 (UTC)

That's true, yeah. :) —Nightstallion 23:43, 23 June 2007 (UTC)

This Serbian tycoon and present multi-million was one of his greatest associates. He filled the gap created after the Milošević House abandoned the "family trade" due to ideological clashes after 1998, when Milo turned on Slobodan. --PaxEquilibrium 10:56, 24 June 2007 (UTC)

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LOL, one Bank account in Cyprus currently has 500,000,000 Euros on Milo's gang's name. And it's just one. ;))) Italy has demanded Cyprus to freeze that account. --PaxEquilibrium 12:32, 25 June 2007 (UTC)

Serbian apology?

Boris Tadic has said numerous apologies regarding the Yugoslav wars, and especially judging the genocide that occurred in Srebrenica in particular. But he is tired of people denying that he cares, as frequently occurred. So, yesterday, he went to Croatia and held an exclusive interview in which he without any dual misunderstandings directly apologize for any pain, damage or other inflicted to Croatia by Serbia and any Serbian inhabitant against any Croatian citizen, as well as any atrocity, horror or otherwise conducted by an ethnic Serb or otherwise in the name of Serbdom to any ethnic Croat. As a specific example, he referred to Vukovar. He said that he takes full responsibility for those actions, as President of Serbia, and begs for forgiveness, but warns to evade the things fall into forgotten at all costs. He referred to not just for the Croatian War specifically, but to a more whole, greater and all-out history of Croats and Serbs (any Serbian mischief against a Croatian) and pleas for a better future. --PaxEquilibrium 10:51, 24 June 2007 (UTC)

Oh please, give me a break, Tadić is only apologising so he can get Serbia into the EU (or at least get the discussions started again). --CrnaGora 11:48, 24 June 2007 (UTC)

You do not think he was honest?

But unlike many (or better most) Serbian politicians, he has nowhere in his history a dot of controversy and has always remained a Liberal and Social-Democrat. For another thing, his wife is of Croatian descent. Even if we take that the only and sole reason for that statement is faster assent into EU (and as far as I see the EU didn't notice this at all, but just Croatia), there is no indication why should that be the only reason (whereas in Vojislav Kostunica's case, who can't even comment the genocide in Srebrenica and less even apologize when directly asked to, truthfulness of such an act would be highly questionable and that would most definitely be the sole reason for that act - unlike in Tadic's, whose political history is "'clean" of *such* things). --PaxEquilibrium 17:57, 24 June 2007 (UTC)

For one thing Tadic says that he supports a unitary Bosnia and Herzegovina, and when asked about Kosovo-RS relations he said that he just supports a united BH and that there is no case outside linked that might change his opinion, which is in the best national interests of Serbs, Bosniacs and Croats. While I think Kostunica will most definitely support an independent RS if Kosovo's independence occurs. --PaxEquilibrium 18:08, 24 June 2007 (UTC)

Aye, I would agree. Tadic is really the best politician Serbia currently has, full stop. —Nightstallion 19:04, 24 June 2007 (UTC)

Ouch... the public opinion in Serbia is open frustration. Political analysts say it was not a wise move in the wake of forthcoming presidential elections at all; the SRS and SPS have started gathering signatures for a civic initiative to replace the President and immediately demand Oliver Dulic to schedule presidential elections! --PaxEquilibrium 21:39, 24 June 2007 (UTC)

I think that it will be quite quickly forgotten until the election in late 2007 (I wouldn't schedule it any earlier if I were Dulic, and I doubt that the signatures will be collected so quickly), especially if people have to choose between a Radical and Tadic. —Nightstallion 09:32, 25 June 2007 (UTC)

Project European Union

Hello Nightstallion/μ, you are member of the project European Union. I try to create a new project page for the project. You can see it at here Because this should be the project page for all it´s members, please tell me, what you think about it. Please leave your comments on the talkpage of the project.--Thw1309 11:08, 24 June 2007 (UTC)

Mayotte

Did you find any confirmation of a separate Mayotte elections? Electionworld Talk? 18:10, 24 June 2007 (UTC)

Nope, not yet, not even in French. You? —Nightstallion 19:03, 24 June 2007 (UTC)

No, I think our Costarican friend Herrera made a mistake. Electionworld Talk? 20:09, 24 June 2007 (UTC)

Possible, but not necessarily. —Nightstallion 09:33, 25 June 2007 (UTC)

Check out...

...this List of flags of Montenegro that I've been working on recently. --PaxEquilibrium 22:07, 24 June 2007 (UTC)

Very nice! —Nightstallion 09:34, 25 June 2007 (UTC)

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Conspiracy

DPS officials claim that this is a conspiracy against not only Milo and his associates but the whole Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro with roots in opposition and historical Montenegrin enemies and the entire Montenegrin people with the intent on degrading its national identity. The Montenegrin government says that it does not exclude the possibility of braking all diplomatic relations with Italy should the speculative rumors that Italy might demand sanctions are realized. Milo Djukanovic is trying to unite the people and use it as a barrier of defense like Slobodan ŨMilosevic

Does not MNE slowly start to remind you of Serbia in the late 1990s? He's becoming desperate like Milosevic, and I'm very frightened, because you know what desperate Balkaners always do... --PaxEquilibrium 12:55, 26 June 2007 (UTC)

Some presented that this was an anti-Montenegran conspiracy organized by Nebojša Medojević, Romano Prodi and Vojislav Koštunica with intentions to satanize an independent Montenegro.

These past days have been characterized by fierce fights as the Movement for Changes has launched an en masse campaign against the government and the DPS, using the mafia charges. If you read some of the papers and/or saw Montenegrin national television, you could see how much state-controlled propaganda is conducted and spit against not only against the sole true democratic opposition, but also against Liberals. The Montenegrin (fiercely Milo-controlled) media are vigorously denying the charges and are in full support of Stanko Subotić Cane (in refuge, chased by Interpol) whose words they regularly transmit.

Because of the scandals, the Constitution's bringing was delayed indefinitely. ;( --PaxEquilibrium 21:37, 28 June 2007 (UTC)

Relax. Milo will certainly be brought to justice sooner or later. :) —Nightstallion 22:23, 28 June 2007 (UTC)

I guess you're right, but another thing just annoyed me - MNE is going to kick out its refugees, including the people that lived there for over 10 years and even born there (I, myself a war refugee, know the pain). Before, they lived thanks to the common citizenship. And now DPS demands their eviction and deportation to either the place from which they were exiled or Serbia (which is willing to accept them). This is quite disgusting. --PaxEquilibrium 21:33, 29 June 2007 (UTC)

I wouldn't have believed it if you had told me a year ago, but it really seems that Serbia is currently more democratic than Montenegro, and far closer to EU membership -- EVEN considering the four missing war crime perpetrators and the Kosovo issue... —Nightstallion 22:07, 29 June 2007 (UTC)

---

Another very interesting thing - did you know that throughout the 1990s Slobodan Milosevic automatically channeled the votes of (the mostly boycotting) Serbian Albanians to himself and his party during elections? ;X

To show an even greater amount of disgrace, SPS didn't even bother to cover up - DS and SPO reacted with massive demonstrations, and the the authorities, in all of the insanity, didn't even bother to deny. This has caused many moderate Socialists like Nebojša Čović to turn away, flee and create Democratic Alternative, shocked by the insanity.

If not for the mythical Albanians' votes, the democratic bloc's votes had the majority to form the government in 1993.

After all, the Albanians' boycotting is how Milosevic actually kept himself in power. --PaxEquilibrium 21:33, 29 June 2007 (UTC)

That's almost unbelievably cynical of Milosevic, if you ask me... —Nightstallion 22:07, 29 June 2007 (UTC)

Senate of Senegal

Are you certain that this is a new body, as claimed by Pape Diop? Supposedly, it's been in existence since 1999 already as part of a decentralisation initiative; however, both the IPU and the current Wikipedia articles on Senegal claim it's got a unicameral parliament... I'm confused. Help? —Nightstallion 15:01, 29 June 2007 (UTC)

It's definitely new; apparently it was abolished a few years ago and is now being brought back. Most of the members will be presidential appointees. I'm a little fuzzy on the details of all this as well, but I'm going to try to research it a little more later. Everyking 22:30, 29 June 2007 (UTC)

Great, thanks. For now, I added the 1999 election to Template:Senegalese elections; as far as I could find information, it was only elected once, is that right? —Nightstallion 22:34, 29 June 2007 (UTC)

It seems it wasn't a popular election though - it was elected by MPs, local and regional councillors and Senegalese expats. It was abolished by the 2001 constitutional referendum. Number 57 22:38, 29 June 2007 (UTC)

Thanks! Added info to Senegalese constitutional referendum, 2001 for now. —Nightstallion 06:56, 30 June 2007 (UTC)

Succession crisis

Greetings, Mr Nightstallion. It has been a while... Having just finished with my (mildly disastrous) finals, I am now able to fully commit myself to Wikipedia. Since my reappearance in the community under a different name (or, rather, title) last March, I have been trying to usher in the reform of WikiProject Succession Box Standardization, and together with a couple of other members we have managed to take it a long way forward. However, we are seriously understaffed and in need of contributors to help with the process of forming guidelines and changing templates. This is a critical phase for the project and all of a sudden we seem to have stuck; although I am intending to begin a publicity campaign for the WikiProject, I cannot do that until we have finished the new /Guidelines page and a few other issues.

What we need right now is more opinions. I should be delighted if you would help us with this effort—if you are not too busy, that is. Succession boxes are intimately connected to political offices, so you might find the subject interesting as well; even if you don't desire to contribute to the project, you can later help us update the /Offices page, where we want to list all offices tracked by succession boxes.

By the way, I have looked at your "Notes" subpage. It is very interesting and extremely enlightening, I daresay. As you list most future elections, however, including the Greek parliamentary elections, I would like to give you a hint in order to prepare you for the eventuality of a change in that page: it has been discussed here for a very long time, and it has finally been confirmed by senior ministers and even been leaked by the Prime Minister's office that elections will take place "early”. I can tell you that it is at least 90% certain in Greece that elections will happen in autumn (the most probable dates being 30 September and 7 October). Just so that you will not be taken aback; monitoring the political events of the entire world is far from easy, especially without informants. I can be your informant in Greece if you are interested—I don't buy that newspaper just for the DVDs, you know. Waltham, The Duke of 16:11, 30 June 2007 (UTC)

Sure, I'd love to help; what can I help with? And I had heard some rumours that ND was considering calling for early elections, but I hadn't heard about the latest news yet -- I'd be very interested to hear about Greek politics from you whenever something interesting turns up! :) —Nightstallion 09:53, 1 July 2007 (UTC)

You can have a look at the (massive, I am afraid) talk page of the project, comment on style issues and vote in "polls". You may also look at our draft guidelines page and say what you think about it.

The political situation in Greece is interesting, I daresay. For the last few months PASOK have been very slowly (and not without setbacks) been gaining against ND as a result of the badly managed by the government scandal of some bonds being sold to union funds. I don't know if you've heard, but JPMorgan Chase is involved. Anyway, we had reached this singular situation where PASOK were constantly calling for elections while it was clearly to their advantage to wait, and at the same time the Prime Minister (but not all of his ministers) kept claiming that the elections would not take place early, while it would be to his advantage to hold them immediately while ND's lead was still sufficient to ensure an easy victory. In the meanwhile, the country is suffering from the election period that has already started and from the ineptitude of the government. For the last few days, especially, a severe heat wave has killed several people, while the number of fires that have broken is enormous, one of the worst victims being Parnitha and its national park, one of the last lungs of Athens. Waltham, The Duke of 22:32, 1 July 2007 (UTC)

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DHSS

The Christian Democratic Party of Serbia is one of the oddest in the world. It has among the least followers of all active political parties in Serbia - and I guess it's obviously why. The organization was created in 1997 by a branch that broke-off from the Democratic Party of Serbia that was more liberal, opposing to Kostunica's authoritarian-based leadership and determined to restore Serbia as a Monarchy after Milosevic's fall (unlike Kostunica's only surface not real regal intentions).

The party is drastically and deeply religious (unlike DSS) and unlike any Christian Democratic or monarchist political party in Serbia (SPO, NS, SDPO, DSS) or even liberal conservative, it's known for its strange liberal views. For example, one of its many proposals were that the Church should be allowed to sanction gay marriages, seeing that God could possibly not be against it. Today, it's the greatest ally of the Liberal Democratic Party after the Social Democratic Union.

DHSS sees the future Serbia as a constitutional parliamentary monarchy, in which the Head of State (the Monarch) has no power absolutely - and all are transferred to the Parliament (switching from semi-presidential to parliamentary system). But to solve the lack of additional popular vote, one of the solutions it presented is that Premiers get elected through popular direct vote. --PaxEquilibrium 21:19, 1 July 2007 (UTC)

That's a very strange mix of views, indeed. —Nightstallion 22:02, 1 July 2007 (UTC)

Interesting, positive, good ways or no-no? --PaxEquilibrium 11:36, 2 July 2007 (UTC)

Mh, well, I'm strictly republican and against any kind of monarchy, but apart from that, they sound quite good. —Nightstallion 13:58, 3 July 2007 (UTC)

But let me say just two words: Sweden and the Netherlands. --PaxEquilibrium 13:07, 17 July 2007 (UTC)

Ulster Unionist Party

How do you define the Ulster Unionist Party? I think that "conservative" is appropriate, but another user doesn't agree with me and there's a small edit war between us. If you think that "conservtive" is not appropriate, I will renounce to this edit warring. Thanks! --Checco 13:21, 2 July 2007 (UTC)

Russian maps

Hi there! I was wondering if you could update the maps in Krais of Russia, Oblasts of Russia, and Autonomous okrugs of Russia. I'll have time to update them myself in a couple of weeks, but if you could do it sooner than that, that'd be great. If not, no worries; I guess a couple of weeks' wait won't be crucial :) Cheers,—Ëzhiki (Igels Hérissonovich Ïzhakoff-Amursky) • (yo?); 20:05, 2 July 2007 (UTC)

I'm afraid I haven't got the source files any longer, so I think you'll do a better job at it than I would... —Nightstallion 14:11, 3 July 2007 (UTC)

No problem, will do. Thanks anyway!—Ëzhiki (Igels Hérissonovich Ïzhakoff-Amursky) • (yo?); 14:25, 3 July 2007 (UTC)

New layout for EU project site

I made this new layout for the top of the EU wikiproject site. I was reverted by Thw1309, (the maker of the old banner) and he said that I needed to contact every member of the project to approve the new design, because it was such a big change.

