INFOGRAPHIC- Kosovo marks 10th anniversary of its independence

By Talha Ozturk and Cihad Aliu

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - Europe's youngest country Kosovo on Saturday marked the 10th anniversary of its independence.

Kosovo got an early taste of its future in 1945 as "the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija" within socialist Yugoslavia. Later, in 1968, it became the Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo.

Yugoslavia’s new Constitution in 1974 enabled the province to function at every administrative level independently of its host republic within Yugoslavia.

In the late 1980s Slobodan Milosevic -- then Serbia’s president within Yugoslavia, before dying decades later in 2006 on trial for war crimes -- effectively terminated the 1974 privileges, saying they were contrary to the interests of Serbs.

Milosevic's move drew criticism from the other Yugoslav republics.

In response, in 1990 the Kosovo Assembly voted to declare Kosovo an independent state.

The assembly's vote was recognized by Albania, but Kosovo remained quiet during the breakup of Yugoslavia between 1989 and 1992.

Later, conflicts between Serbian forces and the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), which was founded in 1991, played an important role in the country’s move towards independence.

The conflict escalated into the Kosovo war, which lasted from February 1998 until June 1999. The war ended after NATO intervention in the form of an extensive bombing campaign, including targets in Kosovo.

The war ended after Milosevic agreed to allow peacekeepers into Kosovo and the withdrawal of all security forces.

- Tense years towards independence

Since the war in Kosovo, Serbia and Kosovo saw periodic tension.

The first major crisis after the war was in 2004. These events, called the March Uprisings, resulted in the death of 19 people -- 11 Albanians and eight Serbs -- while hundreds were injured.

After the uprisings, a 2005 report by Norwegian Ambassador Kai Eide, appointed Kosovo envoy by then-UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, recommended negotiations on the final status of Kosovo.

Kosovo’s assembly declared its independence from Serbia on Feb. 17, 2008 despite opposition from the body’s Serbian members.

Belgrade insists the country remains part of Serbia.

Kosovo is now recognized by over 100 countries, including the U.S., Britain, France, Germany, and Turkey.

Serbia, Russia, and China are among the countries which have yet to recognize Kosovo’s independence.

- Dialogue with Serbia

Serbia continues to see Kosovo as its own territory, despite its declaration of independence and recognition by 116 countries.

In 2011, the European Union initiated a dialogue process to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia. However, the process was interrupted by tensions over the last two years.

At the beginning of last year, Ramush Haradinaj, former Kosovo Liberation Army commander and now the country’s prime minister, was taken into custody at an airport in France under an international arrest warrant issued by Serbia. After the request for extradition to Serbia was rejected, Haradinaj was freed.

Another incident that interrupted dialogue took place in January 2017, when a new train line bearing pro-Serbian slogans tried to enter Kosovo.

Besides the colors of the Serbian flag, the train had the words “Kosovo is Serbia” in 21 languages printed on its sides. The train was stopped by the authorities at the border and returned to Belgrade.

The train was meant to operate a route from the Serbian capital Belgrade to Kosovska Mitrovica, northern Kosovo, a city with a majority-Serbian population.

Then, this Jan. 16, Kosovar Serb politician Oliver Ivanovic was assassinated in a drive-by shooting in the same city, bringing a tense atmosphere to the new year.

Following the attack, the Serbian delegation left talks with Kosovo in Brussels.

This dialogue, which is important both for Kosovo and for Serbia's EU membership bid, is expected to continue in the future.

Kosovo has a population of nearly 1.8 million people. Albanians constitute the vast majority, but it also includes various minority groups such as Turks, Bosniaks, Serbs, Goranis, Roma, Ashkalis, and Egyptians.

The majority of ethnic Turks live in Mamusha and Prizren, making up 1.1 percent of the population.

Kosovo’s flag is made up of six white stars on a blue background -- representing the six ethnic groups Albanians, Serbs, Turks, Bosnians, Goranis, and Roma -- and a yellow map of Kosovo beneath it.

Kosovar Albanians also use the national Albanian flag, showing a black double-headed eagle against a red background.