Tens of thousands of people poured into the streets of Pristina on Saturday night, hours before Kosovo was set to formally declare independence from Serbia. Crowds waved Albanian, American and British flags through the city centre as car horns echoed and firecrackers went off sporadically. Street vendors did brisk business selling Albanian flags ranging from two to 10 euros, alongside T-shirts bearing independence slogans.
The focal point was Mother Teresa Avenue, the capital's main thoroughfare, where people swayed to drums and live music. Police were largely absent from the festivities, though a local journalist told reporters that Serb minority neighborhoods, which oppose independence, saw noticeably heightened security.
Prime Minister Hashim Thaci confirmed Saturday that Kosovo, whose population is overwhelmingly ethnic Albanian, would formally declare independence in parliament the following afternoon. The move carries the backing of the United States and leading European governments; Serbia, supported by Russia, has called it illegal.
Sunday's program included a press conference at the Pristina Grand Hotel, the unveiling of an independence obelisk at the Youth Palace, and a public concert opening with the European Union anthem "Ode to Joy." President Fatmir Sejdiu and Thaci were then expected to address crowds in central Pristina before midnight, with fireworks to follow from three parts of the city.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in February 2008, in its own words.