Old banner

New proposed banner

So please visit the project talk page and write what you think.. Ssolbergj 21:35, 2 July 2007 (UTC)

Signpost updated for July 2nd, 2007.

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EU Enlargement site

Hi! Please allow me to explain my edit on the List of European Union member states by accession. As you probably know this naming issue has been going on for years. We have reached a compromise and a stable situation between the two sides where the "Republic of Macedonia" term is used in most articles, except where the subject of the article in question (in this case the EU and its agreements on accession) use a different term - which makes sense since this is an . The same terminology has been applied to other articles about the EU (including European Union and Enlargement of the European Union in a stable manner for months. Best Regards, sys < in 08:37, 4 July 2007 (UTC).

sighs If we must, though I think it's really high time that Greece *FINALLY* grows up and talks about this like a mature state. It would have been nice if you hadn't made mistakes when editting the article, though. —Nightstallion 11:53, 4 July 2007 (UTC)

What were these mistakes? Other than a formatting issue in the timeline that was immediately fixed, everything else was a 1-to-1 application of the EU nomenclature.sys < in 13:25, 4 July 2007 (UTC)

The formatting of the footnotes was wrong, you changed L2|2 to L1|1. Never mind, I fixed it. —Nightstallion 13:44, 4 July 2007 (UTC)

Popolari UDEUR

After having read their party's constitution (which begins stating: "POPOLARI UDEUR (Union of Democrats for EURope) is a party of..."), I think that the best translation of the name is Popular UDEUR, even if the literal translation is the Populars UDEUR, as Popolari is plural. What is your opinion? Can we find a solution making clear that the name of the party is plural? If not, I think that we should at least move Popular–UDEUR to Popular UDEUR, 'cos there's no hypen in the official name. --Checco 17:39, 6 July 2007 (UTC)

Mh, yeah, I agree with that. —Nightstallion 18:43, 6 July 2007 (UTC)

Good. And for the "plural" can we do something to make people understand? --Checco 19:05, 6 July 2007 (UTC)

Since "popular" is singular and plural as an adjective, anyway, I don't think that's necessary. —Nightstallion 21:58, 6 July 2007 (UTC)

I know, but in Italian Popolari is a substantive not an adjective. --Checco 07:22, 7 July 2007 (UTC)

Yeah, you're right, my mistake; the number doesn't fit since UDEUR is singular. Well, simply add a note about the name stating that technically, it means "Populars UDEUR"... —Nightstallion 07:51, 7 July 2007 (UTC)

Perfect! --Checco 07:52, 7 July 2007 (UTC)

Or, better, that it means "UDEUR Populars", which would be the most precise literal translation. --Checco 07:56, 7 July 2007 (UTC)

The more I think about it, I start to think that we should move Popular UDEUR to UDEUR Popular, which is closer to the literal translation "UDEUR Populars". Sorry if I continue to bother you with these things. --Checco 08:04, 7 July 2007 (UTC)

No problem; then we might as well make it the correct name of UDEUR Populars, though. —Nightstallion 08:17, 7 July 2007 (UTC)

Are you proposing to move Popular UDEUR to UDEUR Populars? --Checco 08:25, 7 July 2007 (UTC)

Aye. What do you think? —Nightstallion 08:30, 7 July 2007 (UTC)

I agree with that. Definitely. --Checco 08:32, 7 July 2007 (UTC)

Done! —Nightstallion 08:35, 7 July 2007 (UTC)

Gladly! --Checco 08:36, 7 July 2007 (UTC)

Re: Djukanovic

Yeah. That will restore him full-scale un-recallable immunity. And to think he actually swore that he's (this time finally) retiring from politics and dedicating to "family business (yep, said that in public; 'cause everyone knows he's a smuggler - including his supporters, who support him mostly because of nationalism or money - to be a successful Montenegrin, you have to be a member of the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro, a political party not matched by strength in Eastern Europe).

If I recall, I predicted that exactly this would happen on this very talk page... although I'm not sure if I should be happy for it. Did you know that the most recent NDI studies show that MNE is a good candidate for the seat of the second most undemocratic country in Europe (and deeply lagging behind all other ex Yu states)?

By the way, the government is (re)building the Serbian military machine. Boris Tadic has stated that "anyone who believes that Serbia can be a Democracy without a strong army as its instrument is wrong". They're expanding its size and replacing old oriental WWII, soviet and third-world war machines and introducing professionalism. Some (me included) are not very fond of this, especially considering that Serbia's fighting potential will have been increased to the top in several months' time (I'm sure it's in good hands... now). --PaxEquilibrium 20:56, 6 July 2007 (UTC)

I'm not sure whether Montenegro is worse than Russia, but yeah, the top six is certainly Belarus, Russia, Montenegro, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Armenia. —Nightstallion 22:00, 6 July 2007 (UTC)

Well surely not worse than Belarus, but definitely worse than Russia.

How are you aware that the 2006 parliamentary and local elections were the very first free democratic election in Montenegro? Do you know that a multi-partial system has now already implanted itself deep within MNE, with the disappearance of the de facto bipartial system? Do you not think that with the emergence of a new democrat opposition at the political stage, the Movement for Changes, the scene is finally shifting?

MNE is much like Serbia in the late 1990s. The ruling coalition is collapsing; and calling on to more extreme manners like nationalism and bribing to stay in power. DPS is presented as the only "Montenegrin party", whereas all the others (excluding SDP and the minorities) are "anti-Montenegrin parties", and foreign accusations regarding criminal records and undemocracy are described as "attacks against the Montenegrin people, all Montenegrins" trying to populistically self-identify the entire Montenegrin nation with DPS (and ergo Milo), while all enemies from the within are "national traitors who do not deserve to be called Montenegrins" (literally). --PaxEquilibrium 14:05, 7 July 2007 (UTC)

Did you hear about new negotiations regarding Kosovo? --PaxEquilibrium 21:02, 6 July 2007 (UTC)

Nothing definite as far as I know... —Nightstallion 22:00, 6 July 2007 (UTC)

Kosovar general elections will most likely be held on 24 November 2007. Joachim delayed the local elections that were supposed to be held last year (every 3 years) because of the status process resolution for exactly one year (international-given mandatory emergency powers). The delay is because expectations of independence of Kosovo. However with problems like these on the scene, there is still question when it will be held.

The negotiations for the Serbian presidential and local elections are about to start, after the current negotiations for splitting public property control: DSS controls nearly all state-owned companies and other firms, with only a tiny bit under NS control and even less for G17. DS naturally wants the biggest share - and DSS (which holds everything ever since the former coalition agreement from 2004) is reluctant on giving up practically anything. This is yet another of the many obstacles expected in this controversial DS&DSS friendship. --PaxEquilibrium 14:05, 7 July 2007 (UTC)

Any source for the date? —Nightstallion 18:08, 7 July 2007 (UTC)

Joachim just hinted that in the Pristina daily. ;) --PaxEquilibrium 14:48, 8 July 2007 (UTC)

By the way, the election threshold ("census") in Kosovo is half percent. --PaxEquilibrium 14:15, 7 July 2007 (UTC)

That's a good threshold. ;) —Nightstallion 18:08, 7 July 2007 (UTC)

Interesting point on new negotiations on Kosovo: this article (http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2122139,00.html) seems well-sourced and hints that the US might be giving up on a quick resolution. Certainly it would be very abnormal to present more than a few redrafts of a resolution - it becomes clear that it will not pass. Everything else beyond is speculation but it would seem that the prospect is being discussed (see Ahtisaari's comments in that article). I can imagine that if the present proposal failed (for now) that it would be best 'presentationally' (not least in Kosovo) to restart negotiations rather than leave the suspicion that independence has been given up on. PolScribe 14:45, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

Logo of Democratic Left

I want you to know that in it.Wiki, in the article about Democratic Left there's the party logo (note that the initials of Per il Socialismo Europeo are PSE, Italian acronym for PES) and that it is possible to upload it from the party website. --Checco 07:38, 7 July 2007 (UTC) So can you upload the image? --Checco 09:44, 9 July 2007 (UTC)

Sorry, forgot about it. Done now. —Nightstallion 09:59, 9 July 2007 (UTC)

Thanks!! --Checco 18:45, 9 July 2007 (UTC)

Election

CeSID has immediately started its first analysis. It appears that only 2.2 million people will be willing to vote on local elections after all those... and:

• Serbian Radical Party - 32%
• Democratic Party - 26%
• Democratic Party of Serbia - 13%
• Socialist Party of Serbia - 8%
• Liberal Democratic Party - 6%
• G17 Plus - 5%
• Serbian Renewal Movement - 3%

While in regards to the Presidential elections as well as in general, CeSID searched for the most popular politicians in Serbia (it appears Boris will be able to beat Toma in the first round, unlike in the previous election):

• Boris Tadic - 14%
• Tomislav Nikolic - 10%
• Vojislav Kostunica - 7%

— Preceding unsigned comment added by PaxEquilibrium (talk • contribs)

Well, that's good news -- at least the Radicals aren't gaining votes. ;) —Nightstallion 07:55, 9 July 2007 (UTC)

Keep on mind the potentially drastically low turnout as well as the well-known fact that polls are just never quite very predictable. Also, I don't see any reason for unexpected things - because the Radicals have a static electoral body ever since the early 1990s.

By the way, 2 questions:

1. Do you think the Razor will get elected for President in his banana republic again?

2. What do you think of the American administration system? --PaxEquilibrium 13:07, 9 July 2007 (UTC)

I'd prefer it if they had a shrinking electoral body, but better than nothing. ;)

I'm afraid Milo has good chances of being reelected... though that might depend on how the constitution crisis goes. Regarding the United States, I still think that the election system is absolutely horrible, and I'm regularily amazed at HOW FAR to the right of the European political centre the United States' politics are... I mean, Berlusconi, Fini, Schüssel and Strache would be Democrats in the United States, not Republicans... sighs —Nightstallion 17:30, 9 July 2007 (UTC)

Bear on mind that this will be the very first free democratic presidential election in MNE. Things ought to be different. --PaxEquilibrium 14:46, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

I certainly hope so... —Nightstallion 14:53, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

---

Argh! G17+ says that it will support DS's Boris Tadic as a presidential candidate, but Kostunica said that he will present a DSS candidate...! What's worse, there's still no compromise regarding state property, because DSS (and NS) wants to keep control over most of the public firms! And they're stalling the negotiations for the elections this way. --PaxEquilibrium 21:25, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

Still, nothing to worry about, right? Tadic will simply win in the second round, then. —Nightstallion 07:59, 13 July 2007 (UTC)

DSS's incredibly stubborn and highly non-proportional domination over Serbia's assets is a big thing to worry about... it practically makes me think that they want to act like they lost nothing in the last election (what will await when the people further punishes them at the next election?).

Also all this stalling doesn't smell good. It's mostly that DSS wants to show how the government is bad and acting poorly, and then blaming it all upon DS. Some (note: I myself do not believe in this secondary version) also say that they want Serbia to lose Kosovo and then brake the coalition, blaming the loss Kosovo all on DS; and snatching a big part of SRS's and SPS's cake. --PaxEquilibrium 19:01, 13 July 2007 (UTC)

I very much doubt that that will succeed, Serbians aren't that stupid. —Nightstallion 10:25, 14 July 2007 (UTC)

It doesn't matter if any Serbian is that stupid - the problem is that the moment Kosovo becomes independent, we'll have millions of extremely frustrated (to the like of most today's Kosovars) individuals that will, completely in an euphoric state of rage and blinded by nationalism, without doubt go for action (unrests); which includes voting for any revisionist force in elections. What will occur is actually pretty much the same that was in the 1990s (at the very end). For you know the power of frustrated masses - this very frustration is what made practically everyone (including a great part of modern day Serb Radicals) vote for the DOS. --PaxEquilibrium 22:10, 14 July 2007 (UTC)

Mh. D'you really think a majority for the Radicals is possible? —Nightstallion 22:25, 14 July 2007 (UTC)

Alone? No. Never. But a combined alliance of the most extreme to moderate revisionist forces - well, we're actually practically looking at it right now knocking at our doorstep (remember that it also unsuccessfully broke in a while ago). --PaxEquilibrium 23:39, 14 July 2007 (UTC)

Let's hope for the best, then... As you said, a two-way choice between democrats and radicals might push Serbia into the right direction... —Nightstallion 23:48, 14 July 2007 (UTC)

Albanians

High-ranking leading Albanian intellectuals from Albania, Macedonia and Kosovo have gathered in Tetovo (northwest Macedonia) and held an assembly. They have concluded that all Albanians in the world should fight/lobby for independence of Kosovo and the solution of the status of the Presevo Albanians. They're prepared to enlist an army of 10,000 veterans from the 2001 Macedonian Civil War and dispatch them to Kosovo to prepare for an armed conflict. They criticize and urge the international community for its slow actions. The leading Macedonian Albanian politicians state that they are prepared for war and that if the Kosovo Status Process is even further prolonged, they're going to reopen the question of "Ilirida".

