Kosovo and Serbia Should Continue Democratic Course Following Court Decision
Washington
In the aftermath of today’s ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Kosovo’s secession from Serbia, Freedom House encourages both parties to continue their democratic development and to vigorously pursue a goal of peaceful, democratic systems.
In a 10-4 majority ruling, delivered at the ICJ headquarters at The Hague, the court maintained that Kosovo’s 2008 secession from Serbia did not violate international law. Judge Hisashi Owada, president of the ICJ, said in a statement after the ruling that "the court considers that general international law contains no applicable prohibition of declaration of independence."
“Kosovo’s status has been a contentious issue but it is noteworthy that Serbia and Kosovo alike have improved over the past several years on Freedom House democracy measures. This suggests that both societies have made a commitment to democratic reform,” said Christopher Walker, director of studies at Freedom House. “In both cases, however, the recent progress achieved is not irreversible and will require ongoing political commitment to institutionalize human rights norms.”
According to Freedom in the World, Freedom House’s annual global analysis of political rights and civil liberties, both Serbia and Kosovo have improved their performance in a number of spheres of democratic development over the past several years. In Freedom in the World 2010, which covers developments in calendar year 2009, significant improvements in Kosovo resulted in a status change from Not Free to Partly Free. Serbia’s political rights rating improved from 3 to 2 due to the consolidation of a stable multiparty system after several rounds of elections in the post-Milosevic period.
Kosovo is ranked Partly Free in Freedom in the World 2010, Freedom House's survey of political rights and civil liberties, and Partly Free in Freedom of the Press 2010. Serbia is ranked Free in Freedom in the World 2010 and Partly Free Freedom of the Press 2010.
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