SERBIA AND KOSOVO: A CHEQUERED HISTORY

Kosovo broke away from the former Yugoslavia in 1998 and, 10 years later, declared its independence from Serbia. Today it is recognized by 116 countries.

March 5, 1998 After years of peaceful struggle, Kosovo Liberation Army launches armed uprising against Serbian rule.

March 24, 1999 NATO begins airstrikes against Serbian military targets in response to Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic’s campaign against ethnic Albanian Kosovars.

Ju ne 10, 1999 End of NATO airstrikes with UN Security Council Resolution 1244, establishing the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo.

Feb. 17, 2008 Kosovo declares independence.

2008

EULEX, a civilian mission under EU’s common security and defense policy, takes over police, justice and customs functions from the UN.

Ju ly 22, 2010 International Court of Justice (ICJ) issues landmark opinion on Unilateral Declaration of Independence in Respect of Kosovo.

March 2011 EU-mediated dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia begins.

2011 Development of verification procedures enabling recognition of Kosovar Serbs’ qualifications for employment covering many institutions.

2012 Integrated border management agreement reached with Serbia, but only two of the six agreed-upon borders finalized.

April 19, 2013 Brussels Agreement initiated between Serbia and Kosovo but not signed.

2013 Under Brussels Agreement, Kosovo agrees to establish an Association of Serb Municipalities (ASM) including Serb-majority areas from both northern and southern Kosovo, in exchange for Belgrade dismantling its parallel structures in the north.

Au gu st2015 ASM gets significant powers over education, healthcare and welfare.

Kosovo obtains its own dialing code.

April 1, 2016 Stabilization and Association Agreement between the EU and Kosovo enters into force.

2017 Northern Kosovo’s separate prosecution service and courts integrated into national judicial system.

Au gu st2018 Kosovo and Serbian Presidents Hashim Thaci and Aleksandar Vucic propose ‘border correction’ to end impasse, which quickly runs into opposition.

December2018 Kosovo upgrades NATO-supervised security force into full army.

Sept. 4, 2020 White House announces ‘normalization of economic ties’ between Serbia and Kosovo after trilateral meeting.