The members of the gathering concluded that independence of Kosovo must occur as soon as possibly and that this is only the beginning of the national unification of the Albanians in the Balkans. They call upon the 1998 resolution of the Albanian Academy of Sciences and Arts that calls for the creation of a Greater Albania, demanding some sort of unification of Albania, Kosovo and "Ilirida". --PaxEquilibrium 14:46, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

sighs Kosovar independence is the only option there is, since Serbia wouldn't even know what to do with Kosovo if it retained it, but the rest... sighs —Nightstallion 14:51, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

Hope you don't mind me butting in. Interesting news Pax: do you think this assembly has any moral force? How will the political leaders in Kosovo respond? Is this the starting point of unrest? How would Kosovo Albanians respond to 'new' negotiations?

And Nightstallion, whilst a return to the status quo ante is clearly impossible, there are lots of not-quite-independence options which the US would probably have to accept even if Kosovo Albanians saw that as a betrayal. PolScribe 15:22, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

Considering that its members belong to the intellectual elite - yes, but only in Macedonia and (to great extent) Kosovo; not Albania itself (which is one of the main reasons why it was held outside Albania). Since the situation is already pretty unstable down there (Kosovo and the surroundings), I wouldn't dare call it a starting point of unrest. The important Kosovar political leaders will respond differently, I think that most (of the Provisional Institutions of Self-government) will (two-prong) both (indirectly) support it, but also criticize that it's only a result of the international community and Serbia's stalling of the Kosovo Status Process. I don't think that masses of the population will be able to accept nicely new negotiations. The PISG will have a hard task convincing them (again), but I think they will manage again. However this is bound to further strengthen the VETËVENDOSJE! self-determination movement, whose protests are already deeply disturbing normal life in Kosovo and are (very rapidly) becoming violent riots.

George Bush is the most popular man amongst the Albanians (or in Albania). Polls show that Albanians like him more than Americans (even next to the incident in which some thief stole his watch in Tirana), proportionally. An interesting poll also shows that more than 60% Albanians would like Bush for President of Albania. He is not likely to change his opinion on Kosovo's independence... ever. --PaxEquilibrium 19:06, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

---

The Self-determination! movement members have recently executed puppets of Albanian members of the negotiating teams in the town square in Pristina and "shelled" (with toilet paper) PISG's Parliament. --PaxEquilibrium 15:11, 15 July 2007 (UTC)

The Military history WikiProject Newsletter: Issue XVI (June 2007)

The Military history WikiProject Newsletter Issue XVI (June 2007)
Project news The contest department has completed another month of competition. The leader for this month, with 16 points, is Kevin Myers; Carom and Cla68 tied for second place with 10 points each. Kevin is also the overall leader, with 36 points in total. All project members are encouraged to submit the articles they're working on as entries. Work has begun on a publication about the military history of Athens. A number of new subject-area contacts have been approved; we are looking for more capable editors to join this program. A brief history of the project has been compiled.		Current proposals and discussions A proposal to standardize the layout of navigational templates is being discussed. Several category reorganization and renaming proposals have been made; comments are welcome!
Articles of note New featured articles: AHS Centaur Battle of Cape Esperance USS New Jersey (BB-62) New A-Class articles: Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope Battle of Arras (1917) Battle of Red Cliffs Ironclad warship Michael Brown Okinawa assault incident Victoria Cross	Awards and honors Noclador has been awarded the WikiChevrons with Oak Leaves in recognition of his outstanding work on structural graphics for land-based forces worldwide, his contributions to the Alpini and other regiments, and all his other military graphics.
To stop receiving this newsletter, or to receive it in a different format, please list yourself in the appropriate section here.

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Signpost updated for July 9th, 2007.

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We Blue Reformers

Can you move We Blue Reformists to We Blue Reformers? This is the correct translation of the official name which is Noi Riformatori Azzurri and not Noi Riformisti Azzurri (as you can see here). Thanks. --Checco 09:50, 10 July 2007 (UTC) Thanks. --Checco 10:10, 10 July 2007 (UTC)

Gladly. —Nightstallion 10:45, 10 July 2007 (UTC)

Jamaica

Thanks for fixing my edit to the article Jamaican general election, 2007! I wanted to post the news more in depth but didn't really know the format =) Chrysaora 16:07, 10 July 2007 (UTC)

Gladly! Just drop the news in the article as it comes, I'll format and edit it. :) —Nightstallion 07:44, 11 July 2007 (UTC)

La Costituente Socialista

How do you translate La Costituente Socialista in English? "The Socialist Constituent Assembly" seems to mee too long and partially incorrect, but we need to keep in mind that costituente in Italian can be both an adjective and a sustantive. Are "The Socialist Constituent" or "The Socialist Convention" possible options? --Checco 09:05, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

I'd still go with "Socialist Constituent Assembly", as that is the more logical English title; we can always note that literally translated it's "Socialist Constituent". —Nightstallion 09:17, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

Ok. Maybe it is time to start an article on it, as there is one on it.Wiki (it:La Costituente Socialista: not a good article anyway, I made some little changes but it continues to be at least superficial). --Checco 09:22, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

Certainly a very good idea! —Nightstallion 09:27, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

I started the article and made many changes on the related pages, including those about the parties which won't be part of the Costituente. --Checco 12:57, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

I noticed; great work, again. :) —Nightstallion 12:59, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

Flag of Turkey and Ottoman flag

An editor by the name of SEY01 keeps re-adding what seems to me to be original research, and incorrect original research at that (see his talk page), to these two articles. Since I've been reverting with him I don't want to be the one to give him official warnings against policy violation, so I was wondering if you could take a look at the articles (the OR is the addition of an image from an astronomy program purporting to show why a certain origin of the flag is likely correct), see if you consider it to be original research yourself, and if so, give an appropriate warning to the user. Thanks. Lexicon (talk) 12:09, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

I tried asking nicely once more. —Nightstallion 12:53, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

Thanks. Lexicon (talk) 13:29, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

United Kingdom reform treaty referendum

Nightstallion. You deleted this page without discussion or explanation. Can you explain why you deleted it and why you did so without discussion? Please refer to this article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/10/neu110.xml if you're not conversant with the discussions in the UK on a referendum. Many thanks. PolScribe 14:15, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

Simple, it was a 100 per cent copy of United Kingdom European Constitution referendum. If you want to write about it, write something new -- and even they, I don't really think it's worth an article yet, I'd just put the information into a subsection in Reform Treaty. (BTW, if it *WERE* worthy of an article, it'd be United Kingdom Reform Treaty referendum). —Nightstallion 14:17, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

No it wasn't a copy the introduction was totally new and all of the old parts of the former article were removed. Most of the discussion of the promise to hold a referendum are still relevant, as are the positions of the British parties which have not changed, as is clear from the British press. Putting a large section in the Reform Treaty page would unbalance that page in favour of the UK and referenda. I'll go ahead and create a page with the title you suggest. Thanks. PolScribe 14:24, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

It was definitely not totally new, but fine, whatever. (Leaving the European Constitution referenda template in was kind of a big hint that you copied almost all of the content from the old article, BTW.) —Nightstallion 14:26, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

Nightstallion, I spent the best part of an hour amending and redacting and adding new text based on the article on the referendum on the constitution treaty. Perhaps you saw the constitution referenda template and drew a conclusion from that. In fact, the substance of the debate about a referendum on the reform treaty and on the constitution treaty in the UK are the same and so the text needs to be 50% or more the same, updated and refreshed. I have had a hard time trying to work out how to create a new referenda template for the reform treaty. No offence taken, though - I'll just work through the whole thing a second time! Thanks again. PolScribe 14:34, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

It's no problem to undelete the article and move it over to the correct name (which I'll do momentarily to save your time), but still, I doubt whether it's worth an article right now while the Reform Treaty has not yet even been drafted... —Nightstallion 14:41, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

Flag of Turkey

Hi, big brother of Lexicon. You should figure out where the image comes/linked from first, then pretend to be a tough guy to threaten me to be blocked. Okay? SEY01 06:58, 14 July 2007 (UTC)

I'm not his big brother, I'm just another administrator, and what I said remains true regardless of your opinion of the matter -- if you cannot cite the source of the claim, it will be removed from the article as original research; and continuously vandalising an article like that could result in you being blocked. I did not threaten you in any way, I just stated the likely consequences. (I certainly wouldn't be the one to block you, as I have also editted the article and am thus not neutral in the issue.) —Nightstallion 10:24, 14 July 2007 (UTC)

It is surprising to see wording of your answer here, as if someone else has written this sentence to my talkpage... "I have to agree with Lexicon. It's clearly original research (read WP:OR for details), and as such your additions to this article will continue to be reverted indefinitely by other editors; it could even lead to you being blocked, so simply stop it. Okay? —Nightstallion 12:53, 12 July 2007 (UTC)" Or more politic at your talkpage?

Check Lexicon's page for the answer. page :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_talk:Lexicon#Flag_of_Turkey SEY01 06:03, 16 July 2007 (UTC)

You do not even understand what we are discussing about. You'd better check my talkpage to catch the subject... SEY01 14:13, 16 July 2007 (UTC)

MfD nomination of User:UBX/sex

I've nominated User:UBX/sex, a page you created, for deletion. Your opinions on the matter are welcome; please participate in the discussion by adding your comments at Wikipedia:Miscellany for deletion/User:UBX/sex and please be sure to sign your comments with four tildes (~~~~). You are free to edit the content of User:UBX/sex during the discussion but should not remove the miscellany for deletion template from the top of the page; such removal will not end the deletion discussion. Thank you. ZapBoy ^{(contribs) (sign here)} 16:32, 14 July 2007 (UTC)

Template help

Can you get this to align properly? I added some numbers to it and now things are showing up in the wrong columns, and I can't figure out why. Everyking 14:55, 15 July 2007 (UTC)

You had one row too many, and there were also too many columns in the two party rows within the coalition. —Nightstallion 15:12, 15 July 2007 (UTC)

Kosovo and other

Do you think that USA and EU are actually slightly giving in to Russia's demands with all these new proposals for the new resolution regarding Kosovo?

BTW Bosnia and Herzegovina OHR has authorized special links between Republika Srpska and Serbia. RS Parliament authorized it. But National Assembly of Serbia has been discussing it whole day. The LDP and VP do not want it at all, while the Radicals are furious with the deprivation of Serb Republic's statehood and special recognitions of BiH sovereignty in the treaty, and especially with DS's proposals to propose the treaty to the Federation as well, expanding its special friendship to all of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. --PaxEquilibrium 21:53, 16 July 2007 (UTC)

Yeah, I'm afraid it seems they are giving ground. It seems Russia has decided that this will be the first time it shows it's a "great power" again... I see no real resolution to this except unilaterally declared independence, but I really don't like the prospects there currently are...

Regarding the treaty, DS's proposals sound quite good to me. ;) —Nightstallion 08:17, 17 July 2007 (UTC)

Told ya they'll go this far. ;S I'd really like an international solution (with Serbian acceptance, possibly through negotiations with the Kosovar Albanians) very, very much.

It's bad to present the lack of authority of the Security Council - because ergo the institution will be self-abolished, and thus the whole United Nations would surely fade... --PaxEquilibrium 10:29, 17 July 2007 (UTC)

Yeah, but I doubt they'll be able to agree to anything -- even Tadic doesn't support Kosovar independence, though I really don't get why. What the hell would Serbia do with Kosovo as part of its territory? They'll never be able to get along living in the same state, they can't support Kosovo financially, ... —Nightstallion 10:39, 17 July 2007 (UTC)

I guess that's because of the people, and mostly the forthcoming election. If Boris Tadic stands now in open support of Kosovo's independence, he will have deeply jeopardized his chances to be elected for President of the Republic of Serbia in late October this year. This is probably the main issue, but keep on mind that he always mentions that he does not represent the people that voted for him - but all the people in Serbia. And most recent polls show a change in Serbia. If you recall, before the people in largest number expected Kosovo to become independent, or was neutral at best - but modern polling shows that now most citizens of Serbia are convinced that the current government will be able to keep Kosovo within the national borders. Remember the most recent parliamentary election: see the only option that openly supports Kosovar independence and its results (LDP-GSS-SDU-LSV). Those are all the politically conscious citizens of Serbia that openly want Kosovo to become independent - and the figure barely exceeds 6%. I mean, is actually Boris Tadic a nationalist or simply politically clever and honorable? Keep in the very end that he's the Head of State of a country with very defined international borders - which do include the territory of Kosovo. --PaxEquilibrium 13:04, 17 July 2007 (UTC)

Still, what's the use if Serbia can not even economically handle the challenge that Kosovo is, not to mention ethnic and social issues? —Nightstallion 13:06, 17 July 2007 (UTC)

Well Serbia is supporting Kosovo all the time. The entire electric structure (powering) of Kosovo bases on regular (either donated or meagerly charged) energy fueling. After the UN as a general, Serbia is the greatest investor (as an individual country) in Kosovo. For this, 2007, out of the total state budget the current government had taken out 1.6 billion for investments in Kosovo. The new Government even now has a "Ministry for Kosovo and Metohija". For before, Kostunica's aims were to just help the Serb people solely, but the PISG leaders state that it won't allow any special links of certain parts (with Serb populace) to have links to Belgrade, but all of Kosovo - and ergo all donations are transferred into PISG's treasury. In a way, Belgrade is partially financing the Kosovar Albanian negotiating team - which the SRS often mention, saying that Serbia shouldn't offer a cent to Kosovo, and bring help to the Serb-populated areas forcibly. ;X This new government no longer wants to help just Serbs, but is dedicated at helping all of Kosovo as stated in its program.

