Kosovo constitution to take effect

The Kosovo constitution adopted by the province’s temporary institutions on April 9, is due to come into force tomorrow. The constitution is the fruit of the application of former UN Envoy Martti Ahtisaari’s “All-Encompassing Plan” that the Kosovo temporary institutions took as their basis for social order. Kosovo constitution to take effect The plan was rejected in the UN Security Council, while Serbia did not offer a single amendment to any of its articles during lengthy talks in Vienna last year. Serbia views it as an illegal and illegitimate act, not only from Serbia’s point of view but also from that of international law. The Kosovo constitution contains 40 chapters and 160 articles. According to the constitution, Kosovo is a parliamentary republic where the Kosovo president has the highest powers. Albanian and Serbian are the official languages. Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu, outlining the constitution, said that “a special place in it is given to the position of individuals and citizens of the Republic of Kosovo according to the highest international standards.” Prior to being adopted in the temporary Kosovo institutions, the constitution was approved by International Civil Representative to Kosovo Pieter Feith. While the Pristina authorities stress that the enactment of the constitution represents “the culmination of Kosovo statehood,” Belgrade underlines that the constitution changes nothing for Serbia. “The adoption of the constitution is illegal for Serbia just as the Albanians’ first attempt to proclaim a constitution in September 1990 and the declaration of independence in February 2008 were,” says Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardzic. He says that the Kosovo constitution will be imposed on Serbia, in the same way the unilateral declaration of independence was, but that after Sunday June 15 comes Monday, and that the Serbs will continue to live their own lives in Kosovo, and that Serbia will continue to implement its own policy in Kosovo wherever possible.

Kosovo constitution to take effect

The plan was rejected in the UN Security Council, while Serbia did not offer a single amendment to any of its articles during lengthy talks in Vienna last year.

Serbia views it as an illegal and illegitimate act, not only from Serbia’s point of view but also from that of international law.

The Kosovo constitution contains 40 chapters and 160 articles.

According to the constitution, Kosovo is a parliamentary republic where the Kosovo president has the highest powers. Albanian and Serbian are the official languages.

Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu, outlining the constitution, said that “a special place in it is given to the position of individuals and citizens of the Republic of Kosovo according to the highest international standards.”

Prior to being adopted in the temporary Kosovo institutions, the constitution was approved by International Civil Representative to Kosovo Pieter Feith.

While the Priština authorities stress that the enactment of the constitution represents “the culmination of Kosovo statehood,” Belgrade underlines that the constitution changes nothing for Serbia.

“The adoption of the constitution is illegal for Serbia just as the Albanians’ first attempt to proclaim a constitution in September 1990 and the declaration of independence in February 2008 were,” says Kosovo Minister Slobodan Samardžić.

He says that the Kosovo constitution will be imposed on Serbia, in the same way the unilateral declaration of independence was, but that after Sunday June 15 comes Monday, and that the Serbs will continue to live their own lives in Kosovo, and that Serbia will continue to implement its own policy in Kosovo wherever possible.