History of the conflict in Kosovo. Reference. Unrecognized states - Kosovo Domestic and foreign policy

Kosovo is a partially recognized state located in South-Eastern Europe. Kosovo is located on the territory of the Balkan Peninsula, therefore it is one of the Balkan countries. According to the Constitution of Serbia, Kosovo is part of this country and is called the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija. Most of Kosovo is not subject to Serbia. The population of Kosovo is 1,733,000 people. The capital is the city of Pristina. Other large cities in the country are Pec and Prizren. The largest city in Kosovo is Pristina. There are no cities with a population of more than 1 million inhabitants in Kosovo. Kosovo is located in the same time zone. The difference with universal time is one hour.

Kosovo is landlocked. The partially recognized country borders Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Croatia.

Kosovo is a country with mixed terrain. There are mountains and there are plains.

Forests occupy half of the country's territory. Most forest areas are located on mountain slopes.

Kosovo is crossed by the Shar Planina mountain range and the Kopaonik mountains. The highest point in Kosovo is Mount Deravica. The height of this peak is 2556 meters.

The largest river in Kosovo is the White Drin. Other famous rivers in the country are Sitnica, South Morava, Ibar. There are many lakes in Kosovo. The largest lakes are man-made. The largest lake in Kosovo is Gazivoda. Other large lakes are Radonjić, Batlava, Badovac.

Kosovo has its own administrative-territorial division, divided into seven districts: Djakovitsky, Gnjilansky. Kosovo-Mitrovica, Pec, Pristina, Prizren, Uroshevac.

Map

Roads

Kosovo's railway network is functioning, however, all roads are in poor condition, trains run slowly and are often late. Main route to Kosovo —from Pristina to another large Kosovar city - Pec. Kosovo does not have direct passenger connections with other countries, although the country is connected by railways to Croatia and Serbia.

Roads in the country are in poor condition. There are no autobahns in the country.

Story

Kosovo has its own interesting history, divided into historical eras:

a) Prehistoric Kosovo - the conquest of the country by the Romans and entry into the Holy Roman Empire (5th century BC), the invasion of the Celts and barbarians, the collapse of Ri ms which empire (5th century AD), joining the Byzantine Empire;

b) The period of resettlement of the Slavs to the territory of modern Kosovo (end of the 6th century) - Christianization of the lands of Kosovo with the assistance of Byzantium;

c) Kosovo as part of the Bulgarian Kingdom (10th century) - the war of the Bulgarian Kingdom and the Serbian Kingdom for Kosovo, the defeat of the Serbs, the annexation of the region to the Bulgarian Kingdom;

d) Secondary return to the Byzantine Empire (1018);

e) Kosovo as part of Serbia (since 1218);

f) Kosovo as part of the Ottoman Empire - since 1389, forced Islamization of the population, the Austro-Turkish War (1593 - 1606), resettlement of Albanians to Kosovo lands, Albanian colonization of the region;

g) return to Serbia (since 1912);

h) Kosovo during the First World War (1914 – 1918) – military operations on the side of Serbia, defeat in the war;

i) Kosovo as part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (since 1929);

j) Kosovo during the Second World War (1939 – 1045) – joining Greater Albania (1941), Italian occupation of the region (since 1941), occupation by the German Wehrmacht (1943), liberation from the Nazi invaders (1944 year);

k) Kosovo as part of socialist Yugoslavia - since 1946;

l) Kosovo after the collapse of Yugoslavia (since 1991) - declaration of independence (1991), the beginning of the war with the Yugoslav army (1998), NATO countries joining the war (1999), the end of hostilities, elections to the Kosovo parliament (2004 ), secondary declaration of independence of Kosovo (2008), recognition by the International Court of Justice of the legality of the declaration of independence from Serbia by the Kosovo authorities (2010).