As for the other problems - well, Serbia does not want to mettle in them at all. In Belgrade's proposals for the final solution of the Kosovo status, Kosovo will be a separate "state entity", only officially within Serbia - ergo all problems within Kosovo's borders would be Kosovo's problems, and not Serbia's - as long as it's mandated by the Human Rights guarantees of Serbia's Constitution. Belgrade wants, in effect, just for Kosovo to stay in Serbia (just officially or other) - it's not even interested in extending sovereignty over it at all.

In the very end - what makes you think that the institutions of a new state could handle the ethnic and social challenges at all (independent or within Serbia). And an independent Kosovo will most definitely not receive scandal back in the past, in which the Kosovar Electrodistribution (then with an Albanian nationalist in office) deliberately cut off all powering of North Kosovo several years ago, just to make the Serb people there convince Serbia to send aid to the whole of Kosovo (because PISG doesn't allow individual help).

But all this doesn't fall down whether it is a good thing (moral or otherwise) for Boris Tadic to support an independent Kosovo - but to the point that he effectively can't. He especially cannot go against the Government of the Republic of Serbia, which's 1 of 5 key principles is that Kosovo-Metohija must stay within Serbia - and the especially the very largest ruling political party of which he's a member. --PaxEquilibrium 13:32, 17 July 2007 (UTC)

Don't get me wrong, I don't doubt the *intentions* of the current government to help all of Kosovo -- I just think that to get Kosovo running and functioning again, a lot more money is needed than Serbia can spare, and I think international donors (especially EU ones) will be more reluctant to donate and support in the case of a solution for the status issue with which the Kosovar Albanians are not satisfied, due to the high risk of another clash... I blame neither the (current) Serbian nor Kosovar governments for the current issue, but I strongly believe that the only permanent solution to this is a clean cut, Kosovar independence and strong economic support for Kosovo. The problem is that I really don't know what kind of incentives Serbia would need or accept for such a decision to be implemented... —Nightstallion 05:52, 18 July 2007 (UTC)

I do: independent Republika Srpska and nothing, anything else. The stalling of Kosovo's status is actually Serbia's counting for the solution for Bosnian Serbs' status. And trust me - that and that alone will satisfy the Serbian elite. The majority of the people included - polling stations show that between 60% and 70% of the Kosovar independence opposing would be satisfied if Kosovo and RS both get their independence - and analysts say that it would also delete the general opinion in Serbia of a Serbophobia at the west.

I would've said imminent signing of the Stabilization and Association and becoming an EU candidate - but European Union has stated clearly (as per Carla del Ponte's wishes) that no such thing can be done without cooperation with the ICTY. In addition to that, the European leaders have stated that (changing their opinion) EuroAtlantic integrations have nothing to do with Kosovo and pointing out that Serbia could even end up as Cyprus - entering EU with a large territory that broke off.

By the way, I'd personally put a little doubt in there - because of its slightly controversial Prime Minister. ;) --PaxEquilibrium 13:18, 18 July 2007 (UTC)

Yeah, Kostunica would make me doubt the governments intentions, as well. ;) I doubt that RS will attain independence, though -- it would mean waiting about a decade longer for EU membership, for one thing... Apart from that, wouldn't it be rather Misoserbia instead of Serbophobia? I'm getting the impression the Radicals claim the West ist *AGAINST* Serbia, not *AFRAID* of Serbia... Still, we'll see. —Nightstallion 07:25, 19 July 2007 (UTC)

---

Dammit. Western experts now bid the solution of Kosovar independence by April of 2008. --PaxEquilibrium 20:53, 17 July 2007 (UTC)

Yeah, and I've read something about a proposed international conference (akin to the Congress of Vienna or the Yalta Conference) to decide the issue -- which would be an easy way to get around Russia's veto... (I still think they'll be invited to participate in the conference for legitimacy issues, but I'm not sure whether they'll come.) —Nightstallion 05:52, 18 July 2007 (UTC)

Actually, a conference still couldn't overrule the Security Council. This is a problem because until 1244 is officially removed (which was part of the recent proposed resolution) there is an official UN backing for Serbian sovereignty and territorial integrity. So there's a bit of a problem as Russian support would still be needed. That means that any EU engagement in a Kosovo which declared UDI would be in a difficult legal situation (i.e. it could be challenged in European courts as being against a UN resolution). So the EU states won't back a UDI, which would leave an independent Kosovo as a sort of Northern Cyprus of the Balkans. And if 1244 exists then a 'civil presence' under 1244 still exists, and which would be legally required to strike down any UDI, which would lead to violence either way and even if unsuccessful would lead to an independent Kosovo against UN rules.

All sounds very tricky. Hence the calls for independence on 28 November which would at least keep the situation calm until after the elections. As long as talks 'carry on', the US and senior Kosovo politicians can claim that independence is edging nearer, even if it looks, well, deceased... DSuser 17:57, 21 July 2007 (UTC)

2008 Slovenia commemorative coin

Hello!

I have noticed you added a piece of information in the article €2 commemorative coins about Slovenia releasing a commemorative coin in 2008 for the 500th birthday of Primož Trubar. I was just wondering which source did you get this information from as the website of the Bank of Slovenia doesn't say anything about this.

Thanks! edolen1 20:48, 17 July 2007 (UTC)

My source was this one. Did I forget to add it to the article ...? Damn. ^_^; Sorry! —Nightstallion 05:53, 18 July 2007 (UTC)

Interesting. Thanks for the link! edolen1 15:45, 19 July 2007 (UTC)

The Novels WikiProject Newsletter: Issue XIV - July 2007

Archives  |  Tip Line  |  Editors The Novels WikiProject Newsletter Issue XIV - July 2007
Project news The demand for fair use rationales for book covers has generated a discussion among wikipedians and also WP:NOVELS members. See the discussion here it has some potentially very important ideas to consider and possibly contribute to. Member news The project has currently 247 members, 11 joined & 0 leavers since the last newsletter at the start of June 2007 Other news The French and Francophone literature portal was created in June. Novel related news The Novel - (author notes by kind permission of Gregory David Roberts) What is a novel? What are the elements that must be found in any piece of writing for it to be considered a novel? I think it fair to say that traditional definitions of the word “novel” work along these lines: A novel is a fictitious prose story of book length. In my view, a novel has six basic elements: 1) It must have a society of characters; 2) They must be undergoing transformations; 3) And those must be in the course of a sustained prose narrative; 4) The sustained prose narrative must be impelled by a plot; 5) And it must be unified by clearly discernible central themes; 6) And to the extent possible, it must be universalised by a complex architecture of allegorical and symbolical sub-strata. If I write those six basic elements into a single definition, I come up with this: A novel is a society of characters, undergoing transformations, in the course of a sustained prose narrative, which is impelled by a plot, unified by clearly discernible central themes, and universalised by a complex architecture of allegorical and symbolical sub-strata. item courtesy of Boylo (talk · contribs) Current debates After lengthy discussions about the {{Infobox_Book}} it has settled down at a possibly permanent layout. Any suggestions are still of course welcome. Also the important book cover debate mentioned first above.	From the Members Welcome to the fourteenth issue of the Novels WikiProject's newsletter! Use this newsletter as a mechanism to inform yourselves about progress at the project and please be inspired to take more active roles in what we do. We would encourage all members to get more involved and if you are wondering what with, please ask. Kevinalewis : (Talk Page)/(Desk), Initiating Editor Collaboration of the Month This month's Collaboration has been selected by popular vote and is Live and Let Die (novel). Newsletter challenge Last month's Pity is Not Enough challenge was quickly written by our two eager Novel's WP members Imasleepviking (talk · contribs) and Yllosubmarine (talk · contribs) from the US. The first person to start the article is mentioned in the next newsletter. This month's article is Sinclair Ross' As For Me and My House.
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List of Christian denominations by number of members

In List of Christian denominations by number of members I have a dispute with User:N-edits. As we are only two in the dispute, I was asking myself if you can check at it, especially taking a look to the history of the article. --Checco 07:18, 20 July 2007 (UTC)

So, what can we do about it? --Checco 08:27, 20 July 2007 (UTC)

Regarding "Potential candidates"

You're invited to comment at Template talk:United States presidential election, 2008 navigation, on this proposal:

Proposed deletion of "potential" categories from template.

Cheers, Italiavivi 03:12, 22 July 2007 (UTC)

Urgent request

Hi Nightstallion. Please could you revert your edit to Template:langWithName adding italics, as it is transferring this to template:lang-he, and Hebrew really doesn't look good in italics. Thanks, Number 57 08:21, 23 July 2007 (UTC).

Thanks, Number 57 08:23, 23 July 2007 (UTC)

TKP move

Hi,

I noticed you've moved the Communist Party of Turkey page. I think that this should be reverted, since the TKP namings are far more complicated than just two parties. In my count there are at least 5 parties that have had the name Communist Party of Turkey, and the differentation historical/current doesn't cover those distinctions. ~sinc, --Soman 08:39, 23 July 2007 (UTC)

Could you give me a quick list? If there's just two, we usually do it like this; if there's more, we usually put (year–year) for the historical ones and (current) for the current one; if there's more than one current one, it'd be (current, year–) for them. —Nightstallion 08:43, 23 July 2007 (UTC)

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Stalking

I have come to the end of my tether. The campaign by User:Mallimak and his countless dynamic IP sockpuppets has now descended to pure stalking behaviour. The Wikipedia community cannot allow this behaviour to continue. I am asking you, and other Admins and Users who have had to deal with Mallimak in the past, to review the situation. Please see:

• User_talk:SFC9394#Firm_guidance_to_door_required

--Mais oui! 10:06, 26 July 2007 (UTC)

Edits to Template:Japanese House of Councillors election, 2007

Hi

I reverted your edits to Template:Japanese House of Councillors election, 2007 since it is also beeing used in Japanese House of Councillors election, 2004. I think it should be further discussed any changed to that template. --Jonte-- 14:00, 29 July 2007 (UTC)

I think my format is superior to the one used in 2004 and 2007. At the very least, the size of the template could be reduced and streamlined quite simply. —Nightstallion 12:28, 30 July 2007 (UTC)

Kosovo parliamentary elections

Hey Nightstallion. Let's discuss. Check out the phrasing we use over at the Kosovo and Kosovo status process pages. The term 'Kosovar' is a politically-charged phrase which many take offence to. The standard English adjective for Kosovo is Kosovo. Kosovar implies statehood for Kosovo, though some international sources do occasionally use it without having understood this. The standard adopted by the UN (particularly UNMIK) but also by, for instance, Contact Group members, is not to use the term. Kosovo is the adjective and Kosovo Serbs and Kosovo Albanians are the terms used for the ethnic groups. Can we agree a stable title? DSuser 15:47, 29 July 2007 (UTC)

I have made a new suggestion to settle this at Template talk:Serbian local elections. Number 57 08:20, 30 July 2007 (UTC)

I've responded to Number57 as well. 'Kosovan' is a better adjective than 'Kosovar' but the international standard is still definitely 'Kosovo'. Take a look at this press release from UNMIK: [1], 'With the gradual handover to Kosovo institutions', rather than 'Kosovan' or 'Kosovar'. This is the formulation used in all international settings and for good reason: impartiality. We've adopted the same formulation in the Wikipedia pages on Kosovo and it seems to be stable and have general support. DSuser 08:44, 30 July 2007 (UTC)

Republican Referendum 1999 in Australian external territories and self-determination referendum 1984 on Cocos (Keeling) Islands

I’m a novice in Wikipedia, but I noticed that you are a strong republican as well as me. I see that you know too much information, that you can help to answer to my questions. I have many questions to you on this issue, and I think that if you don’t know answers now, it will be interest to find them and for yourself too. Now I ask you two questions.

1. How voted inhabitants of external Australian territories: islanders of Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Christmas Island and Norfolk Island on Republican referenda in Australia on November 6th, 1999? How many people voted for Republic (and in per cents too), and how many - against?

2. What options was included in the questions of referenda on Cocos (Keeling) Islands on self-determination on April 6th, 1984 (Independence, part of Australia, dependent territory of Australia, anybody else)? How islanders voted? How many people voted for any option (and in per cents too)? If you can’t answer to me right now, please give me references if you know. --User:212.98.173.133 21:32 30.07.2007 (UTC)

I'm afraid I can't really help you there -- in fact, I had never heard of the Cocos Islands referendum up till now... Sorry, but other users like User:Lholden may be a better person to ask. :) —Nightstallion 20:34, 30 July 2007 (UTC)

Thanks for quick answer.

(About referenda 1984) The materials about 1984 self-determination referenda on Cocos (Keeling) islands must be located in Fourth UN Committee, but I can’t to find them. Unfortunately, I was a witness of events of that times, I saw it in the news on TV and even I red those documents, but I don’t attached importance to this event then. Can I ask once more questions? Do you can give me your e-mail? --User:212.98.173.133 21:58 30.07.2007 (UTC)

You can e-mail me via the "e-mail this user" link to the left side. —Nightstallion 21:00, 30 July 2007 (UTC)

I don't found your e-mail. My e-mail: zubr1964@yandex.ru --User:212.98.173.133 22:40 30.07.2007 (UTC)

thanks man!

