Kosovo held celebrations on 17 February 2009 to mark the first anniversary of its declaration of independence from Serbia. Prime Minister Hashim Thaci addressed parliament in Pristina, calling it the most important holiday for the Kosovan people and crediting the past year with building the foundations of a functioning state.
In Pristina, crowds filled the streets with Albanian, American, and European Union flags. Since the 2008 declaration, 54 countries, mostly Western, had recognized Kosovo, which had since adopted a constitution, flag, anthem, security force, and intelligence service. Thaci said he expected further recognition in 2009, including membership in the IMF and World Bank.
Ethnic Serb leaders in the north refused to mark the occasion. A rebel Serb assembly meeting in northern Kosovo declared the independence proclamation void and without legal standing, and voted to dismiss institutions formed under the Albanian-led government. Serbia's minister for Kosovo, Goran Bogdanovic, told the assembly Belgrade would not abandon its claim to the territory.
Serbia, backed by Russia, China, and India, contends the independence declaration violates international law and in September 2008 secured a UN General Assembly vote referring the matter to the International Court of Justice. The only reported disturbance on Tuesday came from nationalist protesters in the Serbian city of Novi Sad, who blocked traffic and lit flares.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in February 2009, in its own words.