Kosovo marks 15 uneasy years of independence from Serbia

By FLORENT BAJRAMI and LLAZAR SEMINI
Associated Press

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Kosovo is celebrating 15 years of independence with a month of celebrations while still facing serious challenges with Serbia, which refuses to recognize the autonomy of its former province. A military parade, ceremonies at monuments to national heroes and a special session of parliament are some of the anniversary events planned in the capital, Pristina, on Friday. Europe’s youngest country unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on Feb. 17, 2008, nearly nine years after a NATO bombing campaign ended Belgrade’s bloody crackdown on ethnic Albanian separatists in Kosovo. The United States and most Western powers are among the 117 countries that have recognized Kosovo’s statehood. Serbia still sees it as part of its own territory.