On February 17, 2008 the Assembly of Kosovo declared independence from Serbia. While Serbia denounced the declaration as illegal, the international community has remained divided on this issue. Several nations including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Taiwan, and Turkey have recognized Kosovar independence, but others such as Russia maintain that the declaration violates international law. The majority of countries and international organizations, including the United Nations, have yet to take a position on the legality of Kosovar independence.

The
Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo went into effect on June 15, 2008. Read the
Kosovo Declaration of Independence and a
timeline of the Kosovar independence movement.