Kosovo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
"Republic of Kosovo" redirects here. For the former entity, see Republic of Kosova. For other
uses, see Kosovo (disambiguation).
Kosovo
Location of Kosovo in Europe
Capital
Pristina
Ethnic groups (2007)
92% Albanians
5.3% Serbs
2.7% others[1]
42°40′N 21°10′E42.667, 21.167
Area
- Total
10,908 km²
4,212 sq mi
- Water (%)
n/a
Population
- 2007 estimate
2,100,000[2]
- 1991 census
1,956,1961
- Density
220/km²
500/sq mi
GDP (PPP)
2007 estimate
- Total
$4 billion[3] (n/a)
- Per capita
$1,800[3] (151st)
GDP (nominal)
2007 estimate
- Total
$3.237 billion[3] (n/a)
- Per capita
$1,500[3] (119th)
Currency
Euro (€) (EUR)
Time zone
CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)
CEST (UTC+2)
Internet TLD
None assigned
Calling code
+3812
1
The census is a reconstruction; most of the ethnic Albanian
majority boycotted.
2
Officially +381; some mobile phone providers use +377
(Monaco) or +386 (Slovenia) instead.
Republika e Kosovës
Република Косово / Republika Kosovo
Republic of Kosovo
Flag
Coat of arms
Anthem: Europe[4]
CIA Factbook map of the Republic of Kosovo
Capital
(and largest city)
Official languages
Recognised
regional languages
Government
Pristina
Albanian, Serbian
Turkish, Gorani, Romani,
Bosnian
Parliamentary republic
-
President
Fatmir Sejdiu (LDK)
-
Prime Minister
Hashim Thaçi (PDK)
Independence1
from Serbia
Declared
17 February 2008
1
Independence has only been partially recognised
internationally.
Kosovo, UN administration
Flag
Kosovo within Serbia
Pristina
Capital
Government
- Special
Representative
-
-
Lamberto Zannier (UN)
President
Fatmir Sejdiu (LDK)
Prime Minister
Hashim Thaçi (PDK)
- Minister for Kosovo
Goran Bogdanović (DS)
and Metohija
UN administration
-
-
UN administration of
Kosovo, an autonomous
province of Serbia
UNSCR 1244
10 June 1999
EULEX
16 February 2008
History of Kosovo
Early history (before 850)
Prehistoric Balkans
Roman Empire (100 BC to 395 AD)
Byzantine Empire (395 to 839)
Middle Ages (850 to 1455)
First Bulgarian Empire (839 to 1241)
Medieval Serbia
Battle of Kosovo
Ottoman Kosovo (1455 to 1912)
Eyalet of Rumelia
Vilayet of Kosovo
Albanian nationalism
20th century
First Balkan War
Kosovo in the Kingdoms of Serbia and
SHS/Yugoslavia
AP Kosovo and Metohija (1946 to 1974)
SAP Kosovo (1974 to 1990)
Kosovo War (1996 to 1999)
UN administration (1999 to 2008)
Republic of Kosovo (since 2008)
This box: view • talk • edit
Kosovo (Albanian: Kosova, Kosovë; Serbian: Косово и Метохија; Kosovo i Metohija) is a
disputed state in the Balkans. The landlocked state was a part of the lands of Thraco-Illyrian
tribes, then of the Roman, Byzantine, Bulgarian, Serbian, and Ottoman empires. In the 20th
century it was part of the Kingdom of Serbia and its successor state Yugoslavia. Following the
1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War, the territory came under the
interim administration of the United Nations (UNMIK).
In February 2008, the Assembly of Kosovo declared Kosovo's independence as the Republic of
Kosovo (Albanian: Republika e Kosovës). As of June 2008, its independence is recognised by 43
countries, including the United States, France and the United Kingdom, and opposed by others,
including the People's Republic of China, India, Russia and Serbia, which continues to claim
sovereignty over Kosovo (as the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija, Serbian:
Аутономна Покрајина Косово и Метохија, Autonomna Pokrajina Kosovo i Metohija).
Kosovo borders Albania to the west, Central Serbia to the north and east, the Republic of
Macedonia to the south, and Montenegro to the northwest. The largest city and the capital of
Kosovo is Pristina (also Prishtina, Priština), while other cities include Peć (Peja), Prizren, and
Mitrovica.
Contents
[hide]





1 Name
2 History
o 2.1 Early history
o 2.2 Ottoman Kosovo (1455 to 1912)
o 2.3 20th century
 2.3.1 Balkan Wars to World War II
 2.3.2 Kosovo in Yugoslavia
 2.3.3 Disintegration of Yugoslavia and Kosovo War
o 2.4 The UN administration period
 2.4.1 2008 declaration of independence
3 Geography
4 Constitutional status
o 4.1 Autonomous Province under UN administration
5 Government and politics
o 5.1 Parties
o 5.2 Provisional Institutions of Self-Government
o 5.3 Republic of Kosovo
 5.3.1 Foreign relations
 5.3.2 Military








o 5.4 Rule of law
6 Economy
o 6.1 Trade and investment
o 6.2 Energy sector
o 6.3 Mining
o 6.4 Unemployment
7 Administrative regions
o 7.1 Districts
o 7.2 Municipalities and cities
8 Demographics
9 Society
o 9.1 Cinema and media
o 9.2 Sports
10 See also
11 References
12 Further reading
13 External links
Name
Main article: Names of Kosovo
Kosovo (Косово, [ˈkɔsɔvɔ]) is the Serbian neuter possessive adjective of kos (кос)
"blackbird",[5][6] an ellipsis for Kosovo Polje "field of the blackbirds", the site of the 1389 Battle
of Kosovo Field. The name of the field was applied to an Ottoman province created in 1864.
The region currently known as "Kosovo" became an administrative region in 1946, as the
Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija. In 1974, the compositional "Kosovo and
Metohija" was reduced to simple "Kosovo" in the name of the Socialist Autonomous Province of
Kosovo, but in 1990 was renamed back to Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija.
The entire region is commonly referred to in English simply as Kosovo and in Albanian as
Kosova (definite form, [kɔ'sɔva]) or Kosovë ("indefinite" form, [kɔ'sɔvə]). In Serbian, a
distinction is made between the eastern and western areas; the term Kosovo (Косово) is used for
the eastern part, while the western part is called "Metohija" (Метохија).
Since Kosovo declared independence, it is now also referred to as "The Republic of Kosovo" in
English, though "Kosovo" is still the most common name used.
History
Main articles: History of Kosovo and 20th century history of Kosovo
The formation of the Republic of Kosovo is a result of the turmoils of the disintegration of
Yugoslavia, particularly the Kosovo War of 1996 to 1999, but it is suffused with issues dating
back to the rise of nationalism in the Balkans under Ottoman rule in the 19th century, Albanian
vs. Serbian nationalisms in particular, the latter notably surrounding the Battle of Kosovo
eponymous with the Kosovo region.
Early history
Main articles: Prehistoric Balkans, Moesia Superior, History of Medieval Kosovo, First
Bulgarian Empire, and History of Medieval Serbia
During the Neolithic period, the region of Kosovo lay within the extent of the Vinča-Turdaş
culture. In the 4th to 3rd centuries BC, it was the territory of the Thraco-Illyrian tribe of the
Dardani. The territory of present-day Kosovo was conquered by Rome in the 160s BC, and made
the Roman province of Illyricum in 59 BC. The Kosovo region became part of Moesia Superior
in AD 87. The "Slavic migrations" reached the Balkans in the 6th to 7th century, whereby
autochthonous peoples merged with the northern newcomers. Kosovo was absorbed into the
Bulgarian Empire in the 850s, where Christianity and a Byzantine-Slavic culture was cemented
in the region. It was re-taken by the Byzantines after 1018. As the center of Slavic resistance to
Constantinople in the region, it often switched between Serbian and Bulgarian rule on one hand
and Byzantine on the other until the Serb principality of Rascia conquered it by the end of the
11th century. Fully absorbed into the Serbian Kingdom until the end of the 12th, it became the
secular and spiritual centre of the Serbian medieval state of the Nemanyiden dynasty in the 13th
century, with the Patriarchate of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Peć, while Prizren was the
secular center. The zenith was reached with the formation of a Serbian Empire in 1346, which
after 1371 transformed from a centralized absolutist medieval monarchy to a feudal realm.