I've posted my thoughts on the 2007 Swazi general strike; my interest when it comes to Africa is mainly the [DR] Congo (former Zaire). However the article was interesting. One thing: I added to ISO 3166-1 a note stating that St.-Barth and St.-Martin will recieve codes. Have you heard anything on this? - Thanks, Hoshie 05:27, 31 July 2007 (UTC)

I've seen it, thanks. I'm afraid I haven't seen anything at all on this yet, but they regularily take half a year and longer for these decisions -- and it appears that the communities actually were only officially established on 25 July, after the regional elections there, and not in February as we had thought... So it may take until early 2008. —Nightstallion 08:36, 31 July 2007 (UTC)

Thanks again man! I agree with ya except for one thing: The new statuses took effect on 15 July; see [2]. From what I tell happened in February was that the law creating the COMs took effect in France. It took effect in the islands on the date above. Besides that I have no idea what caused the gap; I called "COM on paper". :) As for codes, I have a feeling that Saint Barth will be assigned the code 'SQ' and Saint-Martin 'SR' in FIPS 10-4, as this is what the factbook filenames are; the same just happened to the SBA's on Cyprus! See [3] - Thanks, Hoshie 09:17, 3 August 2007 (UTC)

Quite interesting, but that does not yet mean that those will be the ISO codes, as well... ;) Though the sovereign base areas should have ISO codes as well, if you ask me. We'll see when ISO finally gets around to dealing with SB and SM... —Nightstallion 09:46, 3 August 2007 (UTC)

Re: the SBA's on Cyprus: I wrote to the ISO about adding codes for them to the standard. They told me to write to the SBA Gov't. I haven't done so because I feel it would be improper for me as a foreigner to do so. - Thanks, Hoshie 01:42, 9 August 2007 (UTC)

Not at all, not at all! Do write them about it -- or if you don't want to, tell me the address and what you would say and I'll write it. ;) Did you ask them anything else, possibly about SB and SM? —Nightstallion 06:49, 9 August 2007 (UTC)

Check your email in a few hours; I'll send the email addresses for the FCO and the SBAA to you. I don't feel right posting them in public. - Thanks, Hoshie 23:09, 9 August 2007 (UTC)

Referendum of September, 28th, 1958 in French colonies

Do you can to help me with information about Constitutional referendum on September, 28th, 1958 in French colonies what retain colonies now (under different shields as well as overseas department or overseas collectivity) namely: Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Reunion, New Caledonia, French Polynesia; also: Comoros (including Mayotte), Saint-Martin (within Guadeloupe), Saint-Barthelemy (within Guadeloupe), Wallis and Futuna (within New Caledonia).

1) I interested in (for each colony):

A) How many voters took place in referendum (and how many in per cents);

B) How many people voted for New Constitution (and how many in per cents);

C) How many people voted for New Constitution (and how many in per cents);

D) How voted inhabitants of later created territories (as a result of secession from largest colonies)?

2) Could overseas departments (French Guiana, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Reunion) to secede from French Colonial Empire and became an independent countries according to conditions of referendum if them rejected proposal draft Constitution, as well as Republic of Guinea done it. --User:212.98.173.133 20:16 31.07.2007 (UTC)

I'm afraid I don't know the answers to 1), but to 2): Yes, they certainly could have become independent, had they wanted to. —Nightstallion 20:27, 31 July 2007 (UTC)

My second question links with conditions of referenda of 1958 but not with current time. --User:212.98.173.133 20:56 31.07.2007 (UTC)

Mh, good question then; I don't know, I'm afraid. —Nightstallion 21:07, 31 July 2007 (UTC)

Self-determination referendums on Northern Mariana Islands before 1975 and on Guam of 1976, 1980, 1982 and 1987

Do you have any information about self-determination referendums on Northern Mariana Islands before 1975 and on Guam of 1976, 1980, 1982 and 1987? --User:212.98.173.133 21:07 31.07.2007 (UTC)

No specific data, but AFAIK, both opted for Commonwealth status; NMI got it, while Guam has not got it up to now, being ignored by the U.S. on this mostly... —Nightstallion 21:12, 31 July 2007 (UTC)

Thanks, I know it. On referenda of 1987 majority of voters on Guam voted for commonwealth status. But they not achieve it 'til now. --User:212.98.173.133 21:25 31.07.2007 (UTC)

Re. Debate on the correct adjective for Kosovo

Thanks for telling me about this discussion, Nightstallion. Just out of curiosity, how did you find out I'm interested in Balkan issues? :-) Best regards, Húsönd 01:11, 1 August 2007 (UTC)

Gladly! It's simple: You're linked to from WP Montenegro. ;) —Nightstallion 05:13, 1 August 2007 (UTC)

EU in lists

Hey, I added by two (euro)cents to area list, I don't have time to go through them all right now though. Is there a central debate on this for all of it? Oh and if helps and I haven't commented, you might want to link to my User:JLogan/Spade rant to make a quick point on the status of the EU. Not perfect but might keep them busy. - J Logan ^t: 17:17, 1 August 2007 (UTC)

Yeah, there's a central discussion which will be linked to tomorrow; please contribute there as soon as it's announced. —Nightstallion 17:46, 1 August 2007 (UTC)

Prosecution of Republican propaganda and active Republican parties in current monarchies

1. Please, invite me all countries (monarchies), where Republican agitation prohibited by the law. (And what penalty for each country?)

2. Do you can to invite me all monarchies, where Republican parties operates now. I don’t ascribe to Republican all parties, what reject of Republican ideas for current benefits (seats in parliament) as well as do it some Swedish and Danish pseudorepublicans.

Do you want to make template of them? --User:212.98.173.133 20:46 03.08.2007 (UTC)

1. Frankly, no idea. Most likely all of the Arabian monarchical states, certainly none of the Europeans, save possible Liechtenstein and less likely Monaco.

2. Republicanism is quite strong as a movement in Spain and Sweden, that's all I know; Republican movements and/or parties also quite likely exist in virtually all the other European and/or Commonwealth monarchies. Regarding Sweden, you're mistaken. There's been a Republican majority in Parliament for a long time, they simply made an agreement with the monarchy some time ago that the Republican parties would not abolish it as long as the monarchy kept out of politics -- a contract both sides have kept. The strongest currenct chance of becoming republics certainly are Australia, followed by Barbados and Jamaica -- New Zealand might follow suit if Australia changes. Hope that helped. —Nightstallion 20:50, 4 August 2007 (UTC)

1. How about Swaziland, Tonga, Thailand, Brunei, Malaysia and Japan?

2. That means that Swedish became more monarchists then own king. I think, that more republican is king Gyanendra. Earlier Tuvalu, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Grenada and Belize wants to became a republics, but not now. Cambodian people’s party turned from communist into monarchical. Barbados and Jamaica discusses about republic near 15 years, but without sense. I think, that defeat of Australian referendum freezed all republican activity in dominions on enough long time ( maybe till Elizabeth 2nd death). There is one hope now – Nepali Republic. --User:212.98.173.133 21:37 04.08.2007 (UTC)

1. Good questions; I expect it'll be illegal in Swaziland, Tonga and Brunei due to authoritarianism, and in Thailand and Malaysia out of respect to their monarch -- don't know about Japan, but I doubt it's illegal there.

2. Good point about Nepal, yes, I forgot that one. But trust me -- after the next general election, which Labour will win, there'll be a series of referendums in Australia, which *will* turn Australia into a Republic -- and hell, once that's happened, who knows who else might finally follow? —Nightstallion 22:15, 4 August 2007 (UTC)

Do you can to correct me (see User_talk:Lholden)? --User:212.98.173.133 23:00 03.08.2007 (UTC)

I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that's not my area of expertise actually, merely an area of interest of mine... I'd be highly interested in the results, however. —Nightstallion 23:16, 4 August 2007 (UTC)

Chapeau

Great work on Post-Kyoto negotiations on carbon emissions! —Nightstallion 22:18, 3 August 2007 (UTC)

Thanks! Just added some more. Seemed like a good idea to pull all the threads together before they get too numerous... Gralo 22:48, 3 August 2007 (UTC)

Very good work on the detail and references too, keep it up like that and it'll be featured in no time. :) —Nightstallion 22:50, 3 August 2007 (UTC)

Signpost updated for July 30th, 2007.

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Re: Northern Ireland Constituties

Since you seem to be the initial and/or main author of the article on constituencies in the next United Kingdom general election, I thought I'd ask you: according to parliamentary question time from June 06, the final recommendations for NI should be treated in the HoC now, shouldn't they...? —Nightstallion 22:33, 3 August 2007 (UTC)

Hey Nightstallion! Yeah, the Northern Ireland constituencies were supposed to be all sorted this year. Then the other boundary committee in the province began (or went to the next stage of) a massive reform of local government boundaries making the parliamentary proposals fairly obsolete. So now one will have to wait a few more months (years?!) for the other to report. Cheers, doktorb _words^deeds 09:04, 4 August 2007 (UTC)

Oh? Interesting! Could you direct me to where I can find information on the local government changes? Haven't heard anything at all about that yet... And I suppose this means if there's an early election this autumn or next spring, as is currently rumoured, the boundaries would remain for the election? —Nightstallion 09:06, 4 August 2007 (UTC)

Top of my head....can't think of the link. It's not one of those rememberablenames.com ones either, from memory. I just recall visiting the parliamentary constituency website to be told the proposals were being "deferred". And yeah, if an early election is called Norn Iron would be under the current, existing boundaries, with the rest of the UK on the newly accepted proposals. doktorb _words^deeds 09:12, 4 August 2007 (UTC)

Okay, thanks! Incidentally, you wouldn't happen to know why we haven't got an article on the local government changes in England yet? I've tried to find out whether the list of new unitary authorities is official now and when *exactly* it will be implemented, but the information is spread out over several pages and sometimes contradicts itself... —Nightstallion 09:17, 4 August 2007 (UTC)

Re: England proposals

Heh, knowing the way these things work, you'll be lucky to find something in one place! The BBC article - again, from memory, no link - spoke of 2009 as being the year of changes, but it will probably need some searching around for. I would recommend the Government web site but, heh, they're not best known for being terribly useful. doktorb _words^deeds 09:22, 4 August 2007 (UTC)

What I've got from news articles and such is:

“ Local government reform in England means new unitary authorities in Bedford, Cheshire (City of Chester and West Cheshire and Cheshire East), Cornwall, County Durham, Exeter, Ipswich, Northumberland, Shropshire, Wiltshire, to be implemented by April 2009. ”

But I'm quite surprised there's no article like 2007 English local government reform, or something like that -- especially since AFAIK there's a great number of people interested in the intricacies of the English local government system on Wikipedia... —Nightstallion 09:28, 4 August 2007 (UTC)

UN elections template

Looks great. I've reverted CapitalR's change to navbox generic though as I have to say I think it looks very ugly colourwise and is too wide. Number 57 18:17, 4 August 2007 (UTC)

Fair enough, I have no real preference in that matter; glad you like the UN SC election articles. :) —Nightstallion 18:18, 4 August 2007 (UTC)

Apparently the change was also causing problems with Australian elections articles, and I also remembered that in short ones, 80% width allows the template to sit alongside a "politics of" sidebar. Number 57 18:41, 4 August 2007 (UTC)

nods I see, then. —Nightstallion 18:42, 4 August 2007 (UTC)

Census

Looking quickly at some articles on republicoftogo.com, it appears the contradiction is related to different zones: it appears that zone A's census is ending, but zone B's is beginning. Unfortunately, articles on that site don't stay up long, so they make bad refs. I'll see if I can improve the info when I get home from work, unless you want to do it first. Everyking 19:28, 4 August 2007 (UTC)

No, take your time. Thanks! —Nightstallion 19:34, 4 August 2007 (UTC)

Request for arbitration

You have been named in a request for arbitration at Wikipedia:Requests_for_arbitration#Commonwealth_realms. Jonathan David Makepeace 00:46, 6 August 2007 (UTC)

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Please vote!

