Kosovo to run own affairs as constitution comes into force
Sunday, 15 Jun 2008 11:22
Neighbouring countries Serbia and Russia have refused to accept Kosovo's independence
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A new constitution is now in force in Kosovo which gives the local population greater ability to run its own affairs.
Kosovo had been administered by the United Nations ever since the Nato bombing of the then province of Serbia to oust Yugoslav forces from the area.
The new law of the breakaway province means greater powers for local authorities as envisaged by the Ahtisaari plan, which recommended greater autonomy.
Speaking about the move on AP television, Kosovo's deputy prime minister Hajredin Kuci said: "The will of the people of Kosovo and [the] Ahtisaari plan are included in the constitution."
The
European Union (EU) is supposed to increase its involvement in the region through law and justice missions.
However, Russia and Serbia's opposition to the province's declaration of independence means that an official handover to the EU did not take place.
Tensions have been high in the area with the divided town of Mitrovica seeing an attack on a police station while an attack took place on the residence of the prime minister of Kosovo last week.