Kosovo became the hereditary land of the House of Branković and Vučitrn and Pristina
flourished.
In the 1389 Battle of Kosovo, Ottoman forces defeated a coalition led by Lazar Hrebeljanović. In
1402, a Serbian Despotate was raised and Kosovo became its richest territory, famous for mines.
The local House of Branković came to prominence as the local lords of Kosovo, under Vuk
Branković, with the temporary fall of the Serbian Despotate in 1439. During the first fall of
Serbia, Novo Brdo and Kosovo offered last resistance to the invading Ottomans in 1441; in
1455, it was finally and fully conquered by the Ottoman Empire.
Ottoman Kosovo (1455 to 1912)
Main article: History of Ottoman Kosovo
Further information: Vilayet of Kosovo and History of Ottoman Serbia
Kosovo was part of the Ottoman Empire from 1455 to 1912, at first as part of the eyalet of
Rumelia, and from 1864 as a separate province.
Kosovo was briefly taken by the Austrian forces during the Great War of 1683–1699 with help
of 6,000 Albanian fighters led by Pjetër Bogdani. In 1690, the Serbian Patriarch of Peć Arsenije
III led 37,000 predominantly Serbian families out of Kosovo. More migrations of Orthodox
Christians from the Kosovo area continued throughout the 18th century. In 1766, the Ottomans
abolished the Patriarchate of Peć and the position of Christians in Kosovo deteriorated, including
full imposition of jizya (taxation of non-Muslims). In contrast, many Albanian chiefs converted
to Islam and gained prominent positions in the Turkish regimen.[7] On the whole, "Albanians had
little cause of unrest" and "if anything, grew important in Ottoman internal affairs."[7] The final
result of four and a half centuries of Muslim rule was a marked decline in the previously
dominant Slavic Christian demographic element in Kosovo, replaced by a Turko-Albanian[8]
stratum.
In the 19th century, there was a "awakening" of ethnic nationalism throughout the Balkans. The
ethnic Albanian nationalism movement was centered in Kosovo.
In 1871, a Serbian meeting was held in Prizren at which the possible retaking and reintegration
of Kosovo and the rest of "Old Serbia" was discussed, as the Principality of Serbia itself had
already made plans for expansions towards Ottoman territory. In 1878, a Peace Accord was
drawn that left the cities of Pristina and Kosovska Mitrovica under civil Serbian control, and
outside Ottoman jurisdiction, while the rest of Kosovo remained under Ottoman control. In the
same year ethnic Albanians formed the League of Prizren, pursuing political aspirations of
unifying the Albanian people and seeking autonomy within the Ottoman Empire. The League of
Prizren ruled Kosovo until 1881, when it was quashed by Ottoman troops.
20th century
Main article: 20th century history of Kosovo
Balkan Wars to World War II
The Young Turk movement supported a centralist rule and opposed any sort of autonomy desired
by Kosovars, and particularly the Albanians. In 1910, an Albanian uprising spread from Pristina
and lasted until the Ottoman Sultan's visit to Kosovo in June of 1911. In 1912, during the Balkan
Wars, most of Kosovo was captured by the Kingdom of Serbia, while the region of Metohija
(Albanian: Dukagjini Valley) was taken by the Kingdom of Montenegro. An exodus of the local
Albanian population occurred. This was described by Leon Trotsky[citation needed], who was a
reporter for the Pravda newspaper at the time. The Serbian authorities planned a colonization of
Kosovo.[9] Numerous colonist Serb families moved into Kosovo, equalizing the demographic
balance between Albanians and Serbs. Kosovo's status within Serbia was finalized the following
year at the Treaty of London.[10]
In the winter of 1915-1916, during World War I, Kosovo saw a large exodus of the Serbian army
which became known as the Great Serbian Retreat, as Kosovo was occupied by Bulgarians and
Austro-Hungarians. In 1918, the Serbian Army pushed the Central Powers out of Kosovo. After
World War I ended, the Monarchy was then transformed into the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and
Slovenians on 1 December 1918.
Kosovo was split into four counties, three being a part of Serbia (Zvečan, Kosovo and southern
Metohija) and one of Montenegro (northern Metohija). However, the new administration system
since 26 April 1922 split Kosovo among three Areas of the Kingdom: Kosovo, Rascia and Zeta.
In 1929, the Kingdom was transformed into the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the territories of
Kosovo were reorganized among the Banate of Zeta, the Banate of Morava and the Banate of
Vardar.
In order to change the ethnic composition of Kosovo, between 1912-1941 a large-scale Serbian
re-colonization of Kosovo was undertaken by the Belgrade government. Meanwhile, Kosovar
Albanians' right to receive education in their own language was denied, as they weren't officially
designated as a minority. Albanians and other Muslims were forced to emigrate, mainly with the
land reform which struck Albanian landowners in 1919, but also with direct violent
measures.[11][12] In 1935 and 1938 two agreements between the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and
Turkey were signed on the expatriation of 240,000 Albanians to Turkey, which was not
completed because of the outbreak of World War II.[13]
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia lasted until the World War II Axis invasion of 1941, when the
greatest part of Kosovo became a part of Italian-controlled Albania, and smaller bits by the
Tsardom of Bulgaria and German-occupied Military Administration of Serbia. At the 1944
wartime Bujan conference the Kosovar communist resistance leaders passed a resolution on the
postwar assignment of Kosovo to Albania, but their opinion was later disregarded.[12] After
numerous uprisings of Partisans led by Fadil Hoxha, Kosovo was liberated after 1944 with the
help of the Albanian partisans of the Comintern and became a province of Serbia within the
Democratic Federal Yugoslavia.
Kosovo in Yugoslavia
Main articles: Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija (1946-1974) and Socialist
Autonomous Province of Kosovo
The province first took shape with its present borders in 1945 as the Autonomous KosovoMetohian Area. Prior to world War II, no entity by the name of Kosovo had existed where-as in
the Ottoman Empire (which previously controlled the territory), it had been a vilayet with its
borders having been revised on several occasions. When the Ottoman province had last existed,
it included areas which were by now either ceded to Albania, or found themselves within the
newly created Yugoslav republics of Montenegro, or Macedonia (including its previous capital,
Skopje) with another part in the Sandžak region of Central Serbia. The purpose of this new entity
was to protect a regional Albanian population, who formed an absolute majority within these
borders.[citation needed].