Hi,

Since you've been involved in the recent discussions at Talk:Commonwealth Realm, your vote would be appreciated on this proposal. Thanks. -- Hux 09:54, 7 August 2007 (UTC)

List of state leaders by date

What's your take on my the latest discussion? Therequiembellishere 16:26, 8 August 2007 (UTC)

The Novels WikiProject Newsletter : Issue XV - August 2007

Archives  |  Tip Line  |  Editors The Novels WikiProject Newsletter Issue XV - August 2007
Project news During July we passed the 13,000 mark for articles tagged as within the scope of the WikiProject. Member news The project has currently 248 members, 8 joined & 0 leavers since the last newsletter at the start of July 2007 Other news Book cover images are discussed at large on WikiProject_Novels/GeneralForum. Novel related news Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and final book in the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling, is released worldwide in July. Current debates On {{Infobox_Book}} we have new debates on ISBN format and coding ideas. Also we have the possibility of making or asserting COinS usage, for those who know more about this please get involved.	From the Members Welcome to the fifteenth issue of the Novels WikiProject's newsletter! Use this newsletter as a mechanism to inform yourselves about progress at the project and please be inspired to take more active roles in what we do. We would encourage all members to get more involved and if you are wondering what with, please ask. Kevinalewis : (Talk Page)/(Desk), Initiating Editor Collaboration of the Month This month's Collaboration has been selected by popular vote and is The Plague. Newsletter challenge Last month's As For Me and My House challenge was getting left so I Kevinalewis (talk · contribs) had a pop at it. Please add anything you can find about this important work of Canadian literature. . The first person to start the article is mentioned in the next newsletter. This month's article is Jules Verne's 1897 novel The Sphinx of the Ice Fields.
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Commonwealth realms

Servus Nightstallion, sind Sie bereit Ihre Stimme bei dieser Wahl zu ändern? (Ich bin Nord-Amerikaner deutsch/österreichischer Herkunft und habe ein Jahr in Wien studiert.) Jonathan David Makepeace 22:02, 9 August 2007 (UTC)

Ist geschehen. —Nightstallion 20:25, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

Notes - Vatican & United Arab Emirates

Why you not wrote on your notes "Monarchism / Monarchies" about Vatican and United Arab Emirates? --User:212.98.173.133 00:15 10.08.2007 (UTC)

Simple, I forgot about them; thanks for bringing them to my attention! —Nightstallion 20:20, 12 August 2007 (UTC)

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vote on decapitalizing Commonwealth R/realm

A vote has been called on the decapitalization of "r" in "Commonwealth R/realm." Jonathan David Makepeace 00:45, 15 August 2007 (UTC)

Forza Italia

Someone is vandalizing Forza Italia. I think that your intervention is needed. Sorry if I bothered you during your holiday. --Checco 08:15, 15 August 2007 (UTC)

Croatian election, 2007

Isn't the new law on diaspora voting a nice solution? It's also a pain in the ass though, because we'll all have to bring passports, IDs, citizenship certificates and a residence application to the embassy to register... 2 weeks before the election tops.

P.S. Sorry, by I think that both Kosovo and Kosovan can go - remember that no one calls the "Kosovan Liberation Army", the greatest usage is the "Kosovo Liberation Army". That's for English - but using *Kosovar* as the greatest number of its residents do in a way seems neutral, even if *non-English*. --PaxEquilibrium 21:11, 15 August 2007 (UTC)

The Homeland Thanksgiving day was mass-used by the Croatian Democratic Union to promote in the campaign, which centers it solely around the defense of the ICTY indicted Croats and defending the international appeal of Croatia (denial of that which occurred in the 1990s). The day of celebration was marked with very few incidents, however t-shirts of Ante Gotovina were mass-sold across the country.

The new Social Democratic Party isn't like the old one. Ivica Racan promised that the "Ministry for Defenders" will be abolished, and the new one already has planned a person for the seat. It also now openly stands in defense of Ante Gotovina and the other two Croatian indicted generals, and in a co-agreement with HDZ has organized a national fond in which all citizens can donate for the defense of Gotovina throughout dialing phone numbers, and the whole event is being campaigned across TV stations.

I think that SDP's plan is simply to swallow the entire electorate, which I think it will manage to do. There is actually little doubt that it won't win the election (single-handedly). --PaxEquilibrium 13:12, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

Mh. I'm not sure I like the SDP's new direction, but still, it'll be far better than HDZ ever was. —Nightstallion 15:15, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

By the way, if you didn't know what "Defenders" are - it's (a national-romantic term for) every Croatian soldier that has fought, or served, indirectly or directly, in the war. There are hundreds of thousands of them. A "Defender" is extremely honored in the public, has an extremely high pension until his death and his children can freely attend any school or college they desire. --PaxEquilibrium 20:29, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

---

Today the SDP's candidate for Prime Minister Ljubo Jurčić made quite a controversial statement. He said that he officially opposes the entrance of Serbian capital into Croatia (will try to block it while in seat), because of what Serbia did a while ago. He says that tensions among Croatian citizens shouldn't not be introduced this way. HDZ Premier Ivo Sanader has responded that this is a pathetic international insult, and reminded the public of Jurcic's affairs while he was Minister also as a further counterattack... I think I've put my foot on HNS-LD, rather than SDP... what do you think? And that's especially after Zoran Milanović recent public sympathies with the Ustasha...

Croatia in general has received little or no investments from Serbia, but that's because of opposition and not lack of interest. On one occasion public demonstrations forced the an investor from Serbia to sell to someone else several hotels on the coastline, while in another a Dutch millionaire had to convince the government that no Serbian-earned money was in his company (despite it's still active in Serbia). Foreign companies with their outposts in Serbia also have a lot of critics, because Croatia will not import its products because they were built in Serbia. Croatia however invests in Serbia greatly and owns quite a large share of he multi-millionaire mega-companies and other resources. --PaxEquilibrium 08:48, 21 August 2007 (UTC)

See Croatian People's Party-Liberal Democrats. --PaxEquilibrium 10:44, 22 August 2007 (UTC)

Greek legislative election, 2007

Well, Mr Nightstallion, you should do yourself a favour to move the Greek parliamentary election from next year's spring to this September; it is as near to being official as you can get. We are waiting the election date to be announced any day now, and it is almost certain that it will be either 23 September or 30 September. You ought to know that if ND does win again it shall have a very slight majority thanks to (according to virtually all predictions) a fifth party entering Parliament, the extreme right-wing ethnicist and religious party LAOS. Because of this, a new party was created a few months ago by an ex-member of ND, which has an ideology close to that of LAOS and is widely believed to have been motivated by ND in order to prevent LAOS from entering Parliament. The agenda of LAOS is largely based on the Macedonic problem and takes advantage on the government's inertia on this issue. Apart from that, half the country's remaining forests were burnt down this summer, and there are also various other problems that have greatly curtailed ND's electoral advantage; it should have completely disappeared if PASOK were recognised as an acceptable alternative, but this party appears to be in a constant state of internal strife (usually low-level, but often worse than that). The situation is rather vague because of the lack of reliable polls due to the temporary relocation of a large percentage of the population due to holidays.

Well, I hope you are enjoying yours, anyway. This was the Greek Political Bulletin; see you when you return! Waltham, The Duke of 07:49, 16 August 2007 (UTC)

Well, we have a date now: 16 September! Earlier than expected; there will hardly be any time for the candidates to prepare themselves, although the parties seem to have been doing that since May. This is going to be fun... Moreover, the election was announced on the same day a new fire burned down dozens of homes at the outskirts of Athens, also eating away from one of the last green lungs around the capital. And there was a single fire vehicle present in the whole area for like three hours, until it ran out of water. Go figure... Waltham, The Duke of 10:02, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

But it's still wide open who'll win, isn't it? BTW, could you clarify your voting system for me? As far as I understand it, the largest party gets an absolute majority of seats -- but only if it's got more than 40% or something like that, correct? —Nightstallion 15:13, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

Not exactly open; ND is very likely to win, though with a small majority that might contribute to an unstable government. Now, I remember the system was called "reinforced proportional", but I do not know how it is called in English. Give me a minute to go and check the relevant article...

...yep, that is how it is called. Everything is in the article, actually; 288 out of 300 seats are elected in their constituencies (the number of the members of which depends on their population) and the remaining 12 seats are distributed to the parties based on their percentages. One thing that I distinctly remember and that the article does not mention is that a party needs to gather at least 3% of the votes in order to enter Parliament.

According to the current projections, ND is likely to win 151 to 155 seats (its target at the moment seems to be "at least 155"). For PASOK, of course, the target is victory, but if it is not achieved then the more seats the better. If this party loses, though, there shall be some serious trouble within it and Giorgos Papandreou's abilities as a leader shall be seriously doubted and his leadership possibly contested by other prominent party members. Waltham, The Duke of 09:19, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

Couldn't PASOK govern with the help of the two left-wing parties? —Nightstallion 12:31, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

Coalitions are not that popular in Greece. Furthermore, KKE (the Communist Party) would never co-operate with one of the two major parties. Or with NATO, the U.S., European Union, or half the known world. Their line can be roughly described as "We disapprove of everything to do with [enter institution/organisation/foundation]". It is somewhat ridiculous, to be honest.

By the way, have you heard about the latest fires? This is even worse than last time; there are more than fifty dead, several villages have been burnt down partly or in their entirety and many more have been evacuated. The fire-fighting forces have been completely broken up and are unable to deal with the calamity's hundred faces—add to that the previous bad shape of the fire department plus the fact that we are three weeks before a general election...

We're doomed. Waltham, The Duke of 21:21, 25 August 2007 (UTC)

I don't want to be cynical, but does this increase or decrease ND's chances of being reelected? —Nightstallion 14:49, 26 August 2007 (UTC)

Hehe. It does sound cynical, yet it is precisely the way such situations ought to be considered when examined under a political light. The disaster that is currently taking place (by the way, there is also a fire in Ancient Olympia) greatly decreases ND's re-election chances, unless the government manages this catastrophe better than those that took place within the previous three years by successfully containing the fires and subsequently taking measures for the reimbursement of those afflicted, the regrowing of the burnt forests, the combating of the autumn floods that will follow and the punishment of all those who have been building in (former) forested areas for years. Somehow, I do not see that coming. For one thing, people afflicted by floods or blizzards several years ago are still waiting for their money. For another, there is an upcoming general election, so there is little they either can or want to do.

Maybe this election will turn out to be one with no favourites, after all. And it should be extremely interesting to see an ND-PASOK coalition in power. Waltham, The Duke of 07:22, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

I'd expect to see a minority government with tolerance from minor parties before I see such a coalition, or am I wrong there? —Nightstallion 08:05, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

I should expect no tolerance from the minor parties, which all mercilessly fire at the two major parties at any available opportunity. Besides, this clashing is what gives the little parties many an additional vote. Listen, this country has everything but a long tradition of coalitions, but when according to most predictions even a government with a slight majority will have a very, very hard time, think about a minority government! Seriously, Greece's political life is rather unhealthy.

Now, these few days may actually judge the outcome of the election. There is a conflict of party strategies here: PASOK has already started raising issues of incompetence on the part of the government and is particularly critical of it, while ND does the exact opposite and ignores PASOK completely. Depending on the outcome of the polls and the impression that the parties will get about which strategy is more effective, we might either have ND also fighting back and us ending up with a very loud argument lasting until the election, or have ND continuing to play deaf and ending up with PASOK shouting against a brick wall right up to the closing of the ballots boxes. Now, talk about unhealthy here.

Moreover, while the government (and, by extension, ND) insists on bringing up issues of terrorism attacks in order to gather votes in an atmosphere of national solidarity, PASOK claims that these are non-existent threats and that most of the damage has been afflicted due to the government's "profound inadequacy". It is a fact that we do not have the terrorism problems that trouble other countries, and even though I do support PASOK's positions anyway, I believe (and this also seems to be the outcome most of the media here have reached) that people here are also hesitant to believe that terrorists (and, more so, foreign terrorists) are behind this tragedy. However, and it is very unfortunate, this ND strategy is effective abroad—the foreign mass media often mentions the government's claims and, given that in many of these countries terrorism is a problem, people there believe that much easier than Greeks themselves. Which is a huge problem for our tourism.

Ancient Olympia burning was bad enough. Waltham, The Duke of 06:49, 29 August 2007 (UTC)

Naughty Serbia

A split has occurred in the Government of the Republic: DS and DSS. Vojislav Kostunica is furious that he has become a marginalized part of the administrations and is using Kosovo as well as several other international issues to compromise the position of the Serbian government, threatening to do so until the ruling coalition starts to obey him (the past minority government was entirely based on Kostunica's nearly absolute authority, and those who opposed him (G17+ & SPO) have passed badly, with them being excluded from the remained of the government). Now that he has not become so important (btw Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic is far more active than Kostunica).

His initiative has sent an demand that the UN Security Council 1244 Resolution be fulfilled, and that 1,000 Serbian policemen and soldiers be (re)dispatched to Kosovo. This decision was highly criticized by everyone, as even the closest advisers of Kostunica said that he should ask for permission for a thousand men only for North Kosovo. By threatening to jeopardize the entire government, Kostunica hopes that DS leadership will crave in to his personal demands on national policy. This, along with several other internal issues, is being used for inner-party conflicts.

Through showing that Kostunica's population is decreasing rapidly, and that it has become known that he is resented amongst the majority of the populace, he has started the end of his career, as this term will probably the last one in power he'll have (he's in charge since 2000).

The recent discoveries regarding Kostunica's past adds further to his bad list on the biography. It has become proven that after 2000 he serves as the "political umbrella" to the members of the old regime, as well as the future assassins of Zoran Djindjic. In addition to that, he refused to deal with the members of the old regime, as DSS itself has refused some former members, like the controversial member of the Yugoslav Left, who is today one of the founding fathers of the modern Serbian constitution. Kostunica's opposition to handing over Slobodan Milosevic to the Hague also adds to the list, as well as his personal public statement that the ICTY is the ..last thing on his mind.., just like the pension that Ratko Mladic receives, personally authorized by Kostunica (from where and some of his controversial statements is LDP convinced Vojislav Kostunica knows Mladic's hideout and is taking part in his hiding - which is probably halfway true, as some believe that Kostunica has secretly arrested Mladic and is keeping him in a private prison). And again add the fact that unlike SPO and DS he was willing to negotiate with Slobodan Milosevic during the opposition years. To add at the end, recently the Serbian national television has aired a video which shows Vojislav Kostunica in 1992 overseeing the Siege of Sarajevo by the Serb forces making a statement regarding the "new western Serbian border".

