Kosovo Independence Anniversary Different

What the Albanians had expected for centuries, the most important event for the people since the country's liberation in 1999. Kosovo was being declared an independent state.

The cold weather was in Kosovo on February 17th 2008, but not to stop people from filling roads from all sides in a holiday sign of what was happening.

Annie why no one had any idea what the Kosovo flag and the Declaration of Independence would look like, the citizens knew that the way was opening up to live in an independent state they had dreamed of for generations.

Roads across all Kosovo cities waved red and black flags and those of the United States of America and countries that helped free Kosovo from Serbia.

What was noted was the photograph of the legendary commander, Adem Jashar, with the inscription “Bac, which would become one of the most popular slogans from then until this day.

While the streets were full, the February 17th afternoon MPs gathered at the Assembly Hall. The extraordinary session was held at the request of the country's president and prime minister.

At the time, the main institutions in the country, Fatmir Sejdiu, president of Kosovo, Jakup Krasniqi, chairman of the Assembly, and Hashim Thaci prime minister. The latter even had the fortune to read the full declaration of Kosovo independence.

The solemn meeting started at 1500 to climax with the key declaration then at 15:39 minutes. Then 109 deputies present in the hall signed it.

“We, the leaders of our people, democratically elected through this statement declare Kosovo Independent Democratic State”, read then Prime Minister Hashim Thaci.

Kosovo is now opening a new page of history and changing Europe's political map, leaving behind the bitter memories of the hatreds and tragic conflicts that we experienced in the era of Independence, Peace and Progress of our country”, then said then Chief Prime Minister Jakup Krasniqi.

Hashim Thaci and Jakup Krasniqi, two of the main figures of the Kosovo Liberation Army and post-war policy in Kosovo, this year for the first time, do not participate in marking the anniversary of Kosovo's Independence.

Since the declaration of Independence, Thaci was not divided into the political scene, with government posts and recently supreme commander of the Kosovo Army.

But, since November 2020, Thaci and Krasniqi are staying in custody at The Hague, the Special Court, which Kosovo Parliament's own deputies voted in August 2015, and the same is mandated to investigate alleged war crimes in Kosovo.

Special formation preceded a resolution on the Council of Europe seeking an investigation into the assumptions of Swiss Senator Dick Marty. He claimed KLA members have committed war crimes and trafficked Serb organs killed during the war in Kosovo.

Along with Thaci and Krasniqi at The Hague are former fighters Rexhep Selimi, Kadri Veselini and Salih Mustafa.

In addition, this year's anniversary of Kosovo Independence finds the country just out of parliamentary elections and with a government in office.

The following weeks are expected to mark with the formation of new institutions by Albin Kurti's party, which is the winner of the elections, which were held on February 14th.

Recall that in 2005, then UN Secretary Kofi Annan appointed Martti Ahtisaari as the Special Representative in Kosovo. In 2007, Ahtisaari presented the report to the UN Security Council, which said Kosovo should be independent. On the other hand, Serbia rejected this, recommending supervised “autoeconomic”.

In line with Ahtisaari's Plan and UN Resolution 1244 on February 17th 2008, Kosovo declared independence.

Even though Kosovo's independence has so far recognised over 100 countries of the world, including recently Israel's recognition, with Russia's impasse, Serbia's biggest supporter in the international arena, Kosovo is still not a member of the UN.