Albania’s northern neighbour Kosovo proclaims independence from Serbia

Kosovo where 90% of the population is ethnic Albanian declared its independence from Serbia on Sunday 17th February 2008. The declaration had been widely expected and represents the final dissolution of the former Republic of Yugoslavia.

Prime Minister Hashim Thaci told the parliament “We have waited for this day for a very long time,” before he read the text of the declaration and paid tribute to those who had died on the road to independence.

Tens of thousands of people waving the Albanian flag had thronged the streets of Kosovo’s capital, Pristina, since the morning in anticipation of the declaration being accepted by the Kosovan parliament. On receiving the news the city centre erupted in celebration with fireworks, firecrackers and gunfire.

Opposition to proclamation from Serbia and Russia.

Serbia meanwhile rejected the legality of the split and denounced the US for helping create what they described as a “false state”. Russia has come out in support of Serbia stating that there was no basis for changing a 1999 resolution which handed Kosovo to the UN.

Other European countries such as Spain that have separatist movement issues of their own have indicated they will not be recognising Kosovo as an independent state for fear of creating problems for themselves.

Limitations of independence - No Greater Albania

The declaration approved by Kosovo’s parliament does however contain limitations as set out by the UN blueprint for Kosovo. This plan clearly sets out that Kosovo, or part of it, cannot join any other country and post independence it will be supervised by an international presence. Its armed forces will also be limited in size and it will have to take substantive steps to protect the remaining Serbian minority.

The idea of a unified greater Albania which would also incorporate the Albanian populations of Kosovo, Macedonia, Southern Serbia and parts of Montenegro now looks unlikely and the Albanian President himself said should be relegated to history. Hopes that Albania may be invited to join both the EU and Nato this year seem to have taken over from dreams of a Greater Albania.