George W. Bush has a bronze statue and a boulevard named after him in Pristina — a fact that surprises most Western visitors who associate his legacy primarily with Iraq. In Kosovo, the relevant memory is different: Bush was president when the United States recognised Kosovo's independence in February 2008, and the country is among the small number of places in the world where his name still draws genuine warmth.
The statue is somewhat smaller and less prominent than the Bill Clinton monument, reflecting the relative roles of the two presidents in Kosovo's story (Clinton's NATO bombing campaign in 1999 was the pivotal event; Bush's recognition of independence was the culmination). But it is worth seeing as a pair — the two American presidents who, between them, did more to determine Kosovo's fate than any local politician.
The statue stands in a residential neighbourhood, not far from the central boulevard. Combine it with the Clinton statue for a tour of Pristina's unusual American presidential heritage.