International Crisis Group
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1. The current situation 
2. What should be done
3. History of the crisis
4. Important documents
5. Crisis Group analysis
6. News and other reporting

Photo: Kosovars celebrate the independence of Kosovo in Pristina on February 17, 2008. Daniel Mihailescu/AFP.

updated February 2009

1. The current situation

A year has passed since Kosovo declared independence on 17 February 2008.  Concerns about possible widespread violence and/ or a mass exodus from the Serb enclaves, have not materialised. While there have been violent episodes, the situation has remained largely stable.  Kosovo’s government has made positive gestures to the Serb minority and committed to protect minority rights, including through the decentralisation of local government and preserving the Serb cultural and religious heritage. In July the international community demonstrated its commitment to supporting the new state by pledging € 1.2 billion in aid for Kosovo. After long delays, the EU Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) finally became operational on 9 December, including, crucially, in the north.

However, difficulties remain. The lack of a UN Security Council resolution has handicapped the International Civilian Office (ICO) which was meant to be the pre-eminent international organization in Kosovo following independence. While the plan of former UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari represents the Kosovo government’s program for implementing independence, the lack of a Security Council resolution means that it lacks international legal standing. The number of states recognizing the new republic has been disappointingly low for Prishtina. The risk of violence remains, as shown by the 17 March 2008 protests around the courthouse in north Mitrovica, and recent flare ups in Mitrovica in December 2008/ January 2009. Despite the success in deploying EULEX throughout the country, the Serb-inhabited north remains outside the control of the Kosovo government.

On 17 February 2008 the new state pledged complete implementation of the Ahtisaari plan, inviting the International Civilian Representative (ICR), EULEX and NATO (KFOR) to assume their responsibilities under the plan. Although not all 27 EU states recognised Kosovo, all did support the deployment of EULEX. On 18 February it took common note of the independence declaration and committed to play a leading role in helping the new state. Several EU states and the U.S. later took the lead in establishing an International Steering Committee to supervise independence.  

In April Kosovo’s parliament adopted a new constitution, which came into force on 15 June. Kosovo authorities have been quick to assert control over an increasing number of state structures and functions. While a much reduced UN Mission (UNMIK) remains, it no longer has the executive powers it once exercised. The UN and the EU concluded technical talks on reconfiguration of the international presence in July 2008, which enabled the deployment of EULEX.

In Serbia, Kosovo independence was met with mass demonstrations and street violence. The Serbian coalition government fell on 10 March – largely over differences on how to respond to recognitions of Kosovo and the deployment of EU missions. Following parliamentary elections in May 2008, a new pro-European coalition government led by the Democratic Party of President Boris Tadic persisted in opposing Kosovo independence. 

The Belgrade government identified as its two greatest priorities retaining Kosovo and integration with the EU. It demonstrated its commitment to a more pro-EU path by arresting former Bosnian Serb leader and war criminal Radovan Karadzic. It also reinstated ambassadors previously withdrawn from EU states recognizing Kosovo’s independence. On the other hand, Serbia continues its policy of undermining Kosovo’s statehood through supporting parallel institutions, such as hospitals and schools in Kosovo Serb areas. In a new departure, Serbian local elections in May 2008 were held also in Serb areas of Kosovo. Although UNMIK declared this to be illegal, no steps were taken to prevent it. Serbs withdrew from Kosovo institutions following anti-Serb riots in March 2004, and since 2006 Kosovo Serbs have been forbidden to accept funding or salaries from Prishtina.

The smoothness with which EULEX deployed in the north on 9 December was a relief for the international community in Kosovo. It was made possible by a six-point plan to reconfigure UNMIK, negotiated between the UN and Belgrade, but rejected by the Kosovo government, which saw it as incompatible with the country’s sovereignty. While EULEX’s deployment was accepted by Belgrade and Prishtina, they did so on very different terms. For Prishtina, EULEX is deployed under its original March 2008 mandate, in line with the Ahtisaari plan, and in accordance with the Kosovo constitution. For Belgrade, EULEX is status-neutral, is not to implement Ahtisaari, and is deployed under UN auspices, on the basis of the UN Secretary-General’s statement adopted by the UN Security Council on 26 November, including the six-point plan. Thus EULEX’s mission is highly delicate, and it is treading very carefully, especially in the north.

For more information, see Crisis Group's most recent reports:

On 11 December 2007, Crisis Group President Gareth Evans sent a letter to European Union Heads of State which was summarised in a 13 December media release entitled Kosovo: Historic Opportunity for the European Union.