I'm sure you'll have a comment on this one. ;0) --PaxEquilibrium 13:41, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

2003 census

P.S. I remember you saying that you didn't know Montenegro was very ethnically mixed. Well, here's a map. Prepare for a shock. ;)

That sounds like very good news to me -- but what will actually happen? Will DS somehow try to blame Kostunica for not being able to keep Kosovo, since he makes so much of an issue about it? Interesting map... Thanks for the information, as always! —Nightstallion 15:11, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

Independence of Kosovo doesn't smell to be near enough to anticipate such a thing. I wouldn't agree compromising the entire nation for personal goals good news - normal Austrians that hear the news and here this would most like blame the Serbians and Serbia e.g. Not to mention that this further feeds the opposition (and remember who's the greatest tiger in it).

I wasn't going to tell you this yet because I was planning to see how the situation develops... but here's an interesting (and rather painful) affair. About half a year ago the Minister of Infrastructure Velimir Ilic (the one with links with the Highwaymen Mafia) has signed a contract about constructing a new highway in Vojvodina with a company, during the very controversial interim period between the parliamentary election and the formation of the new government. When he was asked in a political dual by the Speaker of Vojvodina Bojan Kostres to show the contract to the public, accusing him of violating the law, Ilic first refused and then finally in the end decided to show him. However, Kostres only saw the covers of the medium-sized book, while Ilic had claimed that he showed it to him. For months the controversy kept going on, and as the public kept pressing for the info, Velja revealed that the thousands-of-pages-long contract has a special point according to which it's banned from the public eye, a fact which further nourished the controversy because it's unconstitutional (all state contracts must be public according to the new constitution). The Minister finally subsided in the end, and said that every single bit of information will be granted to B92 journalists, but just for one hour (at the protest of the investors), explicitly saying that all the annexes will be viewable too. Today (that's why I waited) that happened, and the journalists neither saw the part of the contract which makes it hidden from the public eye nor saw the 1,000-page-long annexes of the contract.

This has been going on for months. As to what precisely is in the contract's unusually long annexes, there is no idea - but there is one thing everyone can be sure of: they contain something extremely terrifying (in legal sense). All Serbian journalists have stood up, as well as the Democratic Party, against this. Kostunica however, fully defends Ilic (who's his greatest newfound political ally [DSS-NS]) and uses his powerful seat of Premier to protect him and his blurry contract. Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic officially called for the contract to be made public, but Kostunica overrode his decision. This is one of the extra "internal" problems DSS and DS are bickering about. DS is leading the national policy (Djelic is the one who greeted the Universiade that's going to be hosted by Belgrade, not Kostunica), and I'm sure that Kostunica will press Ilic to make the contract public if DS craves in to his personal demands on national policy. --PaxEquilibrium 17:31, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

Kostunica wins

Today the government, at the great outrage of the FCC Construction and its partner, unilaterally decided to publish the wholesome highway contract to the public. This means that DS subsided to Kostunica's demands on national policy, and that Kostunica has found a way to protect his buddy Velja (in the wake of the scandal which we shall see in several days, when the contract is made public). Kostunica and the DSS vigorously oppose any sort of cooperation with the NATO, and especially joining it. He also stands to his proposal that Serbia should brake links with countries that unilaterally recognize independence of Kosovo - something extremely unnatural to DS's program.

Today this allegedly "most stable government ever" became 100 days old. It has only scratched 3 (new negotiations with Pristina for the status of Kosovo; EuroAtlantic integrations reopened a month after the government was formed; Zdravko Tolimir and Vlastimir Djordjevic arrested and shipped to ICTY) of its 5 key points (and one of the remaining 2 reached a tragic failure - social status: food and electricity prices jumped astronomically; as for the last point, there's no word about fighting corruption).

The lying-about-Tolimir scandal as well as the highway contract affair make things controversial already from the start. And as sugar on top: The Ministers of this government are rated laziest so far - most people have never ever heard of them, or even saw them (me included). That's because the government includes many young and completely unexperienced people (the DS youth).

Everyone's waiting to see the controversial highway contract, but masses area already demanding the resignation of Velimir Ilic from the government for making ridicule of the public for 5 months, even more than the resignation of Vojislav Kostunica. --PaxEquilibrium 17:02, 23 August 2007 (UTC)

And, how long do you think this government will last? Will it fall over the Kosovo issue -- whatever the result will be, I doubt that Kostunica will like it? —Nightstallion 18:16, 23 August 2007 (UTC)

Well it's stable for know - the DS wing of the government as I said adopted some (or "mild") versions of Kostunica's national policy plans. Several days ago Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Jeremić (from DS) traveled to the traditional Serbian far-off ally of Norway, where Serbia got strong support for a compromise solution (incoming negotiations between the Serbian and Kosovar Albanian negotiation teams). Vuk said that if any country unilaterally recognizes a self-proclaimed independent Kosovo, Serbia will have to "...deeply requestion its diplomatic ties with those states..".

The Kosovo status process is looking too far into the future to unbalance this "unholy" coalition (at least for now). --PaxEquilibrium 21:02, 25 August 2007 (UTC)

Mh, okay... We'll see. —Nightstallion 14:47, 26 August 2007 (UTC)

Proposal for a WikiProject Europe

Hi, I am proposing to create a WikiProject Europe (poss. based on WP:SEUROPE) to cover all the pan-European articles outside the EU and any national articles that don't have a WikiProject. I'm trying to get an idea of numbers before I put in a formal proposal. So if you are interested in contributing to such a project please tell me. There is a central discussion on this at the WP:EU talk page. Thanks for your time! - J Logan ^t: 18:35, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

Just joined it, a good idea! —Nightstallion 15:09, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

Solomon Islands may become a Republic during current year

According to Russian newspaper «КоммерсантЪ» [4], the government of Solomon Islands announced in 2004 a draft of new Constitution what provided transform from dominion to Federal Republic. The Constitutional Congress was formed from representatives of different provinces and islands in June of 2007. Main aim of Constitutional Congress is to prepare final draft of Constitution to November 2007 and to bring it to Parliament. --User:212.98.173.133 10:27 20.08.2007 (UTC)

That's very good news. :) —Nightstallion 15:08, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

Montenegro

SDP CG has changed its mind regarding the language (Ranko said "South Slavic" is OK). Speaker Ranko Krivokapic is now sound foot that only Montenegrin be the official language, and all others locally where a non-Montenegrin ethnic group is in majority. He put his foot on it and said that it's not negotiable. The proposal of Svetozar Marovic about a "SerboMontenegrin language", which was also indirectly favored by President Filip Vujanovic (but as "MonteSerbian") have reached a dead end as Milo Djukanovic organized a DPS CG party congress that fully adopted Ranko's proposal.

This, among several other factors, has united the opposition in a very strong block. The entire democratic, liberal, conservative or otherwise opposition, all those Serbs and proSerb forces, Albanians and Bosniacs have all agreed to stand together (shockingly!) and either boycott or campaign for NO! This unified front is the first thing that actually managed to frighten Milo since the independence referendum campaign. In fear of loss, the ruling DPS-SDP coalition has agreed to open new rounds of negotiations, officially stating that the state cannot afford another referendum. However in these negotiations, the opposition (Movement for Changes, Serb People's Party, Socialist People's Party of Montenegro) is actually determined to work together and to make a draft for the constitution that would be a consensus of the entire opposition (although it's unlikely that they'll manage to satisfy all others in the opposition).

New rounds of talks are supposed to start in September. Note that MNE has deeply breached the deadline imposed by the Council of Europe for the new constitution. However, the Opposition would like that the talks are made visual to the public, to which Ranko vigorously opposes. So the opposition's currently boycotting the whole parliament. If you ask me, new talks will probably go underway - but MNE is much closer to a referendum than a compromise. --PaxEquilibrium 17:46, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

Somehow, it doesn't seem to bright to me for a state not to have a constitution over a year after its independence... ;) —Nightstallion 17:56, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

Wasn't something like this expected after all, considering the situation and the stereotype how everything's incredibly slow down there? BTW I guess it can still use the old one... --PaxEquilibrium 20:21, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

Well, yeah, it was kind of expected. Still, isn't the previous constitution a sub-state constitution from the time when Montenegro was part of Yugoslavia/SiM? —Nightstallion 20:24, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

Serbia used for several months during independence its old constitution. And remember that one's even older - it's from SFRY. And it was excessively outdated for years. --PaxEquilibrium 20:42, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

shrugs Fair enough. —Nightstallion 21:10, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

Is it just a Balkan coincidence that Presidents are always positive, liberal & democratic individuals from good parties while Premiers always blurry nationalists and power-hungry mongrels?

Serbia

• President: Boris Tadić (Democratic Party)
• Premier: Vojislav Koštunica (Democratic Party of Serbia)

Croatia

• President: Stjepan Mesić (Croatian People's Party-Liberal Democrats)
• Premier: Ivo Sanader (Croatian Democratic Union)

Montenegro

• President: Filip Vujanović (Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro)
• Premier: until recently Milo Đukanović (Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

• Presidency: Haris Silajdžić (Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina), Nebojša Radmanović (Alliance of Independent Social Democrats), Željko Komšić (Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina)
• The politics are amongst the Bosniacs led by the Party of Democratic Action and amongst the Croats the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbs switched mostly to the social democratic streams but back supported mostly the Serbian Democratic Party

Is this a coincidence? --PaxEquilibrium 22:03, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

I don't know, but it's very interesting, yeah... —Nightstallion 22:06, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

Look as well for non-state entities - Kosovo, where the President is the charismatic Fatmir Sejdiu, and the Prime Minister is the alleged war criminal warmongering Agim Ceku. --PaxEquilibrium 22:13, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

nods Aye. —Nightstallion 23:09, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

Malawi

Hi Nightstallion. I was going to create an article based on the Supreme Court of Malawi redlink in 2007 Malawian political crisis, but further research suggests there is no one court by that name. According to Britannica, "The judiciary consists of magistrate's courts; the High Court, which has unlimited jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters; and the Supreme Court of Appeal, which hears appeals from the High Court." However, the article does not make it clear which of the latter two is which, and indeed some of the news sources don't seem to be aware there are two courts in question here. Since you wrote the article, I think you would be the best person to clarify what sentences refer to the High Court and what is a reference to the Supreme Court of Appeals. I hate to dump work in your lap like this, but I don't think I could do it without screwing up. Picaroon (t) 22:24, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

I'm afraid I really don't know, either -- I'd have to guess just as much as you, sorry... —Nightstallion 22:51, 20 August 2007 (UTC)

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Huh?

The minorities were supposed to receive 12 guaranteed seats in the provincial parliament of Vojvodina. They also wanted to switch to the ordinary more democratic proportional system, replacing the mixed one. Ah, it's a pity. It sure is a pity...

Maja Gojković has put her foot on the decision to become President.

P.S. You suddenly lost interest when I wrote 'bout the highway contract affair? :) --PaxEquilibrium 13:42, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

Mh? Why huh, and why a pity? And I don't really know what to make of the highway contract affair... —Nightstallion 13:59, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

Never mind "huh", and "pity" - well, isn't it obvious? I thought you were a supporter of the guaranteed seats for minorities? Also isn't the direct proportional system more democratic than the mixed one?

I thought you knew something 'bout that because the construction company in question is Austrian (well, half of it - the other half's Spanish). --PaxEquilibrium 20:52, 25 August 2007 (UTC)

Yeah, of course, I just hadn't seen your edits to the Vojvodina election article yet. No, I know nothing about the project -- which company is it? —Nightstallion 14:46, 26 August 2007 (UTC)

There're two companies. Alpina (main sponsor) and FCC Construction (worker-partner).

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic (DS) has proposed a minor Union of the countries of western Balkans, so that they could all together enter the EU. He is drafting a plan, it would be a loose buildup on ZEFTA, a "weak European Union clone". Montenegrin Deputy Premier greeted that, but DPS officials criticize that they fear it's jeopardizing Montenegro's sovereignty, a thing DPS worked for years to realize. --PaxEquilibrium 16:45, 26 August 2007 (UTC)

Interesting idea, actually. Might mean it'll be later than planned for Croatia, Albania and Macedonia, but earlier than planned for Serbia, Montenegro and BiH... You mean CEFTA BTW, right? —Nightstallion 16:50, 26 August 2007 (UTC)

Yeah. By the way, are you sure it would slow down Albania? Recent critics state that it's still far away from the EU (although it's undoubtedly marching at a faster pace than Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina). --PaxEquilibrium 21:15, 26 August 2007 (UTC)

Mh, true enough, might be on schedule for Albania anyway. D'you think it'll happen that way? It would certainly make things easier for the EU -- on the other hand, we saw how much trouble can arise from massive enlargements in a single step... Mh. —Nightstallion 21:38, 26 August 2007 (UTC)

No, it won't. Croatia would never enter it (they've had wide-scale problems just because of the CEFTA) undoubtedly. And Albania would never enter it if Kosovo doesn't enter it... which isn't a country...so it's moot.

Check out my new article: the Montenegrin Federalist Party, it's the only political party in the (first, of course, the second wasn't a democracy) Yugoslavia. --PaxEquilibrium 17:42, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Uh-uh. Polls say no one can be the Radical candidate at Mayor elections. DS thus wants not to hold elections for Mayors and Municipal Presidents directly, but by the local parliament. G17+ opposes this, considering it undemocratic.