Minerals

Kosovo is rich in mineral resources. Of the strategic types of minerals in the country, there is only a lot of coal, but its mass production is not organized. There is no oil or natural gas in Kosovo; the country is forced to import them from other countries. The country has many deposits of other minerals: lead, zinc, nickel, cobalt, magnesite, bauxite. There are reserves of rare metals: indium, cadmium, germanium, thallium. There are many brown coal deposits in Kosovo. The country also produces chromium, copper, silver and small amounts of gold.

Climate

The climate of Kosovo is continental. The winter here is cold and snowy. Summer, on the contrary, is very hot and dry.

Democratic Party candidate Boris Tadic narrowly defeated the leader of the Serbian Radical Party, Tomislav Nikolic, in the second round of elections.

Kosovo (Kosovo and Metohija) is an autonomous province within Serbia. Currently, the region is populated predominantly by Albanians (over 90%). Of the two million population of Kosovo, Serbs make up about 100 thousand (6%) with the national center in Kosovo Mitrovica.
During the medieval period, the core of the medieval Serbian state formed on the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, and from the 14th century until 1767, the throne of the Serbian patriarch was located here (near the city of Pec). Therefore, the Serbian claims to the region of Kosovo and Metohija are based on the principles of historical law. Albanians, in turn, insist on the predominance of ethnic law.

Historically, Albanians have long lived in Kosovo, but did not form a significant part of the population until the beginning of the 20th century. To a large extent, the ethnic composition of the region began to change after World War II, when Josip Broz Tito allowed Albanians who found themselves on the territory of Yugoslavia during the war to remain in Kosovo. The territory of Kosovo was first allocated as an autonomous region within Serbia within the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia in 1945. The Yugoslav Constitution of 1974 granted Serbia's constituent territories the de facto status of republics, with the exception of the right to secede. Kosovo, as an autonomous socialist region, received its own constitution, legislation, supreme authorities, as well as its representatives in all major union bodies.

However, in the late 1980s, the result of an internal political crisis, which led to a surge in violence and major economic difficulties, was the abolition of Kosovo's autonomous status. A new fundamental law of Serbia was adopted, which came into force on September 28, 1990 and restored the supremacy of republican laws over regional laws throughout the republic. Kosovo was left with only territorial and cultural autonomy.

Kosovo Albanians did not recognize the new constitution; Parallel Albanian power structures began to be created. In 1991, an illegal referendum was held in Kosovo, which approved the independence of Kosovo. Kosovo nationalists proclaimed the unrecognized “Republic of Kosovo” and elected Ibrahim Rugova as president. To fight for independence, the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) was created in 1996.

In 1998, the interethnic conflict escalated into bloody armed clashes. On September 9, 1998, the NATO Council approved a plan for military intervention in the Kosovo conflict. On March 24, 1999, without UN authorization, a NATO military operation called “Allied Force” began, which lasted until June 20, 1999, when the withdrawal of Yugoslav troops was completed.

Since 1999, more than 200 thousand ethnic Serbs have left the region due to ethnic conflicts between Serbs and Albanian separatists.

Today, the Kosovo settlement remains the most problematic issue on the Balkan agenda. In accordance with UN Security Council Resolution No. 1244 of June 10, 1999, the central role in the peace process is assigned to the UN and its Security Council, and the civilian UN Mission for the Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the Kosovo Force (KFOR) of 16.5 thousand military personnel.

An international police force (3 thousand people) operates under the auspices of UNMIK. Its tasks include ensuring law and order in the region, monitoring the activities of the Kosovo Police Service (6.2 thousand people). The quota of the Russian police contingent within UNMIK is 81 people.

In May 2001, the head of UNMIK approved the “Constitutional Framework for Interim Self-Government in Kosovo,” which sets out the procedure for the formation of regional power structures. In accordance with this document, on November 17, 2001, the first elections to the Assembly (Parliament) of Kosovo were held.

