The President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, has described March 24, 1999, as a day of great hope for Kosovo, recalling the beginning of NATO airstrikes on police and military targets in former Yugoslavia.
“March 24 was truly a day of great hope because for the first time, the alliances of the democratic world came together to prevent the annihilation of the people of Kosovo by the genocidal regime of [former leader, Slobodan] Milošević, and together with many other partner states, we succeeded in finally making Kosovo free.”
She made these statements after paying homage at the memorial to fallen NATO soldiers for the freedom of Kosovo, located at Mother Teresa Square in Pristina.
Ambassadors of Western countries in Kosovo were also present.
“This day of great hope has turned into an unbreakable partnership between Kosovo and the democratic world, alliances that continue to this day.”
Osmani thanked every NATO soldier who, as she said, risked their lives “to save ours”.
“I want to thank all the leaders of the democratic world who did not turn a blind eye to the suffering of the people of Kosovo but came to our aid, stood by us, as we work together for today’s Kosovo to be a Kosovo that will make not only its citizens but also its friends proud of the successes in democracy development.”
After the massacre of Reçak in March 1999, NATO began attacks on military and police targets in former Yugoslavia.
After 78 days of attacks, the bombings ceased on June 10, 1999, with the Kumanovo Technical Agreement, which stipulated the withdrawal of all Serbian military and police forces from Kosovo.
The agreement was followed by the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244.
This Resolution was a compromise of the five permanent member states of the Security Council, under which a United Nations administration – UNMIK – was established in Kosovo, administering the transitional phase until the establishment of local institutions and the permanent resolution of Kosovo’s status.
On June 12, 1999, the deployment of around 50,000 soldiers from 36 countries began, with 30,000 of them being from NATO countries.
KFOR is still present today and ensures the security of Kosovo.
In the war in Kosovo in 1998/99, over 13,000 civilians were killed, and thousands of others disappeared.
Over 1,600 people are still missing – the majority of them Albanians.
