Today, 15 years after the March riots

The riots erupted after reports that two Albanian children had drowned in the Iber River as a result of Serb violence, while the cause of this tragedy was never fully clarified.

Some children who survived in the late hours showed up that night to cameras that they were followed by Serbs and that they were leaving when some of their peers drowned in the river. The next day, on 17 March, protests began in many Kosovo cities that quickly escalated into violence.

Several houses and Serbian churches were burned during the riots. Similar events lie with Albanian homes in majority Serb parts. Serbs also retaliated with the burning of several mosques in Serbia.

These riots awakened many decisionmakers from sleep. All understood that very little in Kosovo could be improved without resolving final status.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan gave Norwegian Kai Eide the task of drafting a report that would reflect the situation in Kosovo. Eide took this task very seriously, and after many visits to Kosovo and the Balkans, he met representatives of all parties, communities, religions and thirst. In October 2005, he submitted the report.

Although Eide in this report points to many things that can improve, he recommends that the time has come for the start of talks on Kosovo's final status.

Several days later, the same recommendation for the United Nations Security Council makes Kofi Annan.

On February 17th 2008, based on this proposal, Kosovo is declared an independent and sovereign state. The constitution of Kosovo, which gives it all state competencies, comes into force on June 15th 2008.