Serbs always have been considered as oppressors there, not just by Albanian majority, but also by other ethnic groups too. Serbs just occupied Kosova during the rise of the Serbian nationalism early 20th century from Ottomans, who by then were loosing the Balkans after 500 years of occupation. The borders of Kosova are well established and recognized. Now Kosova should be Free!
I can’t comprehend how a minority of 7% of the population, pretend to take off the land, the language, culture and the life of the rest of Kosova. Kosovars have the right to live free and independent in their land where they are born, generation after generation, live and will die.

Bluerose799, Wisconsin, USA

Gazmend,

>>Serbs were the worst occupators ever seen in history.<<

How do you know about that ?

What about the Chinese in Tibet, the Spaniards in South America, the Russians in Hungary, the British in Ireland and so on?

Besides, the Serbs didn't invade Kosovo, they INHABITED Kosovo – which has been their motherland for over a thousand years.

Paolo

Paolo, Rome, Italy

Congratulations to the big, powerful countries for supporting Kosovo! Now it is important for them to take the next logical step to build Kosovo's economy and integrate it into a common Western home - all the countries recognizing Kosovo should immediately remove their visa restrictions on movement of citizens of Kosovo into the EU, US and other allies. The free flow of Kosovo citizens into the other nations of the West will truly demonstrate the sincerity of the friends of Kosovo. Otherwise, how will Kosovars know what their friends are?

Mike, London, UK

Serbs were the worst occupators ever seen in history.

Gazmend, St Lupicin,

Kosovo has the most powered friends in the world, and those countries who have not recognized its independence will do it in the future. Of course some countries will not recognize Kosovo and this is not relevant if we consider the fact that they are not themselves democratic ones.
Thank you US, thank you GB, and all Europian democratic countries.

Mentor, Prishtina, Kosovo

Some people in the West talk with double standards.

INTEGRATION when it serves their aims!
SEPARATION and new nations when it serves their aims!

Turkey's Prime Minister characterized ASSIMILATION as a crime against humanity. Turkey has had a policy of assimilating the Kurds (and cleansing the Christians) for a very long time.

EU has successfully eased practically all separatist tensions inside EU but has been instrumental in its support of the the breaking up of Yugoslavia.

What are we supposed to assume?

Lars , Stockholm,

Serbia will take its property back, there is no doubt about it. Considering recession, crisis, trash for cash scandals that are rocking the very countries which recognised illegal albanian entity, it`s rather question of time when Serbia, backed by the lergest cash rich economies, will reclaim its county back

Ivana, Belgrade, Serbia

I get shivers every time someone speaks of the Albanian majority?
What majority?
Where?

They were certainly not a majority in the country from which they illegally seceded a month ago. Look into the numbers before you cry out "the right to self-determination"
I say, OK!
Let's call on that famous referendum and ask the people if they wish Kosovo to separate, but make this a Serbia-wide referendum, so that folks from Belgrade, Nis, Novi Sad and Kragujevac can vote as well as Pristina, Pec, Bujanovac, Gnjilane, Prizren, etc.
What do you think the outcome would be? I know!

Alex, Geneva, Switzerland

Kosovo deserves its independence. Over ninety percent of its population are Albanians who do not not want to be ruled by Serbia. People seem to have forgotten what happened in 1999 when Serbian army and policy drove a million Albanians out of Kosovo in neighbouring Albania and Macedonia. NATO indevened and forced Serbian military out of Kosovo, which in turn expediated the fall of Slobodan Milosevic, dubbed the 'Butcher of the Balkans' for his role in inciding ethnic conflics in the region in pursuit of his 'Greater Serbia' pet dream. Mos people against Kosovo's independence are either pro-serb or anti-American. They seem to forget about the Albanians.

Mospyt, London, UK

Kosovars couldn't live together with Serbs, full stop. We all witnessed it; therefore, no need to shed tear for Kosovan independence by some nations. No matter whether they are afraid of their own minorities or not, time will show that they will have to go the way the recognizing nations did.

ebrahim khodadoost, Ardebil, Iran

Vincent, Montreal!