2. What should be done

In its September 2008 policy briefing, Kosovo’s Fragile Transition, Crisis Group made the following recommendations:

  • The EU should fully support the International Civilian Representative/EU Special Representative (ICR/EUSR), reaffirm commitment to the implementation of the Ahtisaari plan and insist that Kosovo is high on the agenda when dealing with Serbia on its’ SAA path
  • The UN Secretariat and UNMIK must reduce UNMIK’s size, ensure that compromises with Serbia on Kosovo Serbs are consistent with the mandate of the ICR/EUSR, and contribute to practical interim solutions to be reviewed in 2010
  • The Kosovo Government should maintain accountable and professional public institutions, engage with Kosovo Serbs on decentralisation provisions and accommodate one year transitional arrangements in Serb-majority areas
  • Kosovo Serb Representatives and the Government of Serbia should accept the transitional arrangements, meet with the ICR/EUSR and EULEX to ensure their full operationality and Kosovo Serb acceptance of these missions, and accept the Athisaari plan as “status neutral”
  • NATO must offer strong support to EULEX, particularly north of the Ibar


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3. History of the crisis

Following the NATO air strikes that began in March 1999 and Milosevic's June capitulation, Kosovo became a UN protectorate under the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) with UN Security Council resolution 1244 (1999). UNMIK set about establishing Kosovo institutions. In November 2001 elections were held for Kosovo's Provisional Institutions of Self-Government, to which UNMIK progressively transferred competencies. From April 2002, UNMIK followed a policy of "standards before status", calling for progress in meeting various internal benchmarks before status would be addressed. The policy was designed to defer pressures within Kosovo for independence, given international disunity on how Kosovo's status should be resolved.

Albanian frustration mounted at perceived international stalling on resolving Kosovo's status. Tensions exploded in March 2004, with Albanian rioters targeting the Serb population and UNMIK. Unfounded allegations of Serbs drowning Albanian children sparked fighting in Mitrovica, leading to two days of Kosovo-wide riots that killed 19 and wounded 900. The responses from NATO forces (KFOR) and UNMIK were disorganised and harmed their credibility, particularly amongst Serbs.

In October 2005 UN Special Envoy Kai Eide concluded that there was nothing to be gained from further delay, and the Secretary-General appointed former president of Finland Martti Ahtisaari to lead the settlement effort. From February 2006 through September, Ahtisaari's office (UNOSEK) engaged the negotiating teams of Kosovo and Serbia in several rounds of direct talks in Vienna and mounted a number of expert missions to both capitals.

Ahtisaari presented his draft Comprehensive Proposal to both Belgrade and Pristina on 2 February 2007. After additional meetings with the two sides in Vienna, the UNOSEK status negotiations were formally closed on 10 March. Ahtisaari declared the talks exhausted, stating that additional efforts would not bring the sides closer to a compromise and that "a sustainable solution of Kosovo’s status is urgently needed". Ahtisaari’s proposals were put before the UN Security Council on 26 March.

As the UN Security Council was unable to agree on a resolution backing supervised independence, the six-nation Contact Group’s ‘Troika’ – the EU, U.S. and Russia – started a new round of negotiations between Pristina and Belgrade. Talks ended on 10 December without a compromise; at a 14 December summit, EU leaders discussed preparations to proceed towards supervised independence based on the Ahtisaari plan and the deployment of a 1,800-strong EU security and rule of law mission.

Kosovo declared independence on 17 February, confirming its acceptance of the Ahtisaari plan, its agreement to the deployment of new missions and to the continuation of NATO ‘s force. In Serbia, there were mass demonstrations and street violence. Independence has been vigorously opposed by Serbia, supported by Russia. To-date, more than 50 countries have recognized Kosovo, including the U.S. and most EU member states. In April 2008 the Pristina government adopted a new constitution, which came into force in June, when a number of main powers were transferred from UNMIK to the Kosovo government. The government has been quick to assert its authority in a number of areas, and has voiced its disapproval of UNMIK’s consultations with Belgrade.

