Kurti: The ICJ’s Decision Once and for All Closed Disputes on Kosovo’s Statehood

Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti today remembered the day the International Court of Justice issued its advisory opinion, assessing it as a pivotal moment in Kosovo’s statehood journey.

According to him, that act sealed the fact that the declaration of independence did not constitute a violation of international norms. This, Kurti emphasized, ended the legal efforts to question statehood and further strengthened the country’s position internationally.

In a lengthy social media post, he wrote that the advisory opinion dismissed one of the most used legal arguments against Kosovo’s independence and sovereignty. Kurti underlined that it reaffirmed a principle of global importance: international law is not an instrument to perpetuate injustice, but a space where peace, freedom and democratic self-determination can be applied.

“When justice is interpreted with honesty, it does not stand as an obstacle to freedom, but becomes its shield,” the acting head of the executive further wrote. He added that for Kosovo, this decision strengthened the foundation of international sovereignty, while for the community of states, it brought a fundamental clarification: declarations of independence as such are not prohibited, and each case will be analyzed on the relevant circumstances and norms.

The Prime Minister also stressed that the legacy of this opinion is not preserved only through commemoration. “It must be justified every day, with functioning institutions, with the rule of law and a Republic that strengthens its legitimacy through work, development and accountability,” Kurti concluded.

At the end of his statement, the acting Prime Minister also remembered the figure of Judge Hisashi Owada, who presided over the Court at that time. Last year, Professor Owada was honored by the University of Prishtina with the title “Doctor Honoris Causa”, in recognition of his long career in the service of global justice and peace.