Before talking about Kosova and albanians, before the right of Serbia over Kosova, is better to check the history. Anybody wonder why the serbs speak only about medieval history and not history? It's well know that serbs are Slav nation, from Russia. How come they pretend that the territory near to Adriatic sea belongs to them? It's non sense. Albanians are a very old nation with very long history dating the ancient greek and even before. And Kosova, won his independence after years of suffering and with dignity. The albanians are not terrorist like serbs show to be. They are a nation of culture and tradition. So, to bad for Serbia and serbs. Kosova is a free country and albanians are a proud nation!

Vincent, Montreal,

No other country that has come out of the former Yugoslavia has been recognised by so many countries so quickly, hence I would describe the process as "so many" countries have recognised Kosovo in such a short space of time. And not only so many, but such qualitative (democratic, powerful and relevant) countries too.

Seven out of eight G8 members have recognised Kosovo thus far. 19 out of 27 members of EU have recognised Kosovo thus far. 19 out of 26 members of NATO have recognised Kosovo thus far.

In Kosovo we have a saying: "Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are." Serbia's friends today are Russia, Moldova, Libya, Zimbabwe and many other non-democratic countries around the world - this is what Serbia is today.

Kosovo's friends on the other hand are the Swiss, Germans, French, Canadians, Australians, Japanese, British, Scandinavians (all of them), Finns and many other leading democracies in the world. The conclusions are clear for everyone to see.

Dardanian, Prishtina, Kosovo

Those who wish to deny Kosovo Albanians independence and claimed as "integral part of Serbia" should learn little bit of history:

Serbs ruled over Kosovo on and off for only 250 years since 7th century, when Slavs tribes (one of them were Serbs) came to their present homeland. In the last 2000 years majority of Kosovo population were Illyirians and later Albanians.

Serbs re-occupied Kosovo after Balkan war in 1914. The main reason why they lost it was a pogrom against Albanians in 1998. Serbs have shown they are not fit to rule over Kosovo.

Jellico, London,

I do not get the point in taking historical decisions based on news of the day.

Of course Albanian minority in Serbia even hunting people looked more sympathetic than inadequate authoritarian leader Miloshevic. But should the whole nation be punished for their one electoral choice by night bombings and territory cuts? And should other nations make policemen style decisions on whether the choice was wrong?

The case of Kosovo is not at all unique and the problem is not unique. Especially in the century of globalization. It is not at all unique than in some areas immigrants become majorities. And that is not a reason to create new country every time you see a new majority. Otherwise every house will become a country.

Try to explain the opposite to a person living in immigrant's district. And don't be surprised of stones approaching you.

Andrei, Novosibirsk, Russia

Ruben,
you obviously don't understand situation well. The Kosovars are not nation, they are Albanian nationality minority within Serbia. So comparing this secession with British taking Canada back is not correct. Far better example would be as Mexican minority take back California from the US.

Hans, Hamburg, Germany

Rich,
You may want also the British to take back Canada and their other "properties", but this is not how history works. Nations eventually win their independence.
I cannot understand how people who enjoy a certain right want to deny it to others.
What is your logic: People who happen to still be colonized after 1995 or 2000 have no right to free themselves?
There are no deadlines for people who dream for independence and freedom.

Ruben, New York, USA

Albanians belong in Albania. These intruders NEED to be removed by FORCE.

John FeiselBaum, NY, NY,

Congratulations to Kosovo! I don't know who else could deserve this independence more than Kosovars.

Tim, Tempe, AZ

In a place like Europe, or as a matter of fact, almost any country on Earth, the progressive dismemberment of sovereign nations can only encourage the most dangerous nationalisms to become active again.
Where do we draw the line? Were will it end?
A Europe made hundreds of tiny independent countries? As every region like basques, bretons, welsh, catalans, lombards, corsicans.....etc, etc, claim for a right to autodetermination?
Nationalisms are one of the most damaging forces in society, usually hijacked by people full of xenophobic feelings for their neighbours.
It encourages hatred and conflict, instead of cooperation and understanding.
The world has seen to exhaustion what the Milosevics, Hitlers Mussolinis are prepare to do when hatred instead of reason is left to prevail unchecked.
To encourage this state of affairs is not only a mistake, but a giant step backwards in a Europe of integration.

Perico De Los Palotes, London,

I am glad to see that so few countries have recognised Kosovo. They have no standing as a nation or as a people. History has not ended and sooner or later Serbia will retake their property.

Rich, Calgary, Canada