On October 24, 2005, the UN Security Council, in the form of a statement by its chairman, gave the green light to the process of determining the future status of Kosovo. Martti Ahtisaari (Finland) became the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the status process. At a meeting of the Contact Group (CG) held in Washington on November 2, 2005, at the level of deputy foreign ministers, the “Guiding Principles” for developing the future status of Kosovo were approved. The document sets out the priority of the negotiation solution, the leadership role of the UN Security Council at all stages of the status process, consideration of all status options with the exception of the partition of Kosovo, as well as returning the situation in the region to the period before 1999 and unification with other territories.

One of the factors influencing the development of a decision on the status of the region was the Constitution of Serbia, adopted as a result of a nationwide referendum on October 28-29, 2006. Its preamble contains the provision that Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia.

Russia supports international efforts aimed at building a democratic multi-ethnic society in Kosovo on the basis of UN Security Council Resolution No. 1244. Russia is actively involved in resolving the Kosovo problem within the framework of the UN Security Council and the Contact Group (Russia, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, USA, France). At the same time, the Russian side defends the priority of a negotiated settlement, the principles of universality and multiple options for resolving the issue of Kosovo’s status, rejecting the thesis that there is no alternative to the region’s independence. Russia proposed to develop a “road map”, within the framework of which the justified interests of the parties and the priorities of the leading international factors in the Kosovo settlement could be taken into account, and milestones for the parties’ movement towards agreement could be outlined, including on the paths of their European integration perspective. The United States believes that the only way out of the impasse is the Ahtisaari plan, which presupposes the independent status of the region under international control. Representatives of the United States and the European Union say that the negotiations have exhausted themselves, and the status of the region will be determined within the framework of the EU and NATO.

Pristina is an ancient city, and initially it had nothing to do with Albanians or Kosovars. Pristina was one of the centers of the medieval state of the Serbs, then it was repeatedly conquered by different peoples and managed to be in the hands of the Turks, Austrians, and Italians.

As a result of military operations in the late nineties, the city was severely damaged. At the same time, Serbs and other non-Albanians fled from there. Those who did not escape were forcibly expelled or killed.

Now Pristina looks like a more or less decent city compared to the rest of the country. Shall we take a walk around the Kosovo capital?

1. Entry into the city. All the same landscapes: mountains, unfinished houses, burnt grass. Mosque.

2. On the outskirts of Pristina.

3. Local shopping center. The premises are not ready yet, so refrigerators and washing machines are sold right on the street.

4.

5. The gas station is adjacent directly to a residential building. This surprised me and I decided to take a photo. A guy from a gas station immediately came up to me and asked why I was filming. “Tourist,” I answered and the man immediately fell behind.

6. In the center of Pristina there is an unfinished Serbian Orthodox church. There used to be many churches, but they were all destroyed. This temple was never completed before the war. This is how the skeleton of the temple stands, which, by the way, is named in honor of Christ the Savior. Periodically, “raids” are made on it for the purpose of desecration. In general, they planned to blow it up in 1999, immediately after the end of hostilities, on July 31, Albanian extremists planted explosives at the foundation, but the building survived. After some time, the walls were restored, but the church was not allowed to be completed and opened.

7. For many years now, the government has been thinking about what to do with the religious building. There are four projects: nightclub, art studio, museum or opera. There is no church among them, as you understand.

8. Next to the temple there is a state library, whose roof is made in the shape of a brain, and the walls are entangled with bars. What the architect wanted to say - think for yourself.

9. Initially I planned to do a report about this library, but it was closed on Sunday.

10.

11.

12. To be honest, in some places Pristina really resembled Moscow.

13. But the Kosovo license plate is large.

14. Courtyards of Pristina.

15.

16.

17. This is one of two English-speaking people in the whole city.

18. Kiosk of the "Soyuzpechat" type. Everything is like ours - gaskets next to national flags.

19. It’s like being near the metro.

20. There are monuments to war heroes throughout the city. Naturally, to the Albanian heroes.

21. And Pristina is grateful to its savior, former US President Bill Clinton. And congratulates him on his birthday.

22. On one of the central squares there is a monument to “Rebirth”.

23. American School of Kosovo.

24. Route 66 Diner.

25. The translator says that from Albanian this inscription is translated as “For the future of the country.”

26. There are five-star hotels, even two. And both are called “Pristina”, although they are in no way related to each other.

