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Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo

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For other uses, seeKosovo (disambiguation)andMetohija (disambiguation).

Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo
Социјалистичка Аутономна Покрајина Косово(Serbo-Croatian)
Socijalistička Autonomna Pokrajina Kosovo(Serbo-Croatian)
Krahina Socialiste Autonome e Kosovës(Albanian)
Autonomous provinceofSocialist Republic of SerbiainYugoslavia
1945–1990

Kosovo (dark red) in theSocialist Republic of Serbia(light red), within theSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
CapitalPristina
Area
• 1991
10,686 km2(4,126 sq mi)
Population
• 1991
1,584,441
Government
• TypeAutonomous province
President
Official languages
• 1974 constitution
Historical eraCold War
• Autonomous Region
3 September 1945
• Autonomous Province
1963
28 September 1990
Part ofa serieson the
History ofKosovo
Kosovo
Prehistory
Antiquity
Roman Kosovo
Medieval Kosovo
Ottoman Kosovo
20th Century
Contemporary
See Also

TheSocialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo,[note 1]referred to simply asKosovo,was one of the twoautonomous provincesof theSocialist Republic of SerbiawithinYugoslavia(the other beingVojvodina), between 1945 and 1990, when it was renamedAutonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija.

Between 1945 and 1963 it was officially named theAutonomous Region of Kosovo and Metohija,[2]with a level of self-government lower than that of theAutonomous Province of Vojvodina.In 1963 it was granted the same level of autonomy as Vojvodina, and accordingly its official name was changed toAutonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija.In 1968 the term "Metohija" was dropped,[3]and the prefix "Socialist" was added,[4]changing the official name of the province toSocialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo.In 1974 both autonomous provinces (Vojvodina and Kosovo) were granted significantly increased levels of autonomy. In 1989, under thepresidencyofSlobodan Milošević,that level of autonomy was reduced. In 1990 the term "Metohija" was reinserted into the provincial name,[5]with "Socialist" being dropped. From that point on the official name of the province was once againAutonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija,as it had been between 1963 and 1968.

Background

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Main article:History of Kosovo

Until 1912, the region ofKosovowas underOttomanrule. After theFirst Balkan Warit was incorporated into theKingdom of Serbiaby theTreaty of London.[6]At the time that Serbia annexed Kosovo (1912–1913), the 1903 constitution was still in force. This constitution required a Grand National Assembly before Serbia's borders could be expanded to include Kosovo; but no such Grand National Assembly was ever held.[7]Constitutionally, Kosovo should not have become part of theKingdom of Serbia.[need quotation to verify][verification needed]It was initially ruled by decree.[8]Serbian political parties, and the army, could not agree on how to govern the newly conquered territories; eventually this was solved by a royal decree.[9]

In 1918, the region of Kosovo, with the rest of Serbia, became part of newly formedKingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes(since 1929 renamed asKingdom of Yugoslavia). During the interwar period (1918-1941), the constitutional status of the region Kosovo within Yugoslavia was unresolved. In 1941, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia was attacked and occupied byNazi Germanyand its allies.[10]The region of Kosovo was occupied by Germans (northern part), Italians (central part) and Bulgarians (eastern part). Italian occupation zone was formally annexed toFascist Albania.That marked the beginning of mass persecution of ethnic Serbs in the annexed regions ofMetohijaand centralKosovo.A reign of terror was enforced by Albanian nationalist organizationBalli Kombëtarand bySkanderbegSS Division,created byHeinrich Himmler.[11]By the end of 1944, the Serbian population of the region was decimated.