The violent oppression and forced expatriation of Albanians resumed, particularly after 1953,
when Josip Broz Tito reached an agreement with Turkish Foreign Minister Mehmet Fuat
Köprülü to push Yugoslavian Albanians to declare themselves Turks and leave for Turkey.[11]
The harsh repressions and expatriations came to an end when the 4th Plenum of the Central
Committee of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia held at Brioni in July 1966 ousted
Yugoslavian Interior Minister and Vice President Aleksandar Ranković,[14] who was
instrumental in the brutal treatment of Kosovar Albanians.[11] In the late 1960s Kosovo gained
limited internal autonomy. In February 1970 the University of Prishtina was opened, providing
higher education in Albanian.[14] In the 1974 constitution, the Socialist Autonomous Province of
Kosovo's government received more powers, including the highest governmental titles –
President and Prime Minister and a seat in the Federal Presidency which made it a de facto
Republic within the Federation, but remaining a Socialist Autonomous Province within the
Socialist Republic of Serbia. (Similar rights were extended to Vojvodina). In Kosovo SerboCroatian, Albanian and Turkish were defined as official languages on the provincial level. Due to
very high birth rates, the number of Albanians increased from 75% to over 90%. In contrast, the
number of Serbs barely increased, and in fact dropped from 15% to 8% of the total population,
since many Serbs departed from Kosovo as a response to the tight economic climate and
increased incidents of alleged harassment from their Albanian neighbors. While there was
tension, charges of "genocide" and planned harassments have been debunked as an excuse to
revoke Kosovo's autonomy. For example in 1986 ""the Serbian Orthodox Church published an
official, though false, claim that Kosovo Serbs were being subjected to an Albanian program of
'Genocide'. Even though they were disproven[2] by police statistics, the received wide play in the
Serbian press and that lead to further ethnic problems and eventual removal of Kosovo's status.
Beginning in March 1981, Kosovar Albanian students of the University of Prishtina organized
protests seeking that Kosovo become a republic within Yugoslavia and human rights.[15] The
protests were brutally suppressed by the police and army, with many protesters arrested.[14]
During the 1980s, ethnic tensions continued with frequent violent outbreaks against Yugoslav
state authorities resulting in a further increase in emigration of Kosovo Serbs and other ethnic
groups.[16][17] The Yugoslav leadership tried to suppress protests of Kosovo Serbs seeking
protection from ethnic discrimination and violence.[18]
Disintegration of Yugoslavia and Kosovo War
Main articles: Kosovo War, Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija (1990-1999),
and Republic of Kosova (1990–2000)
Further information: Disintegration of Yugoslavia
Bridge over the Ibar, connecting the Serbian and Albanian parts of the city of Mitrovica
Inter-ethnic tensions continued to worsen in Kosovo throughout the 1980s. The 1986
Memorandum of the Serbian Academy warned that Yugoslavia was suffering from ethnic strife
and the disintegration of the Yugoslav economy into separate economic sectors and territories,
which was transforming the federal state into a loose confederation.[19] On June 28, 1989,
Slobodan Milošević delivered the Gazimestan speech in front of a large number of Serb citizens
at the main celebration marking the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Kosovo. Many think that
this speech helped Milošević consolidate his authority in Serbia.[20] In 1989, Milošević,
employing a mix of intimidation and political maneuvering, drastically reduced Kosovo's special
autonomous status within Serbia and started cultural oppression of the ethnic Albanian
population.[21] Kosovo Albanians responded with a non-violent separatist movement, employing
widespread civil disobedience and creation of parallel structures in education, medical care, and
taxation, with the ultimate goal of achieving the independence of Kosovo.[22] On July 2, 1990, an
unconstitutional Kosovo parliament declared Kosovo an independent country, the Republic of
Kosova. In May 1992, Ibrahim Rugova was elected president.[23] During its lifetime, the
Republic of Kosova was only recognised by Albania; it was formally disbanded in 2000 when its
institutions were replaced by the Joint Interim Administrative Structure established by the United
Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).
Only after the Bosnian War, drawing considerable international attention, was ended with the
Dayton Agreement in 1995, but the situation in Kosovo remained largely unaddressed by the
international community, the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), an ethnic Albanian guerrilla
group, by 1996 had started offering armed resistance to Serbian and Yugoslav security forces,
resulting in early stages of the Kosovo War.[21][24] By 1998, as the violence had worsened and
displaced scores of Albanians, Western interest had increased. The Serbian authorities were
compelled to sign a ceasefire and partial retreat, monitored by OSCE observers according to an
agreement negotiated by Richard Holbrooke. However, the ceasefire did not hold and fighting
resumed in December 1998. The Račak massacre in January 1999 in particular brought new
international attention to the conflict.[21] Within weeks, a multilateral international conference
was convened and by March had prepared a draft agreement known as the Rambouillet Accords,
calling for restoration of Kosovo's autonomy and deployment of NATO peacekeeping forces.
The Serbian party found the terms unacceptable and refused to sign the draft.
NATO intervention between March 24 and June 10, 1999,[25] aimed to force Milošević to
withdraw his forces from Kosovo, combined with continued skirmishes between Albanian
guerrillas and Yugoslav forces resulted in a further massive displacement of population in
Kosovo.[26] During the conflict, roughly a million ethnic Albanians fled or were forcefully driven
from Kosovo. Altogether, more than 11,000 deaths have been reported to Carla Del Ponte by her
prosecutors.[27] Some 3,000 people are still missing, of which 2,500 are Albanian, 400 Serbs and
100 Roma.[28] Ultimately by June Milošević had agreed to a foreign military presence within
Kosovo and withdrawal of his troops.
The UN administration period
Main articles: Kosovo (UNMIK) and Kosovo status process
The White Drin river
National Public Library in Pristina
On June 10, 1999, the UN Security Council passed UN Security Council Resolution 1244, which
placed Kosovo under transitional UN administration (UNMIK) and authorised KFOR, a NATOled peacekeeping force. Resolution 1244 provided that Kosovo would have autonomy within the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and affirmed the territorial integrity of Yugoslavia, which has
been legally succeeded by the Republic of Serbia.[29]
Some 200,000-280,000, representing the majority of the Serb population, left when the Serbian
forces left. There was also some looting of Serb properties and even violence against some of
those Serbs and Roma who remained.[30] The current number of internally displaced persons is
disputed,[31][32][33][34] with estimates ranging from 65,000[35] to 250,000.[36][37][38] Many displaced
Serbs are afraid to return to their homes, even with UNMIK protection. Around 120,000-150,000
Serbs remain in Kosovo, but are subject to ongoing harassment and discrimination.
Kosovo's political borders don't coincide with ethnic boundaries, and in 2001 an ethnic
insurgency surfaced in the neighbouring areas with ethnic Albanian majority, Preševo Valley in
Central Serbia and the Polog Valley in the Republic of Macedonia, but eased within several
months.
In 2001, UNMIK promulgated a Constitutional Framework for Kosovo that established the
Provisional Institutions of Self-Government (PISG), including an elected Kosovo Assembly,
Presidency and office of Prime Minister. Kosovo held its first free, Kosovo-wide elections in late
2001 (municipal elections had been held the previous year).
