Kosovo: a Nation Deserving of its Independence

Kosovo: a Nation Deserving of its Independence

Jose Emmanuel Micael M. EvaVIII

BS Geography University of the Philippines – Diliman

Pursuit of Independence

September 7, 1990, the first proclamation of independence by Kosovo's -majority political institutions

February 17, 2008, The Provisional Institutions of Self-Government Assembly of Kosovo or the Kosovo declaration of independence, was an act of the adopted by a unanimous quorum (109 members present), which declared Kosovo to be independent from Serbia.

November 2, 2008 Kosovo declared its independence as the Republic of Kosovo with Pristina as its capital.

International Acclaims

The United States of America, Albania, Austria, Australia, Germany, Italy, France, Turkey, The United Kingdom, The Republic of China (Taiwan) have expressed their support of Kosovo’s independence only a few days after its declaration. To day, there are 65 member states of the United Nations that recognize Kosovo as an independent Republic. Kosovo is also now a member of the International Monetary Fund (or IMF) and the World Bank.

a member country of the IMF and World Bank as the Republic of Kosovo.

Russian, China, Spain and a few other countries however have not recognized it. Russia among some other European countries considers it illegal. With Russia and China having veto powers in the United Nations, Kosovo has yet to apply for official membership to the United Nations. Kirill Gevorgian, Russia's ambassador to the Netherlands presented Russia’s reasons as to why it does not recognize Kosovo’s declaration of independence at a UN court meeting in Prague last December 8, 2009. He sites that Kosovo's declaration of independence specifically violated UN Security Council Resolution 1244 -- the June 1999 resolution that placed Kosovo under an interim UN administration and authorized a NATO-led peacekeeping force in Kosovo.

Kosovo as a Country

Although Kosovo has been the poorest province of the Yugoslavian Federation for the longest time, and despite the inadequate subsidies and economic stimulation from its former state, it shows a competitive spirit in terms of its economy and other aspects. It has the second largest coal reserves in Europe and has set its standards to the standards of a competitive European country since its declaration of independence in 2008.

Kosovo seeks to be recognized worldwide as a competitive market as it is a free trade market having a liberal trade regime. And so far, the Republic of Kosovo has been enjoying quite a stable macroeconomic condition.

Intrinsic Independence

Seeing Kosovo as an efficient independent country today is the benchmark of this debate. Thus, it just proves that the independence of Kosovo is rightful and just.

Pat Cox, former President of the European Parliament argued;

"Kosovo has nowhere left to go other than independence. Returning to a state relationship with Serbia is anathema to the 90 per cent of the population that is ethnic Albanian, and forcing such a solution would reignite war. Any protectorate option would be seen by Kosovo Albanians as merely the buying of time at their expense."

90% of citizens of Kosovo do want Independence, what other opinions matter in this case? I believe that this self-sufficiency not just in words or opinions, but in actual practice, in actual plans, is a proof that Kosovo indeed, deserves its independence.

Sources:

Debatepedia - http://debatepedia.idebate.org/en/index.php/Debate:Kosovo_Independence

Geopolitika - http://www.geopolitika.lt/?artc=1330

BBC News - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7249034.stm

International Herald Tribune - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7249034.stm