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18 years of statehood! Kosovo celebrates Independence today

2026-02-17 07:51:55Aktualitet SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

18 years ago, on February 17, 2008 at 3:39 PM in the Pristina Assembly, Kosovo declared Independence. In an extraordinary meeting attended by 109 out of a total of 120 members of parliament, the Kosovo Assembly unanimously declared Kosovo an independent, sovereign and democratic state.

The declaration of Kosovo’s independence on 17 February 2008 was the culmination of a long and difficult journey of the Albanian people in our lands, unjustly divided at the London Conference in 1912. For almost 100 years, the Albanian people in Kosovo experienced ethnic cleansing by the regime of the former Yugoslavia, which resulted in a War of Liberation (1997–99). After the end of the war, international peacekeeping troops were deployed in Kosovo.

Since June 13, 1999, when Serbian forces were forced to leave Kosovo, the country has been administered by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo – UNMIK – and Kosovo's self-governing institutions: the Assembly, the President, and the Government.

In November 2005, the process for the final status of Kosovo officially began. After extensive consultations, on 2 February 2007, the international special envoy for the status of Kosovo, Martti Ahtisaari, submitted his proposal to Pristina and Belgrade for conditional independence for Kosovo, a step towards the establishment of an independent state. After several rounds of talks, Kosovo declared independence on 17 February 2008.

The Declaration of Independence of Kosovo was made by the then Prime Minister, Hashim Thaçi, together with the members of Parliament and the President, at a meeting held in Pristina on February 17, 2008.

"We, the democratically elected leaders of our people, hereby declare Kosovo an independent and sovereign state. This declaration reflects the will of our people and is in full accordance with the recommendations of the United Nations Special Envoy, Martti Ahtisaari, and his comprehensive proposal for a solution to the status of Kosovo," reads the statement signed by the participating MPs. The Declaration
of Independence was unanimously adopted by 109 MPs present in the Kosovo Assembly hall.

“On 18 February 2008 the EU presidency announced that, after a day of intense talks between foreign ministers, member states were free to decide individually whether to recognise Kosovo’s independence. Most EU member states have recognised Kosovo, but Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia and Spain continue to refuse to recognise it.”
Shortly before the Declaration of Independence, the European Union approved the deployment of a 2,000-strong non-military rule of law mission, EULEX, to further develop the police and justice sector in Kosovo. All 27 EU member states approved EULEX’s mandate, including the five countries that have not yet recognised Kosovo’s independence.

US President Donald Trump has congratulated Kosovo on its 18th anniversary of statehood and reaffirmed the United States' unwavering support for Kosovo's sovereignty and territorial integrity, the Presidency of Kosovo has announced.

In a letter sent by Trump, Kosovo was congratulated for participating in the establishment of the Peace Board, as well as for this country's support for US efforts to solve global problems in Ukraine, Gaza, and other countries.

"As the relationship between our two countries continues to grow, we look forward to expanding our partnership through trade and investment cooperation. The United States stands ready to work with Kosovo to advance peace and stability for the common good," the letter said.
Kosovo recently joined Trump's Peace Council initiative, through which the US aims to end conflicts around the world.

Trump's congratulations were followed by those of King Charles III: "This day serves as a precious opportunity to reflect on the enduring friendship between our countries. I am deeply encouraged by the strength of our bilateral ties and remain committed to fostering even closer cooperation in the years to come. As we face the shared challenges of our time, particularly those related to climate and the preservation of our natural world, I hope that our countries will continue to work together for meaningful and lasting solutions," his message read.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian President Sergio Mattarella sent a letter of congratulations to President Vjosa Osmani.

Meanwhile, the trial of former KLA leaders accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity continues in The Hague. Today, the seventh session of closing statements is taking place, which has now moved on to questions from the court.

The Special Prosecution has requested a total of 180 years in prison for Thaçi, Veseli, Krasniqi and Selimi (45 years each). In support of the former leaders, today at 2:00 PM in Pristina, the "Freedom has a Name" platform has called a protest where senior state figures will also participate.


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