In March 2004, Kosovo experienced its worst inter-ethnic violence since the Kosovo War. The
unrest in 2004 was sparked by a series of minor events that soon cascaded into large-scale
riots.[39]
International negotiations began in 2006 to determine the final status of Kosovo, as envisaged
under UN Security Council Resolution 1244. The UN-backed talks, lead by UN Special Envoy
Martti Ahtisaari, began in February 2006. Whilst progress was made on technical matters, both
parties remained diametrically opposed on the question of status itself.[40]
In February 2007, Ahtisaari delivered a draft status settlement proposal to leaders in Belgrade
and Pristina, the basis for a draft UN Security Council Resolution which proposes 'supervised
independence' for the province. A draft resolution, backed by the United States, the United
Kingdom and other European members of the Security Council, was presented and rewritten four
times to try to accommodate Russian concerns that such a resolution would undermine the
principle of state sovereignty.[41] Russia, which holds a veto in the Security Council as one of
five permanent members, had stated that it would not support any resolution which was not
acceptable to both Belgrade and Kosovo Albanians.[42] Whilst most observers had, at the
beginning of the talks, anticipated independence as the most likely outcome, others have
suggested that a rapid resolution might not be preferable.[43]
After many weeks of discussions at the UN, the United States, United Kingdom and other
European members of the Security Council formally 'discarded' a draft resolution backing
Ahtisaari's proposal on 20 July 2007, having failed to secure Russian backing. Beginning in
August, a "Troika" consisting of negotiators from the European Union (Wolfgang Ischinger), the
United States (Frank Wisner) and Russia (Alexander Botsan-Kharchenko) launched a new effort
to reach a status outcome acceptable to both Belgrade and Pristina. Despite Russian disapproval,
the U.S., the United Kingdom, and France appeared likely to recognise Kosovar
independence.[44] A declaration of independence by Kosovar Albanian leaders was postponed
until the end of the Serbian presidential elections (4 February 2008). Most EU members and the
US had feared that a premature declaration could boost support in Serbia for the ultra-nationalist
candidate, Tomislav Nikolić.[45]
2008 declaration of independence
States (green) that have recognised Kosovo
Main articles: 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence, International reaction to the
2008 Kosovo declaration of independence, and 2008 Post declaration of independence
unrest in Kosovo
The Assembly of Kosovo approved a declaration of independence on 17 February 2008.[46] Over
the following days, several states (the United States, Turkey, Albania, Austria, Germany, Italy,
France, the United Kingdom, Republic of China (Taiwan),[47] Australia and others) announced
their recognition, despite protests by Russia and others in the UN.[48]
The UN Security Council remains divided on the question (as of 4 July 2008). Of the five
members with veto power, USA, UK, and France recognized the declaration of independence,
and Russia and the People's Republic of China consider it illegal. As of 28 March 2008, no
member-country of CIS, CSTO or SCO has recognized Kosovo as independent. Also, Kosovo
has no prospects for United Nations recognition due to Russian veto in Security Council.
The European Union has no official position towards Kosovo's status, but has decided to deploy
the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo to ensure a continuation of international
civil presence in Kosovo. As of April 2008, most of member-countries of NATO, EU, WEU and
OECD have recognized Kosovo as independent.[citation needed]
Of Kosovo's immediate neighbour states, only Albania recognizes the declaration of
independence. Croatia, Bulgaria and Hungary, all neighbors of Serbia, recognize Kosovo as an
independent country. [49]
The Serb minority of Kosovo, which largely opposes the declaration of independence, has
formed the Community Assembly of Kosovo and Metohija in response. The creation of the
assembly is condemned by Kosovo's president Fatmir Sejdiu, while UNMIK has said the
creations is not a serious issue because it will not have an operative role.[50]
Geography
Main article: Geography of Kosovo
Junik Mountains
Kosovo has an area of 10,908 square kilometers[51] and a population of about 2.2 million. The
largest cities are Pristina, the capital, with an estimated 170,000[citation needed] inhabitants, Prizren
in the south west with a population of 110,000, Pec/Peja in the west with 70,000, and Mitrovica
in the north with 70,000. The climate is continental, with warm summers and cold and snowy
winters. Most of Kosovo's terrain in mountainous, the highest peak is Đeravica/Gjeravica
(2656 m). There are two main plain regions, the Metohija/ Dukagjin basin is located in the
western part of the Kosovo, and the Plain of Kosovo occupies the eastern part. The main rivers
of the region are the White Drin, running towards the Adriatic Sea, with the Erenik among its
tributaries), the Sitnica, the South Morava in the Goljak area, and Ibar in the north. The biggest
lakes are Gazivoda, Radonjić, Batlava and Badovac.
Phytogeographically, Kosovo belongs to the Illyrian province of the Circumboreal Region within
the Boreal Kingdom. According to the WWF and Digital Map of European Ecological Regions
by the European Environment Agency, the territory of Kosovo belongs to the ecoregion of
Balkan mixed forests.
39.1% of Kosovo is forested, about 52% is classified as agricultural land, 31% of which is
covered by pastures and 69% is arable.[52]
Currently the 39,000 ha Sharr Mountain National Park, established in 1986 in the Šar Mountains
along the border with the Republic of Macedonia, is the only national park in Kosovo, although
the Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park in the Albanian Alps along the border with Montenegro
has been proposed as another one.[53]
Constitutional status
Main articles: Constitutional status of Kosovo and Kosovo status process
The city of Prizren
Orthodox Church of the Virgin Hodegetria, Patriarchate of Peć
Kosovo is under de facto governance of the Republic of Kosovo except for North Kosovo, which
remains under de facto governance of Serbia. The Republic of Kosovo continues to operate with
the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government elected in 2007, and the United Nations Interim
Administration Mission in Kosovo which operates police, justice and civil administration.
Autonomous Province under UN administration
Main articles: United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo and Provisional
Institutions of Self-Government
In 1999, UN Security Council Resolution 1244 placed Kosovo under transitional UN
administration pending a determination of Kosovo's future status. This Resolution entrusted the
United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) with sweeping powers to
govern Kosovo, but also directed UNMIK to establish interim institutions of self-governance.
Resolution 1244 permits Serbia no official role in governing Kosovo and since 1999 Serbian
laws and institutions have not been valid in Kosovo. NATO has a separate mandate to provide
for a safe and secure environment.
In May 2001, UNMIK promulgated the Constitutional Framework, which established Kosovo's
Provisional Institutions of Self-Government (PISG). The PISG replaced the Joint Interim
Administrative Structure (JIAS) established a year earlier. Since 2001, UNMIK has been
gradually transferring increased governing competencies to the PISG, while reserving some
powers that are normally carried out by sovereign states, such as foreign affairs. Kosovo has also
established municipal government and an internationally-supervised Kosovo Police Service.
According to the Constitutional Framework, Kosovo shall have a 120-member Kosovo
Assembly. The Assembly includes twenty reserved seats: ten for Kosovo Serbs and ten for nonSerb minorities (Bosniaks, Roma, etc). The Kosovo Assembly is responsible for electing a
President and Prime Minister of Kosovo.
However, since 1999, the Serb-inhabited areas of Kosovo, such as North Kosovo have remained
de facto independent from the Albanian-dominated government in Priština. They continue to
uses Serbian national symbols and participate in Serbian national elections, which are boycotted
in the rest of Kosovo. Serb-inhabited regions also boycott Kosovo elections. The municipalities
of Leposavić, Zvečan and Zubin Potok are run by local Serbs, while the Kosovska Mitrovica
municipality had rival Serb and Albanian governments until a compromise was agreed in
November 2002.[citation needed]
In February 2003, the Serb areas united to form the Union of Serbian Districts and District Units
of Kosovo and Metohija in a meeting in Kosovska Mitrovica, which has since served as the de
facto "capital." The Union's President is Dragan Velić. There is also a central governing body,
the Serbian National Council for Kosovo and Metohija (SNV). The President of SNV in North
Kosovo is Dr Milan Ivanović, while the head of its Executive Council is Rada Trajković.
Local politics in the Serb areas are dominated by the Serbian List for Kosovo and Metohija. The
Serbian List is led by Oliver Ivanović, an engineer from Kosovska Mitrovica.
In February of 2007 the Union of Serbian Districts and District Units of Kosovo and Metohija
transformed into the Serbian Assembly of Kosovo and Metohija, presided by Marko Jakšić, a
hardline nationalist residing in the northern part of the divided city of Mitrovica.[54][55] The
Assembly has strongly criticised what it calls "the secessionist movements of the Albaniandominated PISG Assembly of Kosovo"[citation needed]. It has demanded unity of the Serb people in
Kosovo, boycotted EULEX, and announced massive protests in support of Serbia's sovereignty
over Kosovo. On 18 February 2008, day after Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence,
the Assembly declared it "null and void".
