Secession of Kosovo
http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/141/16012.pdf#view=FitH&pagemode=none&search=%22kosovo%22
"Is of the opinion that the declaration of independence of Kosovo adopted on 17 February 2008 did not violate international law.”
Testimonies
- 2004-12-01
- http://www.icty.org/x/cases/slobodan_milosevic/trans/en/041201IT.htm Page 33993: "The 1974 constitution gave the province practically all of the functions which the republics had. Not all of them but practically all of them in the Yugoslavia at the time."
- Page 33995: "The constitution of 1974 practically denied Serbia all rights in Kosovo. The province became practically equal to the republic, both the province of Kosovo and the province of Vojvodina. There were only two differences: One was that the constitution in Serbia had Article 300, making for some singular or united solutions for the whole of the republic; and the second was that the Council of States and Republics had 12 delegates while the number of deputies from the provinces were eight. This was a symbolic difference in the numbers, but the rights that these delegations had were absolutely the same, both in the federal Chamber, there were 30 and 20 deputies."
- Page 34006: "For instance, the citizenship of the Republic of Serbia, because there was no citizenship of the province; right?" - "Right." ... "They wanted to demonstrate that the province was practically a republic. They wanted to put a mark of equality between the province and the republic." ... province wants to grant citizenship to immigrants coming from Albania.
- Page 34013: "What they wanted was secession from Serbia. They wanted Kosovo to become a republic."
- Page 34043: "Mr. Jokanovic, for the Assembly of Serbia to be able to pass these amendments, it was necessary to receive the approval of both provinces; is that so?" - "Yes." - "Was it necessary to have the approval of the Republic of Serbia for provincial assemblies to pass amendments?" - "No. Serbia's approval was not necessary. Provinces could change their constitutions independently."