In 1944, Tito had written that it "will obtain a broader autonomy, and the question of which federal unit they are joined to will depend on the people themselves, through their representatives" although in practice decision making was centralised and undemocratic.[12]There were various proposals to join Kosovo to other areas (even toAlbania) but in 1945 it was decided to join Kosovo to theSocialist Republic of Serbia.However, one piece of the former Kosovo Vilayet was given to the new Yugoslav republic ofMacedonia(including the former capitalSkopje), whilst another part had passed toMontenegro(mainlyPljevlja,Bijelo PoljeandRožaje), also a new entity. In July 1945, a "Resolution for the annexation of Kosovo–Metohija to federal Serbia" was passed by Kosovo's "Regional People's Council".[13]

1945–1963

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From 1945 to 1963, it was theAutonomous Region of Kosovo and Metohija(Serbo-Croatian:Аутономна Косовско-Метохијска Област/Autonomna Kosovsko-Metohijska Oblast), which was a lower level of autonomy thanVojvodina.[2]

The Autonomous Region of Kosovo and Metohija was created on 3 September 1945.[14]After the break with theCominformin 1948, Yugoslavia tightened certain policies, including strictercollectivisation.This led to serious reductions in grain production in Kosovo; there were food shortages across Yugoslavia. In parallel with this, the Albanian government began to criticise Yugoslav rule over Kosovo; the Yugoslav government responded with crackdowns on the local population, in search of "traitors" and "fifth columnists", although the earliest underground pro-Tiranagroup was not founded until the early 1960s.[15]

In the mid–1950s, the Assembly ofPR Serbiadecided that theLeposavićmunicipality (187 km2) be ceded to theAutonomous Region of Kosovo and Metohija,after requests by the Kosovo leadership.[16]It had up until then been part of the Kraljevosrez,of which the population was wholly Serb.[16]After this, the number of Serbs drastically fell[16](but remaining the plurality). In 1959, Leposavić was incorporated into the province.[17][18]

After theTito-Stalin riftin 1948, the relations between Stalinist Albania and Yugoslavia were also broken.Language policywas of utmost importance in communist Yugoslavia, which after World War II was reorganised as afederation of ethnolinguistically defined nations,in emulation of theinterwar Soviet nationalities policy.Insouthern Serbia(renamed asMacedonia) regained fromBulgaria,the interwar southern dialect of Serbocroatoslovenian (Serbian), very close to Bulgarian, was developed into a new Cyrillic-basedMacedonian language.This move allowed for nullifying the wartime influence ofBulgarian nationalismwhile also capitalizing on the already widened literacy in the region due to theBulgarian occupationand the Bulgarian-medium school. Likewise, in postwar Kosovo, the localAlbanian languagewas distanced from Albania's standard steeped inTosk,by basing it on the Kosovar dialect ofGheg.As a result, a standard Kosovar language was formed. However, after the rapprochement between Albania and Yugoslavia at the turn of the 1970s, Belgrade adopted Albania's Tosk-based standard of the Albanian language, which ended the brief flourishing of the Gheg-based Kosovar language.[19]

1963–1968

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TheAutonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija(Serbo-Croatian:Аутономна Покрајина Косово и Метохија/Autonomna Pokrajina Kosovo i Metohija,Albanian:Krahina Autonome e Kosovës dhe Metohisë) was the name used from 1963 to 1968, when the term "Metohija" was dropped,[3]and the prefix "Socialist" was added.[4]

Kosovo officially became an autonomous province in 1963, after theconstitutional reforms,and its position was equalized with the status ofVojvodina.[14]Tensions between ethnic Albanians and the Yugoslav and Serbian governments were significant, not only due to national tensions but also due to political ideological concerns, especially regarding relations with neighbouring Albania.[20]Harsh repressive measures were imposed on Kosovo Albanians due to suspicions that they there were sympathisers of theStalinistpolicies of Albania'sEnver Hoxha.[20]In 1956, a show trial in Priština was held in which multiple Albanian Communists of Kosovo were convicted of being infiltrators from Albania and were given long prison sentences.[20]High-ranking Serbian communist officialAleksandar Rankovićsought to secure the position of the Serbs in Kosovo and gave them dominance in Kosovo'snomenklatura.[21]

Islamin Kosovo at this time was repressed and both Albanians and Muslim Slavs were encouraged to declare themselves to be Turkish and emigrate to Turkey.[20]At the same timeSerbsandMontenegrinsdominated the government, security forces, and industrial employment in Kosovo.[20]Albanians resented these conditions and protested against them in the late 1960s, accusing the actions taken by authorities in Kosovo as beingcolonialist,as well as demanding that Kosovo be made a republic, or declaring support for Albania.[20]

