USA opened its Kosovo Embasy

As several countries officially recognised Kosovo's Independence, United States of America has opened its embassy in Pristina, Kosovo's capital. Although USA had a representative in Kosovo for several years, it was not an embassy as Kosovo was not a state before.

While in the opening ceremony, US Chargé d'Affaires Tina Kaidanow said, "As a consequence of Kosovo's new status as an independent country, recognised by many of the world's most powerful and prosperous nations, we have now been granted permission by the US Congress to open formally as a full-fledged US Embassy" .

Sources: setimes.com, B92

Serbia is pushing for elections in Kosovo

Although Kosovo is officially recognised as a sovereign country. Serbia -whom doesn't recognised Kosovo's independence- Serbia said that it intends to hold local elections in Kosovo next month.

There were warnings that the vote would violate UN Security Council Resolution 1244 and thereby would be illegal.

According to setimes, UNMIK chief Joachim Ruecker insists only the UN has the right to conduct elections in Kosovo. However, he has said Serbia could help organise UN-run local elections in Serb-dominated municipalities this year, and he acknowledged Belgrade's right to conduct parliamentary elections in Kosovo.

"Local elections of Serbia in Kosovo would be illegal based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244," he wrote in response to a letter by Serbia's Minister for Kosovo, Slobodan Samardzic, that disclosed Belgrade's plans to hold elections in Kosovo. "However, parliamentary elections may take place."

source: setimes.com

Situation in Kosovo is better now

After the independence of Kosovo, the ethnic Serbian minority in the country start clashing with the UN police and NATO's troops (which is named as KFOR).

Especially the 4 weeks after the independence, tansion was extremely high. Several UN police officers and KFOR troops were injured during clashes with Serb protesters in Kosovo's ethnically divided town of Mitrovica. It was the worst violence since Kosovo declared independence.

According to CNN, there were reports of possible gunfire and some grenades used against UN police and KFOR, said UNMIK spokesman Alexander Ivanko in Pristina, country's capital.

After several weeks, the situation seems better now. Although from time to time the tension may rise again, it's easy to say people of Kosovo are getting used to the idea of living in Kosovo not in Serbia or Yugoslavia.

Source: setimes.com

A brief history of the Kosovo Conflict

Kosovo was one of the biggest problems in Balkan region since 1389, when the Ottoman Empired fought against Serbs in today's Kosovo Polje.

Both armieslost their Kings in this war. Serbian King Lazar has been killed during the fight, Ottoman Sultan Murat, has been assasined just after the war by a Serbian called Obilic. Obilic was killed there in the point immediately.

After this war, Ottomans started controlling Balkan region until 19th century. After this date, Kosovo has been under te control of Serbian, Croation Slovenian Kingdom, then under Yugoslavia. Kosova was not one of the federal countries in Yugoslavia but it was an autonomus region such as Vojvodina in North Serbia.

After the collapse of Former Yugoslavia, Serbs carried on controlling the region. Region was under control of Serbs but it's population was mostlly Albanians.Until 1999, when Kosovar Albanians start fighting against Serbs.

NATO was involved in this war as well. Several Serbian targets has been bombed by NATO forces.

In 1999 UN start ruling the region. Until February 17th 2008. The time which Kosovo declared it's independence.