27.

28. This is the Pristina Hotel, which became the headquarters of NATO troops during the war. Now it is again an ordinary hotel, and I decided to brazenly ask to go to the roof. The girl-receptionist asked where they came from: “From Hungary,” I lied without blinking an eye. The administrator called the security guard, who escorted the gentlemen tourists to the roof.

29.

30. General view of the city center. On the left is the temple, on the right is the library, and just to the right in the corner is the university campus.

31. And on the other side is the almost completed Catholic Cathedral named after Mother Teresa. Where does this discrimination come from? Well, the American benefactors are Catholics, but most importantly, Mother Teresa herself, an ethnic Albanian, was a Catholic. But is this what she taught - war, destruction and double standards?

32. I don’t know what kind of Wahhabi he is, but he’s also some kind of hero.

33. Parking at the UN diplomatic mission.

34. We continue our walk around the city.

35. One of the main avenues is named after Bill Clinton.

36.

37. His monument stands here. Clinton himself took part in the opening ceremony.

38. And the new generation of Kosovars hangs out at the pedestal, with soda and chips.

39. Thanks to Bill Billovich for a happy childhood!

40. An ordinary Moscow courtyard. Common for Pristina too.

41. There is a whole street with the best boutiques in the world!

42.

43. But you still can’t hide the carpet on the wall!

44. Peace and tranquility in the region is ensured by KFOR. Now there is entirely a NATO contingent from America, Italy, Hungary and Germany. Previously, there were Russian troops, until they drove us out of there.

45. KFOR helps police keep order and warns that Kosovars do not take guns with them to drinking parties and birthdays. “Celebrate with your heart, not your gun,” says the poster.

46. ​​City Stadium.

47. There is a children's park with attractions nearby. How glad I was to see the race track, almost from my childhood! And then he took a ride, of course.

48. New quarters. The houses have been built - there is no need for a road. Everything is like ours.

49.

50. Mother Teresa Square.

51. Incomprehensible locomotive.

52. Street graffiti. The poster seems to tell us how much Kosovo wants to join the European Union. They even have a currency - the euro, they didn’t bother. And now the Kosovars are already grabbing the European gold star... but this same picture can be interpreted differently: three Europeans (let’s say Germans, Italians and Hungarians - the KFOR contingent) are trampling on the Kosovo flag.

53. This is Slatina airport. The same one. At first I wanted to make a report about him. But I was afraid that they might check my documents. And the Kosovars remember very well what the Russians are like at the Pristina airfield.

Kosovo is a republic of South-Eastern Europe, partially recognized by other states. Located in Europe, in the geographical region of the same name. Constitutionally, this region belongs to Serbia, but the population of Kosovo is not subject to their laws. The capital of the republic is Pristina.

The population, according to the 2011 census, is more than 1.7 million people. Mostly Serbs and Albanians live here, and only about 3-5% are other nationalities.

Title and history

The very name of the republic translates as “land of blackbirds.”

The history of the local population living on these lands began 2 thousand years ago. The Illyrians were the first to live here. In the 6th century, Slavic peoples settled. In the 9th century, Christianity was adopted in the territory. Gradually this region became the cultural and religious center of the Serbian state. It was here that the largest majestic cathedrals and temples were built. However, in the 15th century, after prolonged military skirmishes, this territory ceded to the Ottoman Empire.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the Serbian Principality was formed on European lands, which strengthened its political positions and conquered Kosovo from the Turks.