Within Serbia, Kosovo is the concern of the Ministry for Kosovo and Metohija, currently led by
Slobodan Samardzic.
On the 26 July 2008, Lamberto Zannier the current head of UNMIK told the UN during a UNSC
meeting regarding the situation of Kosovo that "As a consequence of this stark divergence of
paths taken by Kosovo, Serbian and Albanian communities, the spacing which UNMIK can
operate has changed" and that "Since the entering into force of the Kosovo constitution,
exercising my legal powers has become increasingly difficult in practice."[56]
Government and politics
Main article: Politics of Kosovo
Parties
The largest political parties in Kosovo are the centre-right Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK),
which has its origins in the 1990s non-violent resistance movement to Miloševic's rule and was
led by Ibrahim Rugova until his death in 2006,[57] and two parties have their roots in the Kosovo
Liberation Army (KLA): the centre-left Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) led by former KLA
leader Hashim Thaçi and the centre-right Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) led by
former KLA commander Ramush Haradinaj.[57] Kosovo publisher Veton Surroi in 2004 formed
the centre-left Reformist Party ORA. Kosovo Serbs formed the Serbian List for Kosovo and
Metohija (SLKM) in 2004 and won several seats, but have boycotted Kosovo's institutions and
never taken their seats in the Kosovo Assembly.[57]
Provisional Institutions of Self-Government
In November 2001, the OSCE supervised the first elections for the Kosovo Assembly.[58] After
that election, Kosovo's political parties formed an all-party unity coalition and elected Ibrahim
Rugova as President and Bajram Rexhepi (PDK) as Prime Minister.[59] After Kosovo-wide
elections in October 2004, the LDK and AAK formed a new governing coalition that did not
include PDK and Ora. This coalition agreement resulted in Ramush Haradinaj (AAK) becoming
Prime Minister, while Ibrahim Rugova retained the position of President. PDK and Ora were
critical of the coalition agreement and have since frequently accused the current government of
corruption.[citation needed]
Ramush Haradinaj resigned the post of Prime Minister after he was indicted for war crimes by
the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in March 2005. Haradinaj
was acquitted in April 2008. He was replaced by Bajram Kosumi (AAK).[60] But in a political
shake-up after the death of President Rugova in January 2006, Kosumi himself was replaced by
former Kosovo Protection Corps commander Agim Çeku.[61] Çeku has won recognition for his
outreach to minorities, but Serbia has been critical of his wartime past as military leader of the
KLA and claims he is still not doing enough for Kosovo Serbs. The Kosovo Assembly elected
Fatmir Sejdiu, a former LDK parliamentarian, president after Rugova's death. Slaviša Petkovic,
Minister for Communities and Returns, was previously the only ethnic Serb in the government,
but resigned in November 2006 amid allegations that he misused ministry funds.[62][63] Currently
the Minister of Community and Return and the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare are ethnic
Serbs, while the Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning is from Kosovo’s small Turkish
minority.[64]
Parliamentary elections were held on 17 November 2007. After early results, Hashim Thaçi who
was on course to gain 35 per cent of the vote, claimed victory for PDK, the Democratic Party of
Kosovo, and stated his intention to declare independence. Thaçi formed a coalition with current
President Fatmir Sejdiu's Democratic League which was in second place with 22 percent of the
vote.[65] The turnout at the election was particularly low. Most members of the Serb minority
refused to vote.[66]
Republic of Kosovo
Further information: Constitution of Kosovo
The Republic of Kosovo is a parliamentary representative democracy. The executive power is
exercised by the Government of Kosovo led by the Prime Minister of Kosovo. Two or three of
the ministers, depending on the size of the government, are required to be from the minorities.
The President of the Republic of Kosovo is the head of state. The judiciary is independent. The
legislative power is exercised by the single-chamber Assembly of Kosovo consisting of 120
members, 100 of them directly elected by the people for a four-year term and twenty seats
reserved for representatives of the ethnic minorities only. The assembly elects the president for
five years and approves the government.
A new constitution for the Republic of Kosovo was approved by the Parliament of the Republic
of Kosovo, coming to force on June 15th, 2008.[67][68][69]
Foreign relations
Main article: Foreign relations of Kosovo
There are currently eight countries maintaining embassies to the Republic of Kosovo:
Albania,[70] Austria,[71] Germany,[72] the United Kingdom,[73] the United States,[74] Switzerland
(also representing Liechtenstein),[75] and Italy.[76] As of June 2008, 43 countries recognise
Kosovo as independent. Skënder Hyseni is Foreign Minister of the Republic of Kosovo.[77]
Military
Main article: Military of Kosovo
The military of Kosovo is still in the process of being organised following the partially
recognised declaration of independence of February 17, 2008. Following the Kosovo War in
1999, United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 placed Kosovo under the authority of
the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), with security provided
by the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR).
Rule of law
Following the Kosovo War, due to the many weapons in the hands of civilians, law enforcement
inefficiencies, and widespread devastation, both revenge killings and ethnic violence surged
tremendously. The number of reported murders rose 80% from 136 in 2000 to 245 in 2001. The
number of reported arsons rose 140% from 218 to 523 over the same period. UNMIK points out
that the rise in reported incidents might simply correspond to an increased confidence in the
police force (i.e., more reports) rather than more actual crime.
Although the number of noted serious crimes increased between 1999 and 2000, since then it has
been "starting to resemble the same patterns of other European cities".[78][79] According to
Amnesty International, the aftermath of the war resulted in an increase in the trafficking of
women for sexual exploitation.[80][81][82]
Organized crime continues to be a significant problem. Police action, however, has improved
tremendously, and by 2008, "murder rates in Kosovo have been in steady decline, dropping by
75 percent since 2003 with the current recorded rate today under three per 100,000 people", a
rate comparable to that of Switzerland, Ireland, or Finland.[83][84]
The landmines laid by both the Serbs and KLA during the Kosovo War, as well as unexploded
NATO ordnance, remain a problem.[85]
Economy
Main article: Economy of Kosovo
Bill Clinton Boulevard in Pristina
The "Palace of Youth"
Kosovo has one of the most under-developed economies in Europe, with a per capita income
estimated at €1,565 (2004).[86] Kosovo was the poorest province of Yugoslavia and received
substantial development subsidies from all Yugoslav republics.[87] Additionally, over the course
of the 1990s a blend of poor economic policies, international sanctions, poor external commerce
and ethnic conflict severely damaged the economy.[88]
Kosovo's economy remains weak. After a jump in 2000 and 2001, growth in Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) was negative in 2002 and 2003 and is expected to be around 3 percent 20042005, with domestic sources of growth unable to compensate for the declining foreign assistance.
Inflation is low, while the budget posted a deficit for the first time in 2004. Kosovo has high
external deficits. In 2004, the deficit of the balance of goods and services was close to 70 percent
of GDP. Remittances from Kosovars living abroad accounts for an estimated 13 percent of GDP,
and foreign assistance for around 34 percent of GDP.
Most economic development since 1999 has taken place in the trade, retail and the construction
sectors. The private sector that has emerged since 1999 is mainly small-scale. The industrial
sector remains weak and the electric power supply remains unreliable, acting as a key constraint.
