Kosovo claims independence
KRISTIN CALCIANO
Issue date: 3/4/08 Section: Campus News
NEW YORK - People were
cheering and proudly waving
the newly-revealed flag of
Kosovo. Some people were
sitting on top of driven cars,
honking and cheering at the
crowds.
On Sunday, Feb. 17, an estimated
10,000 Albanian-
Americans gathered in Times
Square to celebrate the declaration
of Kosovo's independence
from Serbia.
A decade after a separatist
war between Kosovo and
Serbia that claimed 10,000
lives, lawmakers pronounced
the territory the Republic of
Kosovo and pledged to make
it a "democratic and multiethnic
state."
Even though Serbia called
the declaration illegal and its
ally Russia denounced it,
claiming it threatened to start
a new conflict in the Balkans,
that didn't stop people from
celebrating for more than five
hours in the freezing cold
along Manhattan streets.
There were people waving
the flag and wearing t-shirts,
which said "Thank you
U.S.A." on one side, with the
Kosovo flag posted on the
back.
Police promptly put up barriers
on both sides of the
street, although they were not
needed because the celebration
was very peaceful. All
over Times Square, people
sported red and black t-shirts,
jackets, hats and other apparel
in favor of Kosovo.
There was no shortage of
happiness and pride that
emanated from every single
person who lined the streets.
Ramiz Hopi, a 42-year-old
restaurant owner who lives in
Manhattan said, "After 3,000
years for this miracle to happen
for us is like a child being
born."
Kosovo had formally
remained a part of Serbia
even though it has been
administered by the U.N. and
NATO since 1999 when
NATO airstrikes ended
Slobodan Milosevic's, a former
Yugoslav leader, crackdown
on ethnic Albanian separatists.
Sunday's declaration was
carefully orchestrated with
the U.S. and key European
powers. Ninety percent of
Kosovo's 2-million people are
cheering and proudly waving
the newly-revealed flag of
Kosovo. Some people were
sitting on top of driven cars,
honking and cheering at the
crowds.
On Sunday, Feb. 17, an estimated
10,000 Albanian-
Americans gathered in Times
Square to celebrate the declaration
of Kosovo's independence
from Serbia.
A decade after a separatist
war between Kosovo and
Serbia that claimed 10,000
lives, lawmakers pronounced
the territory the Republic of
Kosovo and pledged to make
it a "democratic and multiethnic
state."
Even though Serbia called
the declaration illegal and its
ally Russia denounced it,
claiming it threatened to start
a new conflict in the Balkans,
that didn't stop people from
celebrating for more than five
hours in the freezing cold
along Manhattan streets.
There were people waving
the flag and wearing t-shirts,
which said "Thank you
U.S.A." on one side, with the
Kosovo flag posted on the
back.
Police promptly put up barriers
on both sides of the
street, although they were not
needed because the celebration
was very peaceful. All
over Times Square, people
sported red and black t-shirts,
jackets, hats and other apparel
in favor of Kosovo.
There was no shortage of
happiness and pride that
emanated from every single
person who lined the streets.
Ramiz Hopi, a 42-year-old
restaurant owner who lives in
Manhattan said, "After 3,000
years for this miracle to happen
for us is like a child being
born."
Kosovo had formally
remained a part of Serbia
even though it has been
administered by the U.N. and
NATO since 1999 when
NATO airstrikes ended
Slobodan Milosevic's, a former
Yugoslav leader, crackdown
on ethnic Albanian separatists.
Sunday's declaration was
carefully orchestrated with
the U.S. and key European
powers. Ninety percent of
Kosovo's 2-million people are
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