In 1945, the federal state of Yugoslavia was formed in the south of Eastern Europe. Kosovo (republic) stood out as an autonomous region within Serbia. In the 90s, this territory experienced a Civil War. In 1989, a referendum was held, which marked the secession of autonomy from Serbia. However, it was only Albania. Military skirmishes and conflicts began in the country. As a result, many local residents died, and even more were left homeless. The unrest continued for several years until 1999 when NATO bombed military bases. Since this year, the republic has been under special control and trusteeship of the UN. In 2008, it declared independence from Serbia, but only unilaterally. The latter did not accept this resolution.

Geography of the region

The state of Kosovo is located on a flat area, shaped like a rectangle. The area of ​​the region is just over 10 thousand km 2. The average height is 500 m above sea level, the highest peak is Jaravitsa, located in the Prokletije mountain system, on the border with Albania. Its height is 2,656 m. The climate of the republic has a pronounced continental type: with cold winters and hot summers. Average winter temperatures are -10...-12° C, summer - +28°...+30° C. Large rivers in Kosovo: Sitnica, Ibar, South Moravia, White Drin.

Administrative-territorial structure of the republic

Administratively, Kosovo is a republic, divided into 7 districts: Kosovo-Mitrovica, Pristina, Gnjilan, Djakovica, Pec, Urosevac, Prizren. They, in turn, are divided into municipalities. There are 30 of them in total. The municipalities of Zvecan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok, located in the northern region of the republic and inhabited by Serbs, are not subordinate to the Kosovo authorities and do not recognize independence. In fact, this territory has its own government, which is concentrated in the city of Kosovsk-Mitrovica. The Kosovo authorities have introduced a bill to create a separate autonomous municipality on these lands. In addition to the northern region, Serbs live in smaller numbers in other municipalities of Kosovo. So-called enclaves, independent autonomous regions, have been created there.

Development

Currently, according to the Constitution adopted in 2008, Kosovo is a unitary and parliamentary republic. The head of state is considered to be the president, whose elections fall on the shoulders of parliament. The executive power in the republic is led by the Prime Minister.

Transport in Kosovo - road and rail. Medicine in the republic is free, but without insurance policies. A doctor's education can only be obtained in the capital - the University Clinical Center.

The city of Pristina (Kosovo) has a population of 200 thousand people and is the largest city in the republic. Another large center is Prizren, with a population of just over 100 thousand people.

Primary-level education is developed; there are 1,200 educational institutions of junior and secondary level in the republic. However, there is a big problem with the distribution and certification of teachers.

In terms of the cultural development of the state, only memories remain of the former religious center. During the hostilities, most of the country's Orthodox monuments were desecrated and destroyed.

Economy of Kosovo

Kosovo is a country that is currently considered one of the poorest in Europe. The state has occupied this position since the time it was part of Serbia, and after leaving it it worsened even more. Mass unemployment, low standard of living, minimum wages - all this has plagued Kosovo for many years, despite the country's great economic potential.

Domestic and foreign policy

The population of Kosovo is characterized by the following feature: the majority of the working population, not having the opportunity to earn money in their own country, settles abroad unofficially, sending their children and parents the means to subsist. According to statistics, out of 1,700 thousand people, 800 thousand are currently outside the country.

Large deposits of minerals such as magnesite, lead, nickel, cobalt, bauxite, and zinc are concentrated in Kosovo. The republic ranks 5th in the world in terms of brown coal reserves. Kosovo has a huge international external debt, part of which was paid by Serbia until 2008.

As a result of separation from Serbia, Kosovo admitted the German currency, the German mark, into the state, and then, together with European countries, switched to the euro. Serbian money remained in the northern region - dinars.

Problems

Kosovo's status is unclear and raises some concerns, which is why investors are not being attracted to the country. This reason leads to the emergence of shadow business in the republic. The main exports from the country are tobacco, cement and gasoline. The drug trade is also thriving in Kosovo. The UN estimates that more than 80% of illicit drugs from Kosovo cross the border into Europe.