Also, the new negotiating team for the status of Kosovo will be led by Boris Tadic and Vojislav Kostunica personally (!). --PaxEquilibrium 16:37, 28 August 2007 (UTC)

---

Could you please help me at Talk:Senate and Template talk:Serbian local elections. --PaxEquilibrium 14:05, 29 August 2007 (UTC)

French politics

What do you think about the discussions taking place in Talk:Republican, Radical and Radical-Socialist Party and Talk:Liberalism and radicalism in France, the huge edits made in the relative pages and the creation of a Parti radical valoisien article, separated from Republican, Radical and Radical-Socialist Party? --Checco 18:50, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

No opinion on these issues? --Checco 00:55, 26 August 2007 (UTC)

Sorry, somehow I missed this. Stated my opinion now. —Nightstallion 14:44, 26 August 2007 (UTC)

And what about Talk:Liberalism and radicalism in France and the huge changes occurred in the relative page? --Checco 15:01, 26 August 2007 (UTC)

Don't really know what to say to that, sorry, not my area of expertise... Which changes do you contest? —Nightstallion 16:51, 26 August 2007 (UTC)

I'm not contestesting anything in particular, I only observe that Tzmaniacs made deep changes. See [5]. --Checco 16:57, 26 August 2007 (UTC)

What do you think is the best name for the Parti Radical "valoisien". Say your opinion at Talk:Republican, Radical and Radical-Socialist Party. --Checco 01:43, 28 August 2007 (UTC)

South Tyrol

hello there Nightstallion, you once voted and showed interest on the topic of South Tyrol. Certain Italian users just can't seem to give the topic a rest and had the article moved with a sham vote to the Italian name. I am calling for that vote to be annulled or at least extended so that more can vote and the result be representative. Drop by the talk page or drop me a message if you would like to share your thoughts, I am interested in hearing from you. sincerely Gryffindor 04:16, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Mh. What can I do? —Nightstallion 08:06, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Italian name? Provice of Bolzano-Bozen is the English name of the Province, which is also called Alto Adige and South Tyrol. Excuse me for the intromission. --Checco 01:45, 28 August 2007 (UTC)

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Decidere!

I started the article about Daniele Capezzone's Decidere! (see Choose!), but someone wants to delete it. Any help to better the article will be very useful. Let me know your opinion about it. --Checco 00:45, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Done. Good work! —Nightstallion 00:50, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Thank you! --Checco 00:55, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

When did PRI leave the House of Freedoms? And what is AFAIK? --Checco 01:11, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

According to it wiki, they did so on their last party congress... Is that wrong yet again? AFAIK = "as far as I know". —Nightstallion 01:23, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

You know that it.Wiki has a different idea of who is member of a coalition and who is not. Also UDC is out of the centre-right for it.Wiki, despite all evidence. --Checco 01:29, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Anyway Republicans at their last congress decided that they are independent from CdL (but they've always been independent, and also LN says to be so). The problem is that in Italy coalitions are only electoral brands, not more than this. So between an election and another one, parties, especially if they're are out of government, distance themselves from the other fellow parties in order to re-gain votes by speaking to their people. But what is sure is that in the next general election (as it was in local elections), CdL will be formed of all the members it had the last time: FI, AN, UDC, LN, DCA, a part of NPSI, PRI and so on. --Checco 01:36, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Fair enough, fair enough. —Nightstallion 01:43, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

I hope of not having annoyed you... --Checco 01:46, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

No, no problem at all! Thanks for clarifying that for me. I just regularily get confused enough to trust the info on it wiki. ;) —Nightstallion 01:54, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Source

Could you please add the source for your numbers to Template:Republic of the Congo parliamentary election, 2007? Everyking 17:23, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Done, and thanks for finding those two missing seats -- I hadn't been able to find any information on them myself. —Nightstallion 18:28, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Template:Yugoslavian elections

Done, but with horrible linking. --PaxEquilibrium 17:54, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Corrected a few links. —Nightstallion 18:27, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Thanks. BTW what did you think about the Montenegrin Federalist Party article? --PaxEquilibrium 18:35, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Very good work IMO! —Nightstallion 18:38, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

And your thought of the actual party?

P.S. How to change the flag at the template? Since absolutely no election was held in Communist Yugoslavia (no democracy), I suggest using the traditional tricolor without the red star... but how? --PaxEquilibrium 18:59, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Mh, rather difficult to say...

I'll try to do it. —Nightstallion 19:19, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Why not?

First official polls have come from Croatia, and they show that SDP is leading barely in front of HDZ and SDP. Both parties have only one half of the electorate, as the other is either undecided or split amongst the lesser parties. Because of the major struggles between the two main parties, their popularity has fallen, while the minor ones have "fed" on it. SDP is increasingly losing its popularity, ever since the election of its newbie President, and its transformation. It turns out no one favors moderate parties, especially the new non-defined SDP. While HDZ has taken full charge planning to take all votes of the right and defines a purely right-wing program. It's slowly getting it... --PaxEquilibrium 22:00, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Because I some points sound positive, i.e. keeping Yugoslavia federal, while others are negative, i.e. supporting Ustasa.

Mh, I was afraid of that... What do you think will happen? It's a choice between pest and cholera: turned-populist SDP or extremist HDZ... —Nightstallion 22:05, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Well yeah, sure, it had some good ideas on the view, but only on the start - and they were adopted when it was decided to reform Montenegro as a republic within Yugoslavia in 1945. The Montenegrin and Semi-Serbian nationalism however (including the tens of thousands of slaughtered people), is absolutely horrible... that's why the Allies banned it.

Well, I guess SDP is now a copy of the Serbian DSS (just lacking an authoritarian politician). Like I said, I'm giving hopes to the social liberal coalition. --PaxEquilibrium 23:41, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Aha, you asked me that. Well, I bid that SDP will win a tight victory over HDZ and form a government with several other parties, practically leaving out HDZ and HSP. --PaxEquilibrium 11:56, 31 August 2007 (UTC)

Would still be the best result, I suppose... Other parties might actually help the SDP find the right path again. ;) —Nightstallion 22:17, 31 August 2007 (UTC)

Montenegro abolished citizenship of hundreds of thousands of its citizens living abroad. Now only those with a permanent residence in Montenegro can have citizenship. Albanians gave up from their demands for Albanian citizenship, but Serbs (and Croats) still demand the rights for Serbian (and Croatian) citizenship, but MNE (unlike any other ex Yugoslavian country) doesn't allow multiple citizenships...what does this mean? --PaxEquilibrium 14:38, 31 August 2007 (UTC)

Trouble? —Nightstallion 22:17, 31 August 2007 (UTC)

I think that the process of "closing in" is greatly underway. The Constitutional proposal from the governmental "coalition" is greatly criticized by the Venetian Committee because of its poor definition of civil human as well as minority right. It also criticizes the making of the judicial branch completely dependent of the Government. The President is given unusually higher authorities effectively transforming Montenegro from a parliamentary republic into a more-of presidential.

DSS, SRS and SPS seems to have made a majority-based compromise on anti-NATO policy, opposing Serbia's entrance to it. They are also convinced that a referendum would clearly dismiss membership to the NATO as well. SPS and SRS consider NATO a hostile national and state enemy, while DSS opposes it because its acting like a political factor rather than a martial one, publicly supporting Kosovo independence, accusing it for trying to make a "NATO state" and because of the terribly poor job done at Kosovo (they especially mention the moment when NATO soldiers were ravaging the countryside executing lost dogs and other life, recording it on tape). --PaxEquilibrium 19:12, 2 September 2007 (UTC)

DSS can't pass it in the government so it'll ask for a resolution in the parliament (with SRS and SPS support) to permanently ban Serbia entrance to NATO. DS and G17+ think that this is bad because it effectively prevents a referendum (which means that it's no longer the citizens' choice). --PaxEquilibrium 17:11, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

sighs Not good. —Nightstallion 17:16, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

Template:Danish political parties

Which of them do you count as independent? Ebdrup defected to the New Alliance. Valentinian ^{T / C} 23:05, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

I went by the official site, is that wrong? —Nightstallion 23:07, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Yes and no. Folketinget.dk calls all of them "independent" since the party has never been elected to parliament as such. The Danish Wikipedia uses this distinction but I think it is splitting hairs somewhat. I'd go by this list. Valentinian ^{T / C} 23:09, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

I'm not quite sure what we are disagreeing about, then -- my change to the template was simply to add the defection from V to Y, and to put one of the independents back into the DF, per the information on the Folketing website... Is that correct or wrong? —Nightstallion 23:11, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Ok, I thought you'd moved Ebdrup from V to "independent". Valentinian ^{T / C} 23:13, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Nope. :) —Nightstallion 23:15, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Hadn't noticed that Folketinget.dk has begun referring to the party by its real name. We figured on the Danish 'pedia that they simply refused to do so for a technical reason. Perhaps the webmaster simply forgot to update the official bios. Valentinian ^{T / C} 23:18, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Well, it seems they finally got it right. BTW, what do you think when the election will be? And I'm still constantly hearing rumours about a euro referendum from some friends at the ECB -- know anything about that? —Nightstallion 23:20, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

I don't think we'll get a general election just yet. Rumour was all over the place that Fogh would have called in last Tuesday, but he didn't. My take is that 1) the polls dipped two days before, 2) the tax break dispute between the Conservatives and the Danish People's Party went off badly in the media. The opposition criticising the proposed tax breaks. I think the wind will change soon given that the figures for economic growth are slowing down and the trade union "Metal" support the tax breaks. Another trade union announced yesterday that they were cancelling election funding for the Social Democrats, so Thorning-Schmidt just lost 3 million crowns. I think we'll get the election in a month or so. Venstre has been operating on alert status for several weeks. There are no rumours in Denmark about a Euro election. Everybody is focussing on the next parliamentary election. Valentinian ^{T / C} 23:27, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Yeah, what I expected. Who do you think will win? —Nightstallion 23:29, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

The VK administration will continue, but I'm not sure it will be a clear VKO majority. If it doesn't, Khader will be happy if he gets a cabinet ministry, so he might become minister for something unimportant :) Interesting, though, Kjærsgaard doesn't want to bring down the VK administration on the tax issue. She is annoyed with Bendtsen, but not with Fogh, so I think we'll land a compromise on the tax issue in a week or two. The opposition is behaving oddly: The Social Liberals (Vestager) were flirting with Venstre over the tax issue, Thorning-Schmidt's welfare policy was badly received by the media and Villy Søvndal is - effectively - the most competent opposition. He is mostly interested in increasing the votes of the Socialist People's Party - at the expense of the Social Democrats. From what I hear, Venstre's biggest concern is Fogh defeating Thorning too strongly in the TV debates - that could win her some sympathy votes. Valentinian ^{T / C} 23:38, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Interesting -- so, basically, there's next to no chance of a change of government? Is it just me, or is the possibility for the PM to call the election whenever he wants a rather effective way of extending one's mandate again and again and again? —Nightstallion 23:41, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

(resetting indent) Hey, I just work here, I can't predict the future. First lesson in politics: a victory is never in the bag till the voting has closed. I'd say that the calling an election stunt isn't that effective. E.g. it didn't work for the Social Democrats in 2001. The figures were fine for Nyrup Rasmussen but he blew it all on his idiotic book destruction stunt on live TV. Wasn't there when it happened, unfortunately. <election speech> Venstre has worked very hard on building up a reputation for being a responsible party that can guarantee a solid economy, good wellfare and good employment figures.</election speech> I think voters will reward it on the election day. On the other hand, they could fall for Thorning's latest welfare plans which won't work and trash the economic stability. I hope that people will prefer Thor Pedersen to manage the public purse. Valentinian ^{T / C} 23:50, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Btw, another reason Kjærsgaard doesn't want to bring down the government is that should the VKO majority disappear, she will lose influence. Some if the VK administration continues, but all influence if Thorning becomes PM. On the other hand, the polls are nowhere near Venstre's dream scenario: a double majority: VKO and VKBY. Valentinian ^{T / C} 23:53, 30 August 2007 (UTC)

Mh, sounds logical. We'll see. —Nightstallion 07:21, 31 August 2007 (UTC)

Radical Party (France)

So what do we we do about it it? The articles is still titled in French, Parti radical valoisien... --Checco 02:45, 1 September 2007 (UTC)

This? —Nightstallion 11:11, 1 September 2007 (UTC)

Ok. There was also a major rewrite of Union for French Democracy. Can you check if English is correct there? --Checco 11:46, 1 September 2007 (UTC)

Will do. —Nightstallion 11:48, 1 September 2007 (UTC)

Thank you. --Checco 11:49, 1 September 2007 (UTC)

So, is it all ok with it? --Checco 14:53, 1 September 2007 (UTC)

Just went over it quickly once, but it basically seems alright to me. —Nightstallion 14:54, 1 September 2007 (UTC)

Afghan vs. Afghanistani

Please see Talk:Afghanistani afghani. I'm wondering why it was moved, and if you have a source. Ingrid 20:16, 2 September 2007 (UTC)

Election templates

Don't know if you've noticed, but User:Baksando has been removing the Hong Kong Chief Executive election, 2005 from the template, claiming it is only a "by election" - he has also edited the article to this effect (I've just reverted). In addition, he is repeatedly adding colonial era flags to the templates, and removing the use of Macanese. Can you keep an eye on Template:Hong Kong elections as I am close to 3RR, which is especially not good as I have just had an offer for RfA! Number 57 23:33, 2 September 2007 (UTC)

Radical Party (France) / 2

Tazmaniacs moved the article to Radical Party (Valoisien). What do you think about it? --Checco 00:41, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

So what do we do about it? Taz did it all alone. --Checco 00:00, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

Japanese mon

Someone have moved Japanese mon to Mon (Japanese currency). See Talk:Japanese mon. Thanks. --ChoChoPK (球球PK) (talk | contrib) 03:32, 3 September 2007 (UTC)

And created Mon (currency), which is completely Japanese-centric, although etymologically speaking, the word comes from China. --ChoChoPK (球球PK) (talk | contrib) 03:34, 3 September 2007 (UTC)