Kosovo President Fatmir Sejdiu said in his message that the beginning of the NATO raids had announced the light of freedom for the people of Kosovo which suffered big tragedies eight years ago. He acknowledged everyone who had fallen for Kosovo's freedom, all Kosovo's friends and the NATO soldiers who had come to the aid of the Kosovo people in the difficult days of conflict.
On 24 March 1999, NATO started bombing Serbian targets in order to stop conflicts in Kosovo and the mass exodus of the local population. The air raids lasted 78 days, after which Kosovo was put under international administration until the final status of the province was decided.