1968–1990

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TheSocialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo(Serbo-Croatian:Социјалистичка Аутономна Покрајина Косово/Socijalistička Autonomna Pokrajina Kosovo,Albanian:Krahina Socialiste Autonome e Kosovës) was the name used from 1968, when the prefix "Socialist" was added,[4]and the term "Metohija" was dropped.[3]The nameSocialist Autonomous Province of Kosovowas officially used until 1990, when the term "Metohija" was reinserted into the official name,[5]and the prefix "Socialist" was dropped.

Average strength of Yugoslav economy as a deviation from the main (Yugoslavia = 100 %) indicator in 1975. SAP Kosovo was the poorest entity ofSFR Yugoslavia.

Building substantial autonomy: 1968–1974

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Autonomy of Kosovo was significantly strengthened in 1968, as a result of major political changes in Yugoslavia. After the earlier ouster of Ranković in 1966, the agenda of pro-decentralisation reformers in Yugoslavia, especially from Slovenia and Croatia, succeeded in 1968 in attaining significant constitutional decentralisation of powers, creating substantial autonomy in both Kosovo and Vojvodina, and recognising aMuslim Yugoslavnationality.[22]As a result of these reforms, there was a massive overhaul of Kosovo's nomenklatura and police, that shifted from being Serb-dominated to ethnic Albanian-dominated through firing Serbs in large scale.[22]Further concessions were made to the ethnic Albanians of Kosovo in response to unrest, including the creation of theUniversity of Pristinaas anAlbanian languageinstitution.[22]These changes created widespread fear amongst Serbs that they were being madesecond-class citizensin Yugoslavia by these changes.[23]

Substantial autonomy achieved: 1974–1990

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The Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo received more autonomy within Serbia and Yugoslavia byconstitutional reformin 1974. In the new constitutions of Yugoslavia and Serbia, adopted during the reform of 1974, Kosovo was granted major autonomy, allowing it to have not only its own administration and assembly, but also a substantial constitutional, legislative and judicial autonomy.[24]

Per the Constitutions of SFR Yugoslavia and SR Serbia, SAP Kosovo also gained its own Constitution. The Province of Kosovo gained the highest officials, most notably Presidency and Government, and gained a seat in the FederalPresidium of Yugoslavia(including veto power on the federal level) which equated it to the states of SR Serbia.[citation needed]

The local Albanian-dominated ruling class had been asking for recognition of Kosovo as a parallel republic to Serbia within the Federation, and afterJosip Broz Tito’s death in 1980, the demands were renewed.[citation needed]In March 1981, Albanian students started the1981 protests in Kosovo,where a social protest turned into violent mass riots with nationalist demands across the province, which the Yugoslav authorities contained with force. Emigration of non-Albanians increased and ethnic tensions between Albanians and non-Albanians greatly increased, with violent inner-attacks, especially aimed at the Yugoslavian officials and representatives of authority.[citation needed]

The 1985Đorđe Martinović incidentand the 1987Paraćin massacrecontributed to the atmosphere of ethnic tensions.

In 1988 and 1989, Serbian authorities engaged in a series of moves known as theanti-bureaucratic revolution,which resulted in the sacking of province leadership in November 1988 and a significant reduction of autonomy of Kosovo in March 1989.[14]

On 28 June 1989, Milošević led a mass celebration of the 600th anniversary of a 1389Battle of Kosovo.Milošević'sGazimestan speech,which marked the beginning of his political prominence, was an important part of the events that contributed to the ongoing crisis in Kosovo. The ensuingSerbian nationalistmovement was also a contributing factor to theYugoslav Wars.

The status of Kosovo was returned to the pre-1968Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohijaby the newConstitution of the Republic of Serbia,adopted on 28 September 1990.[25]

TheKosovo Warfollowed with Kosovo coming underUnited Nations administrationin 1999. Later, in February 2008, Kosovodeclared its independencefrom Serbia, while Serbia continues to claim it as the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija.

