UNMIK ON AIR

Petrit Qarkaxhiu – INTERVIEW

By Zoran CULAFIC

Hello and welcome from UNMIK on Air,

Today’s interview is with Petrit Qarkaxhiu known also as “Rrusta” ,the leader and also a singer for the well know Kosovar Rock Group Jericho.

Petrit has been playing Rock music now for quite a long time and he thinks that the music he plays can help in some way to change things, for the better.

Actuality: We see the music today as the powerful media, in fact as the powerful art. However, what we are trying to do by our music is that we are trying to be honest; we would like to see this honesty at the youth too. One of the main issues is people to be open minded, simply in their thoughts and their lives.

But can he pass a positive messages to the young people thorugh his music

Actuality: We are trying this at all times. As i mentioned earlier that through our opinion and belief, we are trying to convey this opinion to the youth. And this is the best way to do it, as the music is the only universal language through which people contact each other. Nationalities, ethnicities can understand better our spiritual condition, they can understand us much better through the music. Lets say for example if a young person from Pristina makes Rock&Roll music and if a young person from Belgrade makes Rock&Roll music too, then for sure we are on the same frequency, they can understand each other.

The current situation shows that the relations between Belgrade and Prishtina politicians are still difficult. Is it the same situation with musicians

Actuality: Personally I don’t have any contacts with musicians from Belgrade. I have contacts with musicians from Novi Sad. Though, I have contacts with journalists from Belgrade and Novi Sad, in the field of art under a project that I am involved too. The project is called Cross Radio including radios in Lublana, Maribor, Zagreb, Sarajevo, Mostar, Beograd, Novi Sad, Zrenjanin, Sombor, Pristina and Skoplje. This is the contact we are trying to put between artists in general, among the youth of such regions.

Since you’ve mentioned this Cross radio, can you tell us more about it, how do you evoke this radio show. what do you want to achieve through this show.

Actuality: Myself and other bend members, we believe that the barriers and prejudice will get broken through the cross radio, because the tragedies that happened in Balkans, happened just because of the prejudices to each other. So, through this contact between artists, the youth and journalists will assist in breaking such barriers indirectly and it will avert future tragedies.

How could you explain to somebody the life of the young people in Prishtina, what do you miss here?

Actuality: In Pristina we are living in a chaotic, disorganized and undisciplined society. It’s same with out Government and politicians. What is needed first of all is a better organization but this has to come as a result of people’s inspiration. There is a need for new generations, to inspire them for a better and happy life. Me as an artist, as a young person of Kosovo, I miss a lot the artistic life, artistic and culture activities. Actually we are totally isolated. It’s different with Skopje or Sarajevo. There are every time festivals with different bands and music from different places. In this case, Kosovo is separate from such events.

This was an interview with Petrit Qarkaxhiu, the front man of the Kosovar Rock Band Jericho.

Thanks for listening tomorrow we will have our week in review.

That’s all for today, good bye