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| UN hands over running of Kosovo | UN hands over running of Kosovo |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A new constitution has come into force in Kosovo, after the territory declared independence from Serbia in February. | A new constitution has come into force in Kosovo, after the territory declared independence from Serbia in February. |
| Majority ethnic Albanian authorities will take over much of the running of the disputed territory from the UN. | Majority ethnic Albanian authorities will take over much of the running of the disputed territory from the UN. |
| The EU is to take on a supervisory role replacing the UN mission, but Russia has blocked the formal handover saying the move is illegal. | The EU is to take on a supervisory role replacing the UN mission, but Russia has blocked the formal handover saying the move is illegal. |
| Security is high in the divided town of Mitrovica after a gunman attacked a police station on Saturday. | Security is high in the divided town of Mitrovica after a gunman attacked a police station on Saturday. |
| The unidentified attacker was wounded along with a policeman in the incident, police said. It was not immediately clear in which part of the town the shooting took place. | The unidentified attacker was wounded along with a policeman in the incident, police said. It was not immediately clear in which part of the town the shooting took place. |
| Delay | Delay |
| Under the new constitution, which came into force at midnight on Sunday, Kosovo's government assumes many of the powers held up until now by the UN. | Under the new constitution, which came into force at midnight on Sunday, Kosovo's government assumes many of the powers held up until now by the UN. |
| It remains unclear who will oversee Kosovo's Serb-run areas | It remains unclear who will oversee Kosovo's Serb-run areas |
| "The will of the people of Kosovo and [the] Ahtisaari plan are included in the constitution," Kosovo's Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuci told the AP Television. | "The will of the people of Kosovo and [the] Ahtisaari plan are included in the constitution," Kosovo's Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuci told the AP Television. |
| Mr Kuci was referring to the plan drawn up by former UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari, which envisaged the decentralisation of Kosovo and considerable autonomy for Kosovo Serbs. | Mr Kuci was referring to the plan drawn up by former UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari, which envisaged the decentralisation of Kosovo and considerable autonomy for Kosovo Serbs. |
| Mr Kuci added that the constitution was "for the modern democratic and sovereign state under the international supervision". | Mr Kuci added that the constitution was "for the modern democratic and sovereign state under the international supervision". |
| The EU is to deploy several missions to the territory, including a 2,200-strong Law and Justice Mission (Eulex). | The EU is to deploy several missions to the territory, including a 2,200-strong Law and Justice Mission (Eulex). |
| The Eulex had been due to start its work over the weekend, but Russia - a staunch Serbian ally - has blocked the handover, saying the move has not been approved by the UN Security Council. | The Eulex had been due to start its work over the weekend, but Russia - a staunch Serbian ally - has blocked the handover, saying the move has not been approved by the UN Security Council. |
| The row means that the UN will not withdraw as had been expected although it has yet to publicly say what its role will now be. | The row means that the UN will not withdraw as had been expected although it has yet to publicly say what its role will now be. |
| It also remains unclear who will oversee Kosovo's Serb-dominated areas, correspondents say. | It also remains unclear who will oversee Kosovo's Serb-dominated areas, correspondents say. |
| Low-key ceremony | Low-key ceremony |
| The new constitution is a milestone event in the history of Kosovo but, says the BBC's Nick Thorpe in Pristina, there will be none of the festivities which marked the declaration of independence four months ago. | The new constitution is a milestone event in the history of Kosovo but, says the BBC's Nick Thorpe in Pristina, there will be none of the festivities which marked the declaration of independence four months ago. |
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| The majority ethnic Albanian authorities are now in charge of Kosovo, according to the constitution. | The majority ethnic Albanian authorities are now in charge of Kosovo, according to the constitution. |
| The leaders of the majority-Albanian province do not want to provoke the Serb minority, which remains bitterly opposed to independence. | The leaders of the majority-Albanian province do not want to provoke the Serb minority, which remains bitterly opposed to independence. |
| Instead, a simple and low-key ceremony is expected on Sunday evening in a Pristina sports hall, attended by members of the government. | Instead, a simple and low-key ceremony is expected on Sunday evening in a Pristina sports hall, attended by members of the government. |
| Meanwhile, in the predominantly Serb north, the minister for Kosovo in the outgoing Serbian government, Slobodan Samardzic, is expected to announce that a new, rival Serb Parliament will be formed at the end of this month. | Meanwhile, in the predominantly Serb north, the minister for Kosovo in the outgoing Serbian government, Slobodan Samardzic, is expected to announce that a new, rival Serb Parliament will be formed at the end of this month. |
| On Thursday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon spelt out his vision of how the country should now be run in letters to the authorities in Belgrade and Pristina. | On Thursday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon spelt out his vision of how the country should now be run in letters to the authorities in Belgrade and Pristina. |
| But, says our correspondent, much confusion remains over exactly who will exercise local authority and where the boundaries of that authority will lie in different parts of Kosovo in the future. | But, says our correspondent, much confusion remains over exactly who will exercise local authority and where the boundaries of that authority will lie in different parts of Kosovo in the future. |