Kosovo is not, and cannot become state - minister

Kosovo is not, and cannot become state - minister

According to Vulin, states are created on the foundations of law and justice, "and because people living in an area are capable of organizing one."

Commenting on the anniversary and the announced opposition protests, Vulin said this day "demonstrates the best that a territory cannot become a state only because someone said so."

"The problem is that great powers find it difficult to admit to being wrong and recognizing something that is not a state and cannot become one, something that was created on the foundations of force, violence, and the ripped out Serb organs," Vulin stressed, and added:

"It's difficult for them to admit it, and today, in the streets of Pristina, they can see what it looks like when something that is not a state is declared to be one, when they look at the clashes and violence in what they consider to be the parliament."

The minister "reiterated that Serbia and the government of Aleksandar Vucic" will never recognize Kosovo as independent, and noted that it would be "good for the international community, too, to once again reconsider what is written in (UN Security Council) Resolution 1244, that it passed, and start implementing it."

"There is no justice and reconciliation in Kosovo and Metohija until all those expelled have returned," said Vulin.

He said the international community "took this obligation when it abolished supervised independence because there was visible progress," and asked, "where is this progress visible."

"Is it that there have been no war crimes trials, that EULEX, the most expensive mission in EU's history, has not fulfilled its role, that 44,000 applications submitted by Serbs to have their property returned have not been regulated, that 250,000 displaced persons have not returned, or that the majority of fake asylum seekers are arriving precisely from Kosovo and Metohija?," Vulin asked.

According to him, the international community "should take a good look at what it has created, and should not find it difficult to admit to making a mistake."

"Irreversible"

Meanwhile in Pristina, Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga said that "Kosovo's independence is the irreversible reality."

She said Kosovo is "a democratically arranged society full of challenges," while its citizens "should change the future themselves, but must not do that using violence."

Jahjaga also stated that "Kosovo will always have friendly relations with the United States, which have always supported it."

Prime Minister Isa Mustafa said that today is Kosovo's greatest holiday, and that his government recognizes the will of the people and has a clear mandate and legitimacy "to lead the country."

A parade will be held in Pristina today after which top officials will visit the graves of former Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova and one of the leaders of the KLA ("Kosovo Liberation Army") Adem Jashari.

Also on Wednesday, the opposition - seeking the government's resignation and early elections - will hold a protest in Pristina.