As Thaci prepares to announce Kosovo’s independence, he had made a vow to protect all that live in the region.
“In Kosovo, there will be security for all citizens. The government is committed to looking forward to the future and overcoming the sad past.
“I invite all those who want to, to return to their homes and their property, including displaced Serbs living outside Kosovo,” Thaci had said.
But, there is a report issued by the New York based group Human Rights Watch that has pointed out violence directed towards ethnic minorities such as ethnic Albanians in the post-war history of Kosovo.
After the NATO bombing campaign in 1999, Kosovo’s government was administered by the United Nations. This was one of the biggest events in the latter part of Bill Clinton’s second term as US President.
The major event during Bill Clinton’s second term was reports of a genocide of the majority in Kosovo which were ethnic Albanians.
It is expected that Thaci’s declaration will be made this coming Sunday on February 17. However, there is no exact date set. There are two factions that support Kosovo’s independence and there are two factions that are against it.
Currently, the move for Kosovo’s independence has been supported by both the United States and the European Union. At the same time, Serbia and Russia are strongly against the move set by Kosovo. For the time being, Kosovo is still considered to be part of Serbia.
In preparation for Kosovo to declare its independence, Serbia has said it plans to use both diplomatic and economic measures. Serbia’s government has said that it does not plan to use military force on Kosovo.
“I will never give up fighting for our Kosovo,” Boris Tadic said as he took the oath of Serbia’s President after getting reelected for his second term.
On a separate note, Russia’s foreign ministry said that the government would have to take into account into Kosovo. By proxy, Russia’s concern with Kosovo’s independence is in the relations with Abkhazia and South Ossetia which are breakaway regions of Georgia. So far, if the West recognizes Kosovo’s independence, Russia could do the same with those regions wanting to break away from Georgia.