Today is the 14th anniversary of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague issuing its advisory opinion that Kosova’s declaration of independence did not violate international law.

In a landmark decision, the ICJ ruled with 10 votes in favor and 4 against, rejecting Serbia’s claim that Kosova’s independence declaration breached international law.

Kosova declared its independence on February 17, 2008.

Details of the ICJ’s Ruling

The ICJ’s advisory opinion addressed a request from the United Nations General Assembly regarding the legality of Kosova’s 2008 declaration of independence. This was the first case concerning a declaration of independence brought before the court.

On July 22, 2010, the ICJ, the highest judicial authority of the United Nations, issued its opinion. ICJ President Hisashi Owada stated that Kosova’s declaration of independence on February 17, 2008, did not breach international law.

The court’s ruling confirmed that Kosova’s Declaration of Independence did not violate international law. According to the court, the declaration did not infringe upon UN Security Council Resolution 1244 or the UNMIK Constitutional Framework.

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