Population

The population of Kosovo is 1 million 700 thousand people. In terms of ethnic composition, it is located in the following percentage ratio: 90% are Albanians, 6% are Serbs, 3% are Gypsies and 1% are other nationalities: Turks, Bosnians, Ashkali, Gorani. Albanians are the vast majority of Kosovo's population. The official languages ​​of the republic are Albanian and Serbian. Albanian is based on the Latin alphabet, while Serbian is based on the Cyrillic alphabet.

Tourism

Quite a large number of people from neighboring countries come to see the local attractions. And for good reason. This territory is rich in stunning places and will not leave anyone indifferent. You should fully plan your time and set a clear schedule in order to achieve maximum attendance at interesting places. The people here are hospitable and will always help - you just need to ask for help. You definitely need to learn English well so as not to get into the awkward situation of not knowing the local language.

Currently, peace has established on the territory of the republic, there are no longer military conflicts, so the country is slowly beginning to restore the cities and, of course, the economy. The most difficult thing remains that Kosovo as a separate state is still not recognized by everyone, which significantly hinders its development.

Story:

As a result of the Balkan Wars of 1912-1913, most of the territory of Kosovo became part of Serbia (a small area in the north-west was annexed to Montenegro). At the same time, the independent Albanian state was formed. The fact that more than half of the ethnic Albanians remained outside Albania contributed to the aggravation of Albanian-Slavic tensions in the region. In addition, territorial changes marked the beginning of a new round of ethnic migrations: Serbs from other areas began to move to Kosovo, which was encouraged by the Serbian government, and part of the Albanian population emigrated outside the country. During the First World War, as a result of the defeat of the Serbian army in 1915, the territory of Kosovo was captured by the troops of Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria. The Albanians generally supported the Central Powers in the war and took part in the battles against the Serbs. In the summer and autumn of 1918, Serbian troops liberated Kosovo again, and at the end of the war, the region became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (since 1929 - Yugoslavia). Within Yugoslavia, the Albanian issue remained relevant. Albanian nationalists launched a guerrilla war to annex Kosovo into Albania, while the government encouraged the colonization of the region by Montenegrin peasants. During the interwar period, several tens of thousands of Albanians left Kosovo.

During World War II, most of Kosovo was included in the Italian protectorate of Albania. During the period of Italian occupation, Albanian armed forces launched a struggle to expel the Serbs from the territory of the region. According to Serbian estimates, from 10 to 40 thousand were killed, from 70 to 100 thousand people were forced to leave Kosovo. In 1944, largely thanks to the efforts of Kosovo partisans, the territory of the region was liberated and again became part of Yugoslavia. According to the Constitution of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia in 1946, the autonomous region of Kosovo and Metohija was formed within the Socialist Republic of Serbia. Tito, hoping for Albania to join Yugoslavia, encouraged the resettlement of Albanians in Kosovo and, on the contrary, limited the possibilities for the return of the Serbian population. Although Kosovo was inferior in terms of economic development to other regions of Yugoslavia, the standard of living here was significantly higher than in neighboring Albania, which contributed to the influx of refugees from there. By the 1960s, the ratio of the shares of Albanians and Serbs in the region was already 9:1. Despite the gradual expansion of Kosovo's autonomy, the desire for independence and orientation towards the regime of Enver Hoxha in neighboring Albania increased among the Albanian population.

In 1968, a wave of protests by Albanian radicals swept across the region. The struggle took the form of party differences between the League of Communists of Serbia and the League of Communists of Kosovo. In the same year, the authorities of the region removed the word “Metohija” from its name under the pretext of its non-use by the Albanian majority, but officially the region retained its old name for another 6 years until 1974, when a new Constitution was adopted, and the word “” was also added to the name of the region. socialist" (Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo), this option was canceled by Milosevic in 1989.

Under the new Constitution, Kosovo's autonomy was significantly expanded. The region received its representative in the Presidium of Yugoslavia with the right of veto, the Albanian language became one of the official languages, and the possibility of creating Albanian secondary and higher educational institutions opened up. However, Kosovo still remained an autonomous province within Serbia.

