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Kosovo marks 15 uneasy years of independence from Serbia

FILE - General view of a protest rally against Kosovo's independence, in downtown Belgrade, Serbia, on Feb. 18, 2008. Kosovo is celebrating 15 years of independence with a month of celebrations starting Friday while still facing serious challenges with Serbia, which refuses to recognize the autonomy of its former province. Europe's youngest country unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on Feb. 17, 2008, nearly nine years after a 78-day NATO bombing campaign in 1999 ended Belgrade's bloody crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) FILE - People carrying a banner that reads "It will remain ours", referring to the breakaway province of Kosovo, and waving Serbian flags, attend a protest in downtown Belgrade, Serbia,on Feb. 16, 2008. Kosovo is celebrating 15 years of independence with a month of celebrations starting Friday while still facing serious challenges with Serbia, which refuses to recognize the autonomy of its former province. Europe's youngest country unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on Feb. 17, 2008, nearly nine years after a 78-day NATO bombing campaign in 1999 ended Belgrade's bloody crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) FILE - Masked Serb students protest against Kosovo's independence in the ethnically divided town of Kosovska Mitrovica, Kosovo, on Feb. 21, 2008. Kosovo is celebrating 15 years of independence with a month of celebrations starting Friday while still facing serious challenges with Serbia, which refuses to recognize the autonomy of its former province. Europe's youngest country unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on Feb. 17, 2008, nearly nine years after a 78-day NATO bombing campaign in 1999 ended Belgrade's bloody crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists. (AP Photo/Bela Szandelszky) FILE - A Serb student wearing a t-shirt showing Russian president Vladimir Putin leads demonstrators protesting against Kosovo's independence in the ethnically divided town of Kosovska Mitrovica, Kosovo, on Feb. 21, 2008. Kosovo is celebrating 15 years of independence with a month of celebrations starting Friday while still facing serious challenges with Serbia, which refuses to recognize the autonomy of its former province. Europe's youngest country unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on Feb. 17, 2008, nearly nine years after a 78-day NATO bombing campaign in 1999 ended Belgrade's bloody crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists. (AP Photo/Bela Szandelszky) FILE - Kosovar Albanians dance with an American flag in the Albanian side of the ethnically divided town of Kosovska Mitrovica, Kosovo while celebrating the upcoming independence of Kosovo, Sunday, Feb. 17, 2008. Kosovo is celebrating 15 years of independence with a month of celebrations starting Friday while still facing serious challenges with Serbia, which refuses to recognize the autonomy of its former province. Europe's youngest country unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on Feb. 17, 2008, nearly nine years after a 78-day NATO bombing campaign in 1999 ended Belgrade's bloody crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists. (AP Photo/Bela Szandelszky) FILE - Kosovars hold the new national flag as they celebrate Kosovo's declaration of independence in the capital, Pristina, on Feb. 17, 2008. Kosovo is celebrating 15 years of independence with a month of celebrations starting Friday while still facing serious challenges with Serbia, which refuses to recognize the autonomy of its former province. Europe's youngest country unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on Feb. 17, 2008, nearly nine years after a 78-day NATO bombing campaign in 1999 ended Belgrade's bloody crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu) FILE - A woman passes by graffiti reading, "Kosovo is Serbia" in Belgrade, Serbia, on Sept. 9, 2020. Kosovo is celebrating 15 years of independence with a month of celebrations starting Friday while still facing serious challenges with Serbia, which refuses to recognize the autonomy of its former province. Europe's youngest country unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on Feb. 17, 2008, nearly nine years after a 78-day NATO bombing campaign in 1999 ended Belgrade's bloody crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) People hold giant Serbian flag during a protest against the Serbian authorities and French-German plan for the resolution of Kosovo, in Belgrade, Serbia, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023. Hundreds of pro-Russia nationalists have rallied outside the Serbian presidency building demanding that President Aleksandar Vucic reject a Western plan for normalization of ties with breakaway Kosovo and pull out of negotiations. Shouting “Treason” and carrying banners reading “No surrender,” the protesters on Wednesday blocked traffic in a busy street by the presidency. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) A woman holds an icon during a protest against the Serbian authorities and French-German plan for the resolution of Kosovo, in Belgrade, Serbia, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023. Hundreds of pro-Russia nationalists have rallied outside the Serbian presidency building demanding that President Aleksandar Vucic reject a Western plan for normalization of ties with breakaway Kosovo and pull out of negotiations. Shouting “Treason” and carrying banners reading “No surrender,” the protesters on Wednesday blocked traffic in a busy street by the presidency. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) People hold a Serbian flag with the map of Kosovo during a protest against the Serbian authorities and French-German plan for the resolution of Kosovo, in Belgrade, Serbia, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023. Hundreds of pro-Russia nationalists have rallied outside the Serbian presidency building demanding that President Aleksandar Vucic reject a Western plan for normalization of ties with breakaway Kosovo and pull out of negotiations. Shouting “Treason” and carrying banners reading “No surrender,” the protesters on Wednesday blocked traffic in a busy street by the presidency. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) People hold a Serbian flag reading "Kosovo" during a protest against the Serbian authorities and French-German plan for the resolution of Kosovo, in Belgrade, Serbia, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023. Hundreds of pro-Russia nationalists have rallied outside the Serbian presidency building demanding that President Aleksandar Vucic reject a Western plan for normalization of ties with breakaway Kosovo and pull out of negotiations. Shouting “Treason” and carrying banners reading “No surrender,” the protesters on Wednesday blocked traffic in a busy street by the presidency. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) A man holds a banner that shows a map of Kosovo and Serbian coat of arms and flag reading: ''No surrender!'' during a protest against the Serbian authorities and French-German plan for the resolution of Kosovo, in Belgrade, Serbia, Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023. Hundreds of pro-Russia nationalists have rallied outside the Serbian presidency building demanding that President Aleksandar Vucic reject a Western plan for normalization of ties with breakaway Kosovo and pull out of negotiations. Shouting “Treason” and carrying banners reading “No surrender,” the protesters on Wednesday blocked traffic in a busy street by the presidency. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
Kosovo marks 15 uneasy years of independence from Serbia