Opinion piece writer for the paper, Halil Matoshi, says that the British legal official of the UEFA, Alasdair Bell, surprised on Tuesday experts of the international right with his brilliant defense of Kosovo’s right to become member of the UEFA which is preceded by FIFA membership. “After the International Court of Justice’s rejection of Serbia’s question on whether the Governing Provisional Institutions of Kosovo had the right to proclaim independence of Kosovo, this was the most brilliant defense of Kosovo in the international arena,” writes Matoshi. Not only that he brought down all legal obstacles against Kosovo, but he eloquently dismantled accusations of Serbia, Montenegro and Switzerland (the latter was simply pursuing its interest), opening thus way to the welcoming of Kosovo in the house of football friends, he notes.

 After quoting the response of the UEFA’s legal counsel to Serbia that “The United Nations don’t have a competence to recognize states, but states recognize states. If you’re not a UN member, it doesn’t mean you’re not a state. The four criteria for being a state are determination of a territory, the population, the government and the ability to reach agreements with others. Thus Congress members will decide for themselves on whether Kosovo deserves to be admitted to the UEFA,” Matoshi adds that the United Nations are neither a state nor a government, therefore they do not possess the authority to recognize states or governments. As an organization of independent states, he says, the UN can accept membership of a new state or credentials of the new government.

 Matoshi further writes about Serbia’s efforts to prevent Kosovo’s membership at UEFA and about its disappointment after Kosovo’s acceptance. Serbia’s anger is the best proof that Kosovo is being irreversibly affirmed as a subject of the international law, making Kosovo’s independence a permanent fact.

 “Based on the constitutional competencies (Article 84, point 28…) I call publicly the President of the state, Hashim Thaci, to honor “Kosovo’s hero” Mr. Bell, with one of the most distinguished state medals,” concludes Matoshi.