NAAC Hails Independence of Kosova!

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NAAC hails the will of the
Albanian people of Kosova for having earned the right to declare itself free
and independent! We greatly honor your courage, honor and dignity!

On Sunday, February 17, 2008, the newly elected government of the Republic of
Kosova declared its independence, in full compliance with internationally
accepted economic, political and social laws; and subsequently has been
recognized by the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and a
daily growing list of countries from Europe, Latin America, Africa, the Middle
East, and Near and Far Asia.

On Thursday, February 21, 2008, Serbian authorities organized a rally in the
Serbian capital of Belgrade in opposition to Kosova's independence, having
declared all schools closed, and offering free bus and train services to
interested demonstrators. A few hours after Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica
addressed the crowd, the embassies of the United States, Britain, Germany,
Slovenia, and Turkey, were attacked by Serbian mobs, and an unidentified
charred body was found inside the United States Embassy. By international
Conventions, each Embassy is the legal property of the guest country and the
host country is legally obligated to provide necessary protection. The United
States, having already removed from its Embassy all personnel deemed
non-essential, and along with other states, has notified the Serbian
authorities that they are being directly held responsible for the damages.

Now the Serbian authorities are attempting to incite riots in the northern
city of Mitrovica, to spread panic and fear to the Serbs living below the
city, so that they will flee across the Ibar river which runs across the
middle of the city, to try to partition Kosova. The international community,
NATO forces and international police have already made clear that they will
not allow that to happen. NAAC calls upon the Serbs from Kosova to distance
themselves from those using hatred and violence, tools of the past to create
animosity. The politicians of Serbia must now accept what even their own
people already know -- that Kosova is already independent!

The Kosova politicians have endorsed the broadest minority rights possible in
Europe, and have agreed to provide protection of all ethnic cultural and
religious institutions for all its inhabitants; and further agreed to
collaborate with a European Union approved monitoring institution, EULEX,
comprised mainly of judges and police, to guarantee implementation.

The Albanian people of Kosova have demonstrated, again and again, through
their cultural, spiritual and moral adherence, that they want to live in an
independent and free Kosova, which will a multiethnic and multicultural
society.

The National Albanian American Council is a not-for-profit organization
dedicated to advocating for Albanians and promoting peace and economic
development in the Balkans by fostering democratic policy, promoting respect
for human rights, and conducting educational and developmental programs. For
more information on the National Albanian American Council visit us on the web
at www.naac.org.

SOURCE National Albanian American Council

Amelda Beluli of the National Albanian American Council, +1-202-466-6900