In addition to EULEX, the EU approved the appointment of EU special representative (EUSR), appointing Dutch diplomat Pieter Feith, double-hatted as the ICR. The UN and EU agreed a reconfiguration of the international presence, involving a drawdown of UNMIK and an increased EU role. Italian Lamberto Zannier was appointed as UN Special Representative in June 2008. As a result of the reconfiguration of international missions in Kosovo, UNMIK retains a limited political role. The reconfiguration was complicated by the fact that, on the one hand, Belgrade and the Kosovo Serbs insisted that UNMIK remained the key international factor, under UN Security Council resolution 1244, while Prishtina wanted to downplay UNMIK, seeing it as part of the pre-independence international set-up that had been superseded by the Ahtisaari plan. For their part, Belgrade and the Kosovo Serbs refused to deal with the ICR/ EUSR, seeing that office as tainted by association with Ahtisaari, and the Kosovo Serbs, especially in the north, regarded EULEX with deep suspicion.

In north Mitrovica and the compactly Serb-inhabited territory to the north of it, reactions to the independence declaration were especially militant. Following the 17 February declaration, large groups of Serbs destroyed two northern Kosovo border posts. With the border thus uncontrolled, smuggling, already a serious problem in the north, blossomed even more. On 21 February former Serbian court workers, seeking to recover Milosevic-era jobs, began picketing the Mitrovica regional court, and occupied it on 14 March. UNMIK and KFOR forces attempting to remove the peaceful protestors were attacked by mobs throwing stones, petrol bombs and grenades, and gunfire was exchanged. Around 100 internationals and 80 Serbs were injured in the violence, two of the Serbs critically and one Ukrainian UNMIK policeman fatally. Though UNMIK Police initially withdrew to south Mitrovica, they returned under heavy KFOR escort on 19 March. On 9 December 2008 EULEX cautiously established a presence in the north, including at the border posts. The following month, EULEX customs officials began registering vehicles passing through the border points.

For this conflict history in full, see the Kosovo conflict history on our databases and resources page.

For a month by month report on the situation in Kosovo, check Crisis Group’s CrisisWatch database.

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4. Important documents

UN Secretary-General’s proposal for UNMIK reconfiguration, 12 June 2008.

Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo, adopted 9 April 2008 for entry into force 15 June 2008

EU Council Conclusions on Kosovo, 18 February 2008

The text of Kosovo’s Declaration of Independence, 17 February 2008

EU Joint actions on EULEX, 4 February 2008

EU Joint actions on EUSR, 4 February 2008

Report of the EU/U.S./Russia Troika on Kosovo, 4 December 2007

Report of the UNSC fact-finding mission to Kosovo, 4 May 2007, and meeting record of the UNSC discussion of the report, 10 May 2007

The Ahtisaari plan, comprising "The Comprehensive Proposal for the Kosovo Status Settlement" and "The Report of the Special Envoy of the Secretary General on Kosovo's Future Status"

UNOSEK documentation of the Kosovo status talks, February 2006-March 2007

The Guiding principles of the Contact Group for a settlement of the status of Kosovo, 7 October 2005, and other Contact Group statements of 2005-2007

Letter dated 7 October 2005 from the UN Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council transmitting 2nd Eide Report, S/2005/635

Letter dated 17 November 2004 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council, S/2004/932 (includes Eide Report)

Kosovo Standards Implementation Plan, 31 March 2004, and European Partnership Action Plan, 9 August 2006

UNMIK’s Constitutional Framework for Provisional Self-Government, 15 May 2001

Security Council resolution 1244, 10 June 1999

Military Technical Agreement between the International Security Force ("KFOR") and the Governments of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Serbia, also known as the "Kumanovo Agreement", 9 June 1999

The Rambouillet draft accords, 23 February 1999

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5. Crisis Group analysis

Crisis Group publications

Related Crisis Group reporting

For all reports prior to 2001, please visit our Kosovo page.

For a month by month report on the situation in Kosovo, check Crisis Group’s CrisisWatch database.

Other Crisis Group resources

For all opinion pieces prior to September 2002, please visit our articles and op-eds page. 

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6. News and other reporting

News sources

Useful websites

Images of Kosovo

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7. Maps and geographical information

Kosovo is a largely mountainous region covering 10,686 square kilometers, bordering on Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia. Its population is estimated at approximately 1,900,000 (2002 figures).  Prior to 1999, Kosovo's population was roughly 80 per cent Albanian; ethnic Albanians currently make up closer to 88 per cent of the inhabitants.

Kosovo provides both a historical cradle of Albanian "national renaissance", which began with League of Prizren in 1878, and a centre-piece of Serbian national mythology, founded in its legendising of defeat by Ottoman Turks in the 1389 Battle of Kosovo Field. While Serbs argue their "historical right" to Kosovo and see Albanians as usurpers, Albanians claim they are decendants of the Illyrians, whose presence pre-dated the Serbs' arrival in the Balkans by several centuries.

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