Kosovo Independence Day 2023: Date, History, Interesting Facts

Kosovo Independence Day is a national holiday celebrated annually on February 17 to commemorate the 2008 declaration of independence by the Balkan nation. Kosovo, the second-youngest country in the world, Southeastern Europe, declared independence from Serbia on February 17, 2008, following a bloody war from March 5, 1998 to June 11, 1999. Forces of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) and the Kosovo Albanian rebel group, the Kosovo Liberation Army (K.L.A. ), engaged in brutal combat, attracting widespread attention. In March 1999, airstrikes conducted by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) brought an end to the conflict. Afterwards, Yugoslav forces withdrew from Kosovo.

HISTORY OF KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE DAY

The tragic event of the Kosovo war, which claimed an astounding 13,000 lives, is regarded as the bloodiest event to leave a gruesome scar in Europe since World War II. Its effects are still felt today.

The Republic of Kosovo, whose name derives from the Serbian region “field of the blackbirds” and was formerly a province of Serbia, is primarily referred to as an ethnic Albanian territory. Her history is inextricably linked to neighbouring regions, including Serbia. Present-day Kosovo has its roots in Dardania, which was a sovereign state known as the Kingdom of Dardania (fourth century B.C.). In the first century B.C., the Roman Empire annexed the territory. The region merged with the Bulgarian Empire, the Byzantine Empire, and the Serbian mediaeval states during the Middle Ages. The Ottoman Empire eventually seized power. In 1913, Kosovo became a part of the Kingdom of Serbia, which in 1918 merged to form Yugoslavia.

The Kosovo war broke out as a result of decades of mistreatment and oppression of ethnic Albanians by former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic; this was the root cause of the uprising. Prior to the Kosovo war, there were long-standing tensions between the Serb majority and the Albanian minority. Although partition had been suggested as a way to resolve the conflict, the 2008 declaration of independence cemented the status quo.

Prior to this, on May 18, 2001, Vice-President of Serbia Neboja ovi proposed the establishment of two entities, one Serbian and one Albanian, in Kosovo and Metohija. In 2008, Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia with courage. This decision was met with both approval and opposition. The United States and the majority of European Union members gave their approval, while Serbia, its ally Russia, and a number of other nations, including the United Nations, refused to recognise the decision. The International Court of Justice ruled in favour of Kosovo in 2010, stating that it had not violated international law.

Day of Ashakalia 2023: Date, History, Facts about Kosovo

5 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT KOSOVO YOU SHOULD KNOW

Mother Teresa was born in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, which was formerly a part of Kosovo Vilayet, Ottoman Empire.

The forests of Kosovo are estimated to account for 41% of the country’s total surface area, which could usher in a massive turnaround for the nation.

Due to the Ottoman Empire’s imposition of Islamic rule on the tiny state, the Islamic population significantly outnumbers Christians.

Albanian is one of the two official languages of Kosovo, the other being Serbian. Albanian is spoken by 92.93 percent of Kosovo’s population, making it the majority language.

Kosovo is recognised as an independent nation by more than one hundred United Nations members and 23 of the 28 members of the European Union (EU).

KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE DAY DATES

Year	Date	Day
2023	February 17	Friday
2024	February 17	Saturday
2025	February 17	Monday
2026	February 17	Tuesday
2027	February 17	Wednesday