Kosovo to form truth commission to help reconcile ethnic-Albanian, Serb communities
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 13 February 2017 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Kosovo to form truth commission to help reconcile ethnic-Albanian, Serb communities, 13 February 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5975a5366.html [accessed 23 May 2023] |
| Comments | All reference to Kosovo should be understood in full compliance with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244. |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
February 13, 2017
Kosovar President Hashim Thaci (file photo)
Kosovar President Hashim Thaci has announced plans to establish a truth and reconciliation commission to help reconcile Kosovo's ethnic-Albanian majority and Serb minority.
Allegations of atrocities committed during the 1998-99 Kosovo war continue to scar relations between the two communities.
"Kosovo cannot build a good future if it remains a hostage to its past," Thaci said at a ceremony in Pristina on February 13.
An estimated 10,800 Kosovar Albanians and some 2,200 Serbs were either killed or went missing during the war.
Thaci, who led the guerilla insurgency against Serbian forces in the 1990s, said it was necessary to determine the facts surrounding the conflict. But he did not reveal how the commission would work and who would be involved.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Belgrade has not recognized it as a separate country.
The United States and most Western nations are among 114 countries that recognize Kosovo's independence.
Based on reporting by Reuters and Balkan Insight
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
