Serbian lawmakers vowed never to recognize Kosovo as an independent state, according to a resolution passed in Parliament on Tuesday.
The resolution comes in the wake of a ruling by the United Nations-led International Court of Justice acknowledging Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia as legal.
Serbia’s 250-member Parliament approved the resolution with 192 members voting in favor and 26 against.
Serbia lost control over the tiny enclave within its borders during a 1998-1999 war after NATO airstrikes drove Serbian forces out of Kosovo. At the time, Kosovo had been run by a United Nations interim mission.
The Serbian resolution also calls on Kosovo to renew negotiations over its independence. Kosovo has rejected any further talks.
Kosovo’s population of 1.8 million consists 90 percent of ethnic Albanians.
The U.N. General Assembly is expected to discuss the matter in September in an attempt to put an end to the dispute.
The dispute has troubled Serbia’s bid to join the EU, as has Serbia’s failure to capture Bosnian Serb Gen. Ratko Mladic, who was in command of a 1995 massacre in the country. Mladic is still at large and believed to be hiding in Serbia.
At present, the tiny Balkan province has been recognized by 69 countries out of the 192 U.N. member states. For official recognition as an independent state, Kosovo needs the nod from 100 U.N. members.
The resolution comes in the wake of a ruling by the United Nations-led International Court of Justice acknowledging Kosovo’s declaration of independence from Serbia as legal.
Serbia’s 250-member Parliament approved the resolution with 192 members voting in favor and 26 against.
Serbia lost control over the tiny enclave within its borders during a 1998-1999 war after NATO airstrikes drove Serbian forces out of Kosovo. At the time, Kosovo had been run by a United Nations interim mission.
The Serbian resolution also calls on Kosovo to renew negotiations over its independence. Kosovo has rejected any further talks.
Kosovo’s population of 1.8 million consists 90 percent of ethnic Albanians.
The U.N. General Assembly is expected to discuss the matter in September in an attempt to put an end to the dispute.
The dispute has troubled Serbia’s bid to join the EU, as has Serbia’s failure to capture Bosnian Serb Gen. Ratko Mladic, who was in command of a 1995 massacre in the country. Mladic is still at large and believed to be hiding in Serbia.
At present, the tiny Balkan province has been recognized by 69 countries out of the 192 U.N. member states. For official recognition as an independent state, Kosovo needs the nod from 100 U.N. members.
