Celebrations and denial on Kosovo's first anniversary

Jubilant ethnic Albanians poured into the streets to celebrate the first anniversary of Kosovo’s independence from Serbia today.

Meanwhile nationalist Serbian politicians joined their ethnic brothers in northern Kosovo to try to undermine the tiny country.

The moves highlight the division that has plagued Kosovo and threatens to split it along ethnic lines. It also underscored the challenge Kosovo’s authorities face to assert control over areas where Serbs live.

In the capital Pristina thousands of people were singing, playing traditional music and waving flags and banners that read “Happy Birthday Kosovo!”

One newspaper plastered its front pages with a photo of one-year-old Pavaresi Sopa under the headline: “She grows.” The child, whose first name means independence, was the first ethnic Albanian born after last year’s declaration.

With an Albanian flag tucked underneath his arm, Abaz Meha said life has improved despite what he called Serbia’s efforts to undo Kosovo’s proclamation of statehood.

“It’s getting better by the minute,” said Meha, 70. “Serbia will not let us be, and their leaders can make all the statements they want, but there is no turning back.”

Although the mood was festive in the capital, tensions were high in the ethnically divided north, home to most of Kosovo’s minority Serbs.

Nationalist politicians from Serbia – which, backed by Russia, refuses to recognise Kosovo’s statehood – joined Kosovo Serbs in a declaration that rejected its independence and its new constitution. Kosovo’s nationhood, the document contended, is “non-existent and of no legal consequence.”

A protest also was planned in the tense northern town of Mitrovica, a scene of frequent and sometimes violent clashes between ethnic Albanians and Serbs.

Serbia considers Kosovo to be part of its territory and has vowed to block its quest for international recognition. So far, 54 countries have recognised Kosovo as an independent country – just half the number that Prime Minister Hashim Thaci had predicted a year ago.

Since the declaration Kosovo’s authorities have set up an intelligence agency and are working with Nato to train a lightly armed security force. Kosovo’s parliament enacted a new constitution, and UN administrators handed over supervision of the fledgling country to a 2,000-member EU mission of police officers, judges and advisers.

But the EU force is yet to fully deploy in the north of the country, where Serbs treat it with suspicion because most EU countries have recognised Kosovo as a state. Serb leaders in the north have called for the burning of EU-run customs points between Kosovo and Serbia.

Leaders on both sides have ruled out carving the territory in two, a point Mr Thaci underlined today when he addressed Kosovo’s lawmakers in a solemn ceremony.

“The key to our success is in unity,” he said. “Kosovo will continue to be united as a country and as a nation.”