Unemployment remains pervasive, at around 40-50% of the labour force.[89]
UNMIK introduced an external trade regime and customs administration on September 3, 1999
when it set customs border controls in Kosovo. All goods imported in Kosovo face a flat 10%
customs duty fee.[90] These taxes are collected from all Tax Collection Points installed at the
borders of Kosovo, including those between Kosovo and Serbia.[91] UNMIK and Kosovo
institutions have signed Free Trade Agreements with Croatia,[92] Bosnia and Herzegovina,[93]
Albania and Republic of Macedonia.[90]
The euro is the official currency of Kosovo and used by UNMIK and the government bodies.[94]
Initially, Kosovo adopted the German mark in 1999 to replace the Serbian dinar,[95] and
consequently switched to the euro when the German mark was replaced by it. Although, the
Serbian dinar is still used in the Serbian-populated parts.[citation needed]
The chief means of entry to this landlocked country, apart form the main highway leading to the
south to Skopje, Republic of Macedonia, is Pristina International Airport.
Car manufacturer Porsche has opened a branch in Kosovo. Besides Porsche automobiles, other
brands such as Volkswagen, Audi and Seat will be sold in Kosovo by the same distributor, due to
recognition by Austria.[96]
Trade and investment
Kosovo's 2006 trade balance was total exports(FOB) $154mil and total imports(CIF) $1,612mil.
The Republic of Macedonia is Kosovo's largest import and export market (averaging
€220 million and €9 million, respectively or 20% of whole Kosovo's trade), followed by Serbia
(€111 million and €5 million app 12%), Germany (app 10% of total trade), China (app from 59% depending on season) and Turkey (app 6% of total imports). In total EU's 27 countries are
Kosovo's biggest trade partner, 35% of all Kosovo's imports are coming from EU and app 5060% of Kosovo's $150 million exports are going in EU27.[97]
The economy is hindered by Kosovo's still-unresolved international status, which has made it
difficult to attract investment and loans.[98] The province's economic weakness has produced a
thriving black economy in which smuggled petrol, cigarettes and cement are major commodities.
The prevalence of official corruption and the pervasive influence of organised crime gangs has
caused serious concern internationally. The United Nations has made the fight against corruption
and organised crime a high priority, pledging a "zero tolerance" approach.
Kosovo has a reported foreign debt of 1,264 billion USD that is currently serviced by Serbia.
According to ECIKS[99] from 2001 to 2004 Kosovo received $3,2 billion of foreign aid.
International donor conference is to be held in Switzerland in June or July 2008. Until now EU
pledged 2 billion €, $350 mil by USA. Serbia also pledged 120 million € to Serb's enclaves in
Kosovo.
Energy sector
At 14,700 Mt, Kosovo has the world’s fifth-largest proven reserves of lignite, a type of coal. The
lignite is distributed across the Kosovo, Dukagjin and Drenica basins, although mining has so far
been restricted to the Kosovo basin. Coal reserves are found in two main basins and are currently
being mined in the coal mines of Bardh open-cast coal mine and Mirash open-cast coal mine.
Energy sector presents a major potential for development of Kosovo's economy. There are two
large coal-fired electrical power plants named "Kosovo A" and "Kosovo B" and the project to
build a larger 2100-MW coal-fired power plant is underway with expected completion in 2012.
Mining
Kosovo has lead-zinc-silver mines of Artana (Novo Brdo), Belo Brdo, Stan Terg and Hajvalia
mines, and the Crnac mine. During the lead-zinc-silver exploitation at Farbani Potok (ArtanaNovo Brdo), about 3 Mt of high-grade halloysite was discovered. Halloysite is an aluminosilicate
clay mineral used as a raw material for porcelain and bone china. This is only one of five known
exploitable deposits of this very high-value (US$140-450/t) clay, the other four being in New
Zealand, Turkey, China and Utah, US. Current world production is estimated at 150,000 t/y.
There is also nickel to be found in Kosovo and the largest working mine is in Çikatova
(Dushkaja and Suke) and Gllavica (District of Uroševac). There are significant deposits of
chromium, bauxite and magnesite, but mining has been stalled since 1999.
Unemployment
A major issue in Kosovo that is undermining Kosovo's development is unemployment. Official
unemployment rate stands at 40%. The World Bank states that even with 6 per cent annual
growth (twice what Kosovo manages at the moment), it would take ten years to cut
unemployment by half, from 40 to 20 per cent.[citation needed] Persistent unemployment, in particular
among the young, will fuel frustration, which would be bad for political peace.[3] The
unemployment rate among people under age 25, who account for approximately 50% of
Kosovo's population, is much higher, approximately 60%.[100] As such, a system of Kosovars
going abroad as migrant workers has emerged. Approximately one out of five Kosovar
households report having had a family member search for work abroad.[100] Kosovo has the
youngest population in Europe[citation needed], so, in coming years, with significant development of
the Kosovo educational sector, the current unemployment situation could be improved.[citation
needed]
Administrative regions
Kosovo, for administrative reasons, is considered as consisting of seven districts. North Kosovo
maintains its own government, infrastructure and institutions by its dominant ethnic Serb
population in the District of Kosovska Mitrovica, viz. in the Leposavić, Zvečan and Zubin Potok
municipalities and the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica.
Districts
Main articles: Subdivisions of Kosovo and Districts of Kosovo and Metohija
Municipalities and cities
Main article: Municipalities of Kosovo
Kosovo is also divided into 30 municipalities:
Municipality (Albanian: komuna, Serbian: opština / општина) is the basic administrative
division of Kosovo
The first name is Albanian and the second one is Serbian
01. Deçan / Dečani
11. Albanik / Leposavić
21. Prizren
22. Skënderaj /
02. Dragash / Dragaš
12. Lipjan / Lipljan
Srbica
23. Shtërpcë /
03. Gjakovë / Đakovica 13. Malishevë / Mališevo
Štrpce
14. Mitrovicë / Kosovska 24. Shtime /
04. Gllogovc / Glogovac
Mitrovica
Štimlje
15. Novobërdë / Novo
25. Suharekë /
05. Gjilan / Gnjilane
Map of Kosovo
Brdo
Suva Reka
municipalities
26. Ferizaj /
06. Burim / Istok
16. Kastriot / Obilić
Uroševac
07. Kaçanik / Kačanik
17. Rahovec / Orahovac 27. Viti / Vitina
08. Kamenicë / Kosovska
28. Vushtrri /
18. Pejë / Peć
Kamenica
Vučitrn
09. Klinë / Klina
19. Podujevë / Podujevo 29. Zubin Potok
10. Fushë Kosovë /
30. Zveçan /
20. Prishtinë / Priština
Kosovo Polje
Zvečan
Source: OSCE - UNMIK Regulation 2000/43: Albanian, Serbian PDF
Demographics
Multi ethnic map of Kosovo
Girls celebrate Children's Day
Main article: Demographics of Kosovo
According to the Kosovo in Figures 2005 Survey of the Statistical Office of Kosovo,[101][102][103]
Kosovo's total population is estimated between 1.9 and 2.2 million with the following ethnic
composition: Albanians 92%, Serbs 4%, Bosniaks and Gorans 2%, Turks 1%, Roma 1%.
Albanians, steadily increasing in number, have constituted a majority in Kosovo since the 19th
century, the earlier ethnic composition being disputed. The native dialect of the Kosovar
Albanian population is Gheg Albanian, although Standard Albanian is now widely used as an
official language.[104][105] According to the draft Constitution of Kosovo, Serbian is another
official language.[106] Kosovo's political boundaries don't coincide with ethnic boundaries; Serbs
form a local majority in North Kosovo and several smaller enclaves, while there are large areas
with Albanian majority outside Kosovo in the neighbouring regions of former Yugoslavia,
namely in the northwest of the Republic of Macedonia and in 3 southern municipalities[107] of
Central Serbia.
