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Kosovo Declares Independence from Serbia
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by Jordan Yerman | February 17, 2008 at 09:03 am
2402 views | 10 Recommendations | 12 comments
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Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority
declared independence from Serbia, banking on U.S. and European
support to build up the derelict economy and prevent ethnic
conflicts from breeding new chaos in the Balkans.Kosovo's parliament voted 109-0 today to sever ties with
Serbia, capping a struggle for statehood that began in 1999 when a
NATO bombing campaign drove Serb troops out of the province of 2
million people.``From now onward, Kosovo is proud, independent, sovereign
and free,'' Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, a former anti-Serb
guerrilla leader, told the parliament in Pristina. ``It has been a
long journey of sacrifice, but of victory as well.''
THE breakaway Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia are planning to ask Russia and the UN to recognise their independence following the declaration of independence by Kosovo, Russia's Interfax news agency reported.
"In the near future, Abkhazia will appeal to the Russian parliament and the UN security council with a request to recognise its independence," self-declared Abkhaz president Sergei Bagapsh was quoted as saying by Interfax.
Russia called for an emergency meeting of the Security Council to be held Sunday. Vitaly I. Churkin, the Russian ambassador, said he would be arguing that the United Nations was obliged by existing resolutions and documents “to declare the unilateral proclamation of independence null and void.”
Serbia and Russia, he added, had sent letters to the Council asking for a formal and open meeting Monday which, he said, the president of Serbia, Boris Tadic, would address.
He said that Russia’s immediate concern was for “the safety of Serbs and other minorities in Kosovo” and warned against “any attempt at repressive measures should the Serbs in Kosovo decide not to comply with this unilateral proclamation of independence.”
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Arttu
Helsinki, Finland
Independent State of Kosova
Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (12)
at 09:04 on February 17th, 2008
This is a breaking story, and will now show up on the home page for four hours. If new developments justify it, we'll renew this flag for another cycle.
at 09:15 on February 17th, 2008
Another step in the formation of the Islamic calephate. Thanks, President Clinton. The unintended consequences of modern liberalism strike again.
Islam in Kosovo has a long standing tradition dating back to the conquering of the Balkans, including Kosovo, by the Ottoman Empire. Before the Battle of Kosovo Polje in 1389, the entire Balkan region had been Christianized by both the Roman and Byzantine Empires. From 1389 until 1912, Kosovo was officially governed by the Muslim Ottoman Empire and, as such, a high level of Islamization occurred. During the time period after World War II, Kosovo was ruled by secular socialist authorities in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY). During that period, Kosovars became increasingly secularized. Today, 90% of Kosovo's Population is Muslim, half of Kosovo's nominally Muslim population is secular, while the other half are practicing Muslims. Answers.com
at 10:43 on February 17th, 2008
A more careful look will show this to be a good thing for US geostrategy: a new nation reliant on US aid will have to fulfill the terms of that aid, both front-and back-room. As Putin continues to make cold-war-esque moves in Russia and European attitudes toward the US cool, Washington can always use a new friend.
at 07:09 on February 21st, 2008
I'll try to summarize:
1. Recognizing Kosovo as new country is completely Illegal.
2. Kosovo is "cradle" of Serbian identity (Serbia defended Christian
Europe in battle on Kosovo, against Turks, many churches and
monasteries are there)
3. Albanians came ~300K after WWII and multiplied with ~9
children/family. Now they want to steal land. Albanians on Kosovo were
doing systematic attacks, rapes on Serbs and "Goran's" (This is all
documented), which resulted in many hundreds of thousands of Serbian
population being pushed out as refugees in Serbia and all over the
world. Now population balance is changed (from Serbian majority to
minority), because nobody reacted to support Serbs against unjust
actions!
4. Complete Albanian leadership is wanted for serious war crimes
against humanity + Their only business is in DRUGS and they live in
100% "tribal society", so there are no other institutions other than
tribal!
5. US, UK and France supported them because of oil. Google about "Camp
Bondsteel America plans to control Caspian oil". Canada does not need
oil, nor does it need to break international laws in order to get it.
6. Albania and Kosovo were with Nazi, before and now. just to mention
Osama-bin-Laden was there during Serbia's bombardment of Serbia.
7. Serbia was managing Kosovo better than UN, before bombardment (far better by many aspects)
ALL ASPECTS LEAD to one conclusion,
First try to understand all, then make decision, which in this case is
"Kosovo IS Serbia" and Canada should think to do RIGHT decision and not
to recognize it!
at 15:51 on August 6th, 2008
MORON, ALBANIANS WERE THERE SINCE THE BEGGING IDIOT, Ancient Illyria is modern day Albanians! Which Strech from greece, southern italy, all the way to slovenia and macedonia !
Learn History then talk because you sound like a fag!
at 09:18 on February 17th, 2008
Sidewalk art of an Albanian Flag and other scenes - Trafalgar Square, London.
jabella has contributed a photo to this story.
at 09:26 on February 17th, 2008
The flag of the Republic of Kosova in the air after the Declaration of Independence
Amir.S. has contributed a photo to this story.
at 09:29 on February 17th, 2008
Celebrations in the center of Prishtina for Kosova's independence
A Taste of Kosova has contributed a photo to this story.
at 10:57 on February 17th, 2008
I was on a walk with my son when I spotted some people with flags headed towards Senaatintori in Helsinki. A crowd was gathering, waiting for the five o'clock declaration of independence.
It took place.
There was a lot of shouting Kosovo! and thanks to Ahtisaari, Finland and the USA.
A taxi drove by. A passneger rolled down a window and shouted (in Finnish) "WE ARE ON YOUR SIDE!"
Some friends were there, playing a game of spotting members of the Finnish security police. I was trying to see who looked they might on the Russian state payroll...
Arttu has contributed a photo to this story.
at 13:25 on February 17th, 2008
jordan, thanks for writing about this. I live in Slovenia and our country can feel the heat atm. There were protests infront off Slovenian embassy in Beograd and our companies down there doubled their security as there were threats against them. This is happening because our government was talking about possibly recognizing Kosovos independence.
Protests Outside Slovenian Embassy
Explosion at Marcator store in Novi Sad
at 13:52 on February 17th, 2008
Celebration of the independence of Kosova, held in Prizren.
Alkimisti has contributed a photo to this story.
at 14:43 on February 17th, 2008
Information: This is the "Temporary Flag" of Independent State of Kosova in Original!
"The Blue backround symbolizes Hope, the map symbolizes the territory of newborn State of Kosova, and the six stars on the flag of newborn State of Kosova symbolize the six largest ethnic groups."
All rights reserved and copyrighted by Arben Hajdini 2008
Independent State of Kosova has contributed a photo to this story.