Demographics

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See also:Demographic history of Kosovo
Ethnic structure of Kosovo by settlements, according to the 1981 census

According to the 1981 census, the one taken during the period between 1974 and 1990, the population of the province numbered 1,584,441 people, including:

Politics

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The only political party in the province wasLeague of Communists of Kosovo,which was part of theLeague of Communists of Serbiaand part of theLeague of Communists of Yugoslavia.[citation needed]

Political leaders

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Prime Ministers

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Main article:President of the Executive Council of SAP Kosovo

Chairman of the Executive Council of the People's Committee of the Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo:

Chairmen of the Executive Council of the Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo:

Presidents

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Main article:President of the Presidency of SAP Kosovo

Chairman of the People's Liberation Committee of the Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo:

Presidents of the Assembly of the Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo:

Presidents of Presidency of the Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo:

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Kushtetuta e Kosoves 1974: Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming: Internet Archive".Internet Archive(in Albanian). 1974.Retrieved21 July2023.Neni 5. Në Krahinën Socialiste Autonome të Kosovës sigurohet barazia e gjuhës shqipe, serbokroate e turke dhe e shkrimeve të tyre.
  2. ^abPavlowitch 2002,p. 159.
  3. ^abcBennett 1995,p. 53.
  4. ^abcĆirković 2004,p. 274.
  5. ^abRamet & Pavlaković 2007,p. 312.
  6. ^Pavlowitch 2002,p. 83-84.
  7. ^Perić,La question constitutionelle en Serbie,Paris 1914
  8. ^Malcolm 1998.
  9. ^Olga Popović-Obradović, The Parliamentary System in Serbia 1903–1914.
  10. ^Ćirković 2004,p. 268-269.
  11. ^Tomasevich 2001,p. 154.
  12. ^Malcolm 1998,p. 315.
  13. ^Malcolm 1998,p. 316.
  14. ^abcKrieger 2001,p. XX.
  15. ^Malcolm 1998,p. 322.
  16. ^abcDragoslav Despotović (1993).Raskršća, ili, Autoportret bivšeg narodnog neprijatelja.Nova Iskra. p. 463.
  17. ^Marksistička misao.Marksistički centar Centralnog komiteta Saveza komunista Srbije. 1988. p. 209.опћина Лепосавић (која је припојена САПК 1959. године)
  18. ^Miloš Macura (1989).Problemi politike obnavljanja stanovništva u Srbiji.Srpska akademija nauka i umetnosti. p. 74.ISBN9788670250666.
  19. ^Tomasz Kamusella. 2016. The Idea of a Kosovan Language in Yugoslavia’s Language Politics(pp. 217–237).International Journal of the Sociology of Language.Vol. 242.doi:10.1515/ijsl-2016-0040
  20. ^abcdefIndependent International Commission on Kosovo.The Kosovo report: conflict, international response, lessons learned.New York, New York, USA: Oxford University Press, 2000. Pp. 35.
  21. ^Melissa Katherine Bokovoy, Jill A. Irvine, Carol S. Lilly. State-society relations in Yugoslavia, 1945–1992. Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA: Palgrave Macmillan, 1997. Pp. 295.
  22. ^abcMelissa Katherine Bokovoy, Jill A. Irvine, Carol S. Lilly. State-society relations in Yugoslavia, 1945–1992. Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA: Palgrave Macmillan, 1997. Pp. 296.
  23. ^Melissa Katherine Bokovoy, Jill A. Irvine, Carol S. Lilly. State-society relations in Yugoslavia, 1945–1992. Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA: Palgrave Macmillan, 1997. Pp. 301.
  24. ^Independent International Commission on Kosovo.The Kosovo report: conflict, international response, lessons learned.New York, New York, USA: Oxford University Press, 2000. Pp. 35–36.
  25. ^Krieger 2001,p. XXI.

Notes

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  1. ^Serbo-Croatian:Socijalistička Autonomna Pokrajina Kosovo/Социјалистичка Аутономна Покрајина Косово,Albanian:Krahina Socialiste Autonome e Kosovës

Sources

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