Kosovo declares Independence!

Kosovo's Prime Minister proclaim independence on Sunday Feb. 17th, 2008.


What a moment. This is historic as it gets. The next days and the developments of this independence are going to be crucial for many reasons.

It'd be important to follow up the reactions of Serbia and Russia. But also, of other countries like Spain, Turkey, Ireland and China.


Kosovo is an example of successful division and countries that deal with separatist movements, like the Basques in Spain and Kurds in Turkey, fear that Kosovo could happen on their lands.



"We have waited for this day for a very long time... from today, we are proud, independent and free, " Hashim Thaci Kosovo the Prime Minister said.

It's mandatory to fallow as well the potential armed conflict that might arise. Already there is been problems in the part of Kosovo where there is a majority of Serbians and in the Serbian capital, Belgrade.

I was in Belgrade a couple of months ago and I never thought this would actually happen now. Serbia and Montenegro was the last piece of former Yugoslavia loose union. Montenegro declared independence in 2006 and now, Kosovo's Albanian majority does the same.

Out of the two million people in Kosovo, around 90% are Albanians, and the Serbs are the minority. The region has been under NATO control since 1999 at the end of the armed conflict when NATO -under the Clinton administration - drove out the Serb forces.

"The independence of Kosovo marks the end of the dissolution of the former Yugoslavia," Mr.Thaci, the prime minister said.