Islam (mostly Sunni, with a Bektashi minority[23]) is the predominant religion in Kosovo,
brought into the region with the Ottoman conquest in the 15th century and now nominally
professed by most of the ethnic Albanians, by the Bosniak, Gorani, and Turkish communities,
and by some of the Roma/Ashkali-"Egyptian" community. Islam, however, hasn't saturated the
Kosovar society, which remains largely secular.[108] About three percent of ethnic Albanians in
Kosovo remain Roman Catholic despite centuries of the Ottoman rule. The Serb population,
estimated at 100,000 to 120,000 persons, is largely Serbian Orthodox. Kosovo is densely covered
by numerous Serb Orthodox churches and monasteries.[109][110][111] Some 80% of the former
150,000 members of the Roma and Ashkali minority were driven out of the country.[112]
At 1.3% per year, ethnic Albanians in Kosovo have the fastest rate of growth in population in
Europe.[113] Over an 82-year period (1921-2003) the population grew to 460% of its original size.
If growth continues at such a pace, the population will reach 4.5 million by 2050.[114]
By contrast, from 1948 to 1991, the Serb population of Kosovo increased by but twelve percent
(one third the growth of the population in Central Serbia). The population of Albanians in
Kosovo increased by three hundred percent in the same period – a rate of growth twenty-five
times that of the Serbs in Kosovo.
Society
Ski Resort in the Šar Mountains.
Cinema and media
Main article: Music of Kosovo
Although in Kosovo the music is diverse, authentic Albanian music (see World Music) and
Serbian music do still exist. Albanian music is characterised by the use of the çiftelia (an
authentic Albanian instrument), mandolin, mandola and percussion. Classical music is also wellknown in Kosovo and has been taught at several music schools and universities (at the
University of Prishtina Faculty of Arts in Pristina and the University of Priština Faculty of Arts
at Kosovska Mitrovica).
Sports
Main articles: Olympic Committee of Kosovo, Football Federation of Kosovo, Basketball
Federation of Kosovo, Handball Federation of Kosovo, and Table Tennis Federation of
Kosovo
Several sports federations have been formed in Kosovo within the framework of Law No.
2003/24 "Law on Sport" passed by the Assembly of Kosovo in 2003. The law formally
established a national Olympic Committee, regulated the establishment of sports federations and
established guidelines for sports clubs. At present only some of the sports federations established
have gained international recognition.
See also














Assembly of Kosovo
Government of Kosovo
Prime Minister of Kosovo
President of Kosovo
Serbs in Kosovo
Albanians in Kosovo
Post and Telecom of Kosovo
Albanian nationalism and independence
Demographic history of Kosovo
Unrest in Kosovo during March 2004
Metohija
North Kosovo
Flag of Kosovo
2008 Kosovo declaration of independence
References
1. ^ Enti i Statistikës së Kosovës
2. ^ See [1] UN estimate, Kosovo’s population estimates range from 1.9 to 2.4 million. The last two
population census conducted in 1981 and 1991 estimated Kosovo’s population at 1.6 and 1.9
million respectively, but the 1991 census probably undercounted Albanians. The latest estimate in
2001 by OSCE puts the number at 2.4 Million. The World Factbook gives an estimate of
2,126,708 for the year 2007 (see Kosovo entry at The World Factbook).
3. ^ a b c d CIA - The World Factbook - Kosovo, updated on March 20, 2008, accessed on April 5,
2008.
4. ^ "Assembly approves Kosovo anthem" b92.net 11 June 2008 Link accessed 11/06/08
5. ^ Ibid.
6. ^ "The name Kosovo". Dr John-Peter Maher, Professor Emeritus of Linguistics, Northeastern
Illinois University
7. ^ a b The Balkans. From Constantinople to Communism. Dennis Hupchik
8. ^ Kosovo.Catholic Encyclopaedia
9. ^ Elsie, R. (ed.) (2002): "Gathering Clouds. The roots of ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. Early
twentieth-century documents". Dukagjini Balkan Books, Peja (Kosovo, Serbia). ISBN 9951-05016-6
10. ^ Treaty of London, 1913
11. ^ a b c Daskalovski, Židas. Claims to Kosovo: Nationalism and Self-Determination. In: Florian
Bieber & Zidas Daskalovski (eds.), Understanding the War in Kosovo. L.: Frank Cass, 2003.
ISBN 0714653918. P. 13-30.
12. ^ a b Malcolm, Noel. Kosovo: A Short History. Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1998. ISBN
0333666127.
13. ^ Ramet, Sabrina P. The Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Ends: Kosovo in Serbian
Perception. In Mary Buckley & Sally N. Cummings (eds.), Kosovo: Perceptions of War and Its
Aftermath. L. – N.Y.: Continuum Press, 2002. ISBN 0826456707. P. 30-46.
14. ^ a b c Elsie, Robert. Historical Dictionary of Kosova. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2004.
ISBN 0810853094.
15. ^ New York Times 1981-04-19, "One Storm has Passed but Others are Gathering in Yugoslavia"
16. ^ Reuters 1986-05-27, "Kosovo Province Revives Yugoslavia's Ethnic Nightmare"
17. ^ Christian Science Monitor 1986-07-28, "Tensions among ethnic groups in Yugoslavia begin to
boil over"
18. ^ New York Times 1987-06-27, "Belgrade Battles Kosovo Serbs"
19. ^ SANU (1986): Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts Memorandum. GIP Kultura. Belgrade.
20. ^ The Economist, June 05, 1999, U.S. Edition, 1041 words, "What's next for Slobodan
Milošević?"
21. ^ a b c Rogel, Carole. Kosovo: Where It All Began. International Journal of Politics, Culture, and
Society, Vol. 17, No. 1 (September 2003): 167-182.
22. ^ Clark, Howard. Civil Resistance in Kosovo. London: Pluto Press, 2000. ISBN 0745315690
23. ^ a b Babuna, Aydın. Albanian national identity and Islam in the post-Communist era. Perceptions
8(3), September-November 2003: 43-69.
24. ^ Rama, Shinasi A. The Serb-Albanian War, and the International Community’s Miscalculations.
The International Journal of Albanian Studies, 1 (1998), pp. 15-19.
25. ^ "Operation Allied Force". NATO.
26. ^ Larry Minear, Ted van Baarda, Marc Sommers (2000). "NATO and Humanitarian Action in the
Kosovo Crisis" (PDF). Brown University.
27. ^ "World: Europe UN gives figure for Kosovo dead".
28. ^ KiM Info-Service (07/06/00). "3,000 missing in Kosovo".
29. ^ "RESOLUTION 1244 (1999)", BBC News (1999-06-17). Retrieved on 2008-02-19.
30. ^ "Kosovo: The Human Rights Situation and the Fate of Persons Displaced from Their Homes
(.pdf) ", report by Alvaro Gil-Robles, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights,
Strasbourg, October 16, 2002, p. 30.
31. ^ UNHCR, Critical Appraisal of Responsee Mechanisms Operating in Kosovo for Minority
Returns, Pristina, February 2004, p. 14.
32. ^ U.S. Committee for Refugees (USCR), April 2000, Reversal of Fortune: Yugoslavia's Refugees
Crisis Since the Ethnic Albanian Return to Kosovo, p. 2–3.
33. ^ "Kosovo: The human rights situation and the fate of persons displaced from their homes (.pdf)
", report by Alvaro Gil-Robles, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Strasbourg,
October 16, 2002.
34. ^ International Relations and Security Network (ISN): Serbians return to Kosovo not impossible,
says report (.pdf) , by Tim Judah, June 7, 2004.
35. ^ European Stability Initiative (ESI): The Lausanne Principle: Multiethnicity, Territory and the
Future of Kosovo's Serbs (.pdf) , June 7, 2004.