In 1981, mass student demonstrations took place in the region demanding that Kosovo be granted the status of a full republic within Yugoslavia, which resulted in bloody clashes and was suppressed by federal troops. The Serbo-Albanian confrontation reached a new level: Serbs were discriminated against by local authorities, clashes on ethnic grounds became more frequent, the Albanian national movement became radicalized, and anti-Albanian sentiment grew among Serbs. In 1986, the first manifesto of part of the Serbian intelligentsia was published, calling for the “dealbanization” of Kosovo.

Serbo-Albanian antagonism escalated after Slobodan Milosevic came to power in Yugoslavia in 1988, who, using nationalist rhetoric, was able to gain wide popularity among the Serbian population in the context of the beginning of the collapse of Yugoslavia. In 1989, a referendum was held in Serbia, approving a new constitution that radically curtailed the autonomy of the national provinces. Kosovo Albanians boycotted the referendum. As a result, the parliament in Kosovo was dissolved, broadcasting of state radio and television stations in the Albanian language ceased, dismissals of Albanians from government agencies began, and teaching in Albanian was curtailed in some educational institutions. In response, mass strikes, protests, and ethnic clashes began. In 1990, a state of emergency was declared in Kosovo. Nevertheless, separatist aspirations among Albanians increased. On September 22, 1991, the creation of the independent Republic of Kosovo was proclaimed, and then an unauthorized (among the Albanian community) referendum on independence and presidential elections were held, in which Ibrahim Rugova was elected president. On October 22, 1991, Albania recognized the independence of the Republic of Kosovo. The formation of separatist armed forces began, which in 1996 were united into the Kosovo Liberation Army. A guerrilla-terrorist war broke out in the region, the victims of which were hundreds of civilians, officials and military personnel of Yugoslavia. Initially, only police units fought the separatists, but in 1998 the Yugoslav army entered into hostilities. The war was accompanied by massive repression, killings of civilians and ethnic cleansing on both sides of the conflict. Albanian militants destroyed many monuments of Orthodox culture. In 1999, NATO intervened in the hostilities: Yugoslav cities and military installations were subjected to massive bombing. About half a million, mostly Albanians, were left homeless. As a result, the Serbian government was forced to agree to the deployment of the NATO KFOR military contingent to Kosovo and the transfer of the region under UN control, which was carried out on the basis of UN Security Council Resolution No. 1244 of June 10, 1999.

After the establishment of the interim administration of the UN mission in Kosovo, a significant number of refugees remained in Serbia, mainly from among the Serbs and Roma. According to Serbian data, their number in 2002 was 277 thousand people.

On October 23, 2004, elections to the Kosovo parliament were held under the control of the interim administration. The majority of votes (47%) were given to the Democratic Union of Kosovo (leader - Ibrahim Rugova, moderates). The Democratic Party of Kosovo (leader - former field commander Hashim Thaci) received 27% of the vote. Another former commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army, Ramush Haradinaj, led the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo party. All Albanian parties supported the independence of the region. The vast majority of Kosovo Serbs ignored the elections - about 900 people voted, that is, less than 1% of the Serbian population. In their opinion, normal conditions for holding elections were not created in the region, which was proven by the bloodshed in March 2004, when as a result of riots and pogroms, 19 people died, 4 thousand Serbs and other non-Albanians lost their homes, hundreds of houses were burned and dozens of Orthodox churches were destroyed temples and monasteries.

The number of seats in Kosovo's parliament is distributed along ethnic lines: ethnic Albanians hold 100 of the 120 seats, the rest are reserved for national minorities, including 10 for Serbs. The president and government of Kosovo are elected by parliament. The temporary administration of the UN mission was in charge of the police and justice system, civil administration, the formation of civil institutions and democratization, economic reconstruction and economic development. Gradually, internal management functions were transferred to the Kosovo authorities.

