Croatia and Hungary have recognized Kosovo's declaration of independence, and along with Bulgaria pursued formal diplomatic ties with the breakaway state on March 19, 2008. That brought the number of countries recognizing Kosovo to 32. More from Al-Jazeera:
- "Vuk Jeremic, Serbia's foreign minister, reacted coldly the decision by Hungary, Croatia and Bulgaria to recognise Kosovo.
'Every country that makes this move cannot count on good relations with us,' he said during a trip to Athens. 'Every country that recognises the illegal state of Kosovo violates international law.'
Croatia's recognition, the second by a former Yugoslav republic after Slovenia, is expected to be the most sensitive, as it threatens to harm delicate post-war ties between the two neighbours.
Ahead of the announcement, Boris Tadic, Serbia's president, warned Croatia against the move, saying it would have an 'immediate impact on our bilateral ties'.
Slobodan Uzelac, Croatia's deputy prime minister who represents the country's Serb minority, handed in his resignation in protest at Zagreb's decision, according to Ivo Sanader, the prime minister.
A statement from the Serbian foreign ministry said that Radivoj Cveticanin in Croatia and Predrag Cudic in Hungary should leave their host countries in the next 48 hours and return to Belgrade 'for consultations'.
Serbia has recalled ambassadors from all the countries that have recognised Kosovo, as a part of the government's 'action plan' prepared to oppose the declaration of independence."
EU members supporting Serbia are Cyprus, Romania, Slovakia and Spain, the last being especially sensitive to separatism because of its Basques. On March 18, 2008, Japan and Canada recognized Kosovo's independence, with a special caveat from Canada: Don't get any ideas, Quebec.