36. ^ Coordinating Centre of Serbia for Kosovo-Metohija: Principles of the program for return of
internally displaced persons from Kosovo and Metohija .
37. ^ UNHCR: 2002 Annual Statistical Report: Serbia and Montenegro, pg. 9
38. ^ U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI): Country report: Serbia and
Montenegro 2006.
39. ^ U.S State Department Report, published in 2007.
40. ^ "UN frustrated by Kosovo deadlock ", BBC News, October 9, 2006.
41. ^ Southeast European Times (2007-06-29). "Russia reportedly rejects fourth draft resolution on
Kosovo status".
42. ^ Southeast European Times (09/07/07). "UN Security Council remains divided on Kosovo".
43. ^ James Dancer (2007-03-30). "A long reconciliation process is required". Financial Times.
44. ^ Simon Tisdall (2007-11-13). "Bosnian nightmare returns to haunt EU". The Guardian.
45. ^ BBC NEWS Europe | Q&A: Kosovo's future
46. ^ "Kosovo MPs proclaim independence", BBC News Online, 17 February 2008
47. ^ Hsu, Jenny W (2008-02-20). "Taiwan officially recognizes Kosovo", Taipei Times. Retrieved
on 2008-05-13.
48. ^ "Recognition for new Kosovo grows", BBC News Online, 18 February 2008
49. ^ BBC News, Serbia's neighbors accept Kosovo , accessed 12:41 19 March 2008.
50. ^
http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2008/06/30/featu
re-01
51. ^ "Statistical Office of Kosovo".
52. ^ Strategic Environmental Analysis of Kosovo. The Regional Environmental Center for Central
and Eastern Europe, Prishtina, July 2000.
53. ^ Kosovo: Biodiversity assessment. Final Report submitted to the USAID, ARD-BIOFOR IQC
Consortium, May 2003.
54. ^ http://www.kansascity.com/659/story/684058.html
55. ^ http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L28603646.htm
56. ^ "UN powerless in Kosovo: official" abc.net.au 26 July 2008 Link accessed 27/06/08
57. ^ a b c "Kosovo Update: Main Political Parties ", European Forum, 18 March 2008
58. ^ "OSCE Mission in Kosovo - Elections ", Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
59. ^ "Power-sharing deal reached in Kosovo ", BBC News, 21 February 2002
60. ^ "Timeline: Kosovo ", BBC News, 11 April 2008
61. ^ "Former Rebel set to lead Kosovo ", BBC News, 2 March 2006
62. ^ "Kosovo: Serb minister resigns over misuse of funds ", Adnkronos international (AKI),
November 27, 2006
63. ^ "Sole Kosovo Serb cabinet minister resigns: PM ", Agence France-Presse (AFP), November 24,
2006.
64. ^ http://www.ks-gov.net/pm/Ministritë/tabid/83/language/en-US/Default.aspx
65. ^ "Kosovo gets pro-independence PM ", BBC News, 9 January 2008
66. ^ EuroNews: Ex-guerrilla chief claims victory in Kosovo election. Retrieved 18 November 2007.
67. ^ CNN
68. ^ Constitution of Kosovo - Official Website
69. ^ AFP; ITAR-TASS
70. ^ Ministry of Foreign Affairs
71. ^ "Austrian representations - Kosovo". Austrian Foreign Ministry. Retrieved on 2008-04-17.
72. ^ Deutsche Botschaft Pristina - Startseite
73. ^ British Office Pristina, Kosovo
74. ^ Website of the US Embassy, Pristina 9 March 2008
75. ^ swissinfo.ch 28 March 2008
76. ^ "Italian Embassy in Pristina", qn.quotidiano.net, 19 March 2008. Link accessed 2008-04-26.
(Italian)
77. ^ http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/8228
78. ^ UNMIK statistics
79. ^ Kosovo Crime Wave, 17 January 2001
80. ^ Kosovo UN troops 'fuel sex trade', BBC.
81. ^ Kosovo: Trafficked women and girls have human rights, Amnesty International.
82. ^ Nato force 'feeds Kosovo sex trade', Guardian Unlimited.
83. ^ Retrieved from http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/10585/
84. ^ Retrieved from http://www.benbest.com/lifeext/murder.html
85. ^ Landmine Monitor: Kosovo. 2004.
86. ^ The World Bank (2006). "Kosovo Brief 2006".
87. ^ Christian Science Monitor 1982-01-15, "Why Turbulent Kosovo has Marble Sidewalks but
Troubled Industries"
88. ^ The World Bank (2006/2007). "World Bank Mission in Kosovo".
89. ^ eciks (04/05/06). "May finds Kosovo with 50% unemployed".
90. ^ a b U.S. Commercial Service. "Doing Business in Kosovo".
91. ^ Economic Reconstruction and Development in South East Europe. "External Trade and
Customs" (PDF).
92. ^ B92 (02/10/06). "Croatia, Kosovo sign Interim Free Trade Agreement". mrt.com.
93. ^ EU in Kosovo (17/02/06). "UNMIK and Bosnia and Herzegovina Initial Free Trade
Agreement" (PDF). UNMIK.
94. ^ EU in Kosovo. "Invest in Kosovo".
95. ^ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/437844.stm BBC News, Kosovo adopts Deutschmark
96. ^ "Porsche opens retail branch in Kosovo" newkosovareport.com 24 June Link accessed 26/06/08
97. ^ The World Bank (April 2006). "Kosovo Monthly Economic Briefing: Preparing for next
winter" (PDF).
98. ^ BBC News (03/05/05). "Brussels offers first Kosovo loan".
99. ^ ECIKS
100.
^ a b "Kosovo Poverty Assessment ", World Bank, 3 October 2007
101.
^ UNMIK. "Kosovo in figures 2005" (PDF). Ministry of Public Services.
102.
^ BBC News (2005-12-23). "Muslims in Europe: Country guide".
103.
^ BBC News (2007-11-20). "churchesRegions and territories: Kosovo".
104.
^ Albanian, Gheg A language of Serbia and Montenegro. Gordon, Raymond G., Jr. (ed.),
2005. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Fifteenth edition. Dallas, Tex.: SIL International.
Online version.
105.
^ Sylvia Moosmüller & Theodor Granser. The spread of Standard Albanian: An
illustration based on an analysis of vowels. Language Variation and Change (2006), 18: 121-140.
106.
^ Draft Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo
107.
^ there's no such thing as the Preshevo valley
108.
^ Kosovo touts 'Islam Lite'. The Associated Press, February 21, 2008.
109.
^ International Crisis Group (2001-01-31). "Religion in Kosovo".
110.
^ International Religious Freedom Report 2007 (U.S. Department of States) - Serbia
(includes Kosovo)
111.
^ International Religious Freedom Report 2006 (U.S. Department of States) - Serbia and
Montenegro (includes Kosovo)
112.
^ Society for Threatened Peoples
113.
^ Albanian Population Growth
114.
^ Kosovo-Hotels, Prishtina - Kosovo-Hotels, Prishtinë
Further reading


Malcolm, Noel (1998). Kosovo: A Short History. Macmillan. ISBN 0333666127.
Elsie, Robert (2004). Historical Dictionary of Kosova. Scarecrow Press. ISBN
0810853094.
External links
Kosovo portal
Find more about Kosovo on Wikipedia's sister
projects:
Dictionary definitions
Textbooks
Quotations
Source texts
Images and media
News stories
Learning resources








Wikimedia Atlas of Kosovo
United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo
The Government of Kosovo and Prime minister's office
Assembly of Kosovo
President of Kosovo
Serbian Government for Kosovo and Metohija
Kosovo entry at The World Factbook
Visit Kosovo - Tourism Website

Kosovo travel guide from Wikitravel