On December 6, the government of Kosovo was headed by Ramush Haradinaj. In March 2005, he resigned. He was replaced by the more moderate Bairam Kosumi. After the death of Ibrahim Rugova in 2006, Fatmir Sejdiu was elected president, and the former KLA field commander, Agim Ceku, again became prime minister. In November 2006, Ceku was on an unofficial visit to Moscow at the invitation of the Russian State Duma Committee on International Affairs, where he held negotiations at the Russian Foreign Ministry, as well as with Russian deputies who called on the Albanian leadership for direct contacts with Belgrade. Since January 9, 2008, the government of Kosovo has been headed by Hashim Thaci, a former field commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army.

Initially, in relation to Kosovo, the world community tried to apply the formula “standards to status,” which assumed reaching a consensus between all political forces and ethnic groups, and only after that determining the status of the region. This policy, however, did not lead either to the return of the Serbs to the region or to an end to the violence. In October 2005, the UN Security Council spoke in favor of starting negotiations on the status of the region.

On January 31, 2006, at a meeting of the contact group on Kosovo at the level of foreign ministers (Russia, USA, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the EU and NATO), a statement was adopted according to which “when deciding on the status of Kosovo, it is necessary to fully take into account the nature of the Kosovo problem, which took shape as a result of the collapse of Yugoslavia, the subsequent conflicts, ethnic cleansing and the events of 1999, as well as its long period under international administration based on UN Resolution 1244.” The ministers spoke out for the need to make every effort to reach an agreement on Kosovo as early as 2006. Russia opposed the establishment of specific deadlines for the settlement, as did Serbia. Three main principles of the negotiations were agreed upon: Kosovo cannot be returned to Serbian control, cannot be divided and cannot be annexed to another state. Former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari has been appointed head of international mediators to resolve the Kosovo problem.

Negotiations on the status of Kosovo between Serbs and Kosovo Albanians began on February 20, 2006 in Vienna through the mediation of the special representative of the UN Secretary General, Martti Ahtisaari. The Albanian position was to demand full and unconditional independence for Kosovo. Serbia hoped to retain at least formal control over Kosovo and insisted that Kosovo Serbs in their communities be given self-government in matters of health, education, legal and social services, and security matters. The legal basis for the negotiations remained Resolution 1244, which, in particular, contained a confirmation of the “inviolability of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia” and did not mention anything more than “the provision of substantial autonomy within Yugoslavia.”

On February 17, 2008, the Kosovo Parliament declared Kosovo's independence unilaterally. On March 14, Kosovo Serbs protesting against the region's independence took action and seized the Albanian courthouse. The building was stormed by about 200 people and they held the building for 3 days. On March 17, reinforced UN troops of 500 men recaptured the building and arrested 53 people. However, when the arrested were being transported by a UN convoy, a crowd of Serbs attacked him and threw stones, Molotov cocktails, and grenades. In total, 42 soldiers were wounded and 2 vehicles were severely damaged. After this, UN troops were ordered to leave the Serbian enclave in the north of the region. On Tuesday night, one Ukrainian peacekeeper died.

On November 15, 2009, the first municipal elections since the declaration of independence were held in Kosovo. The Democratic Party of Kosovo, led by Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi, won them. Second place went to their opponents from the Democratic League of Kosovo, led by the country's President Fatmir Sejdiu. The third came the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, led by one of the founders of the Kosovo Liberation Army, Ramush Haradinaj.

On December 1, 2009, hearings began at the International Court of Justice in The Hague on the legality of Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence. On July 22, 2010, the International Court of Justice recognized the legality of the decision of the Kosovo authorities to declare independence from Serbia

On October 15, 2010, the country experienced the first political crisis in its history: the Democratic League of Kosovo, under the leadership of former President Fatmir Sejdiu, decided to leave the ruling coalition. The crisis began in October, when the country's constitutional court ruled that the country's