This Europe: Welcome to Serbia

"Welcome to Serbia," says the text message that travellers receive on their mobile phones when they fly into Kosovo's only airport. If it bemuses the international peace-keepers and UN officials who run the Balkan province, it infuriates the Albanians who had to be rescued from Serbia's control.

The message comes from the aptly-named Mobtel company, a prime example of the crony capitalism that flourished under Slobodan Milosevic. When the Serbs ran Kosovo, it was the only network. Mobtel survived, patchily, during 78 days of Nato bombing in 1999.

Three years on, Mobtel is still going and is still used by most of Kosovo's Albanians, even though they now have a choice. They could use the network built by the French firm Alcatel but many say it is more expensive and gives poorer coverage.

Mobtel was founded by the flamboyant Bogoljub Karic, who became a close associate of Mr Milosevic and one of the richest men in Yugoslavia. He is under investigation for his alleged help in siphoning the Milosevic clan's funds abroad but he is still making deals, including acquiring the rights to Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

Some of the money from theircalls may still go into Mr Karic's pocket, but Kosovo Albanians are taking a pragmatic attitude. Convenience and cost have won out, at the price of receiving a text message that concludes: "We wish you pleasant stay in Serbia!"