Haxhiu: ICJ ruling, key pillar of Kosovo’s international recognition

Albulena Haxhiu, Kosovo’s acting president, today evoked the 16th anniversary of the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion, which found that the country’s declaration of independence did not violate international law.

According to her, this 2010 legal act constitutes a key diplomatic and legal milestone for Kosovo, giving it strong support on the global stage.

Haxhiu’s full statement:

Today marks 16 years since the International Court of Justice issued its advisory opinion in support of the independence of the Republic of Kosovo.

On July 22, 2010, the court rejected accusations that the Declaration of Independence, adopted on February 17, 2008, had violated the principles of international law, finding that it did not conflict with universal norms.

This opinion resulted from a request by Serbia at the UN General Assembly, which sought an assessment of the independence’s legality. The Court’s ruling marked a momentous legal and diplomatic stage, consolidating Kosovo’s international standing and becoming a fundamental platform for the wave of recognitions that followed from a large number of countries.

Even after sixteen years, the opinion of July 22, 2010 remains one of the foundational pillars of the international legitimacy of Kosovo’s statehood and an essential reference point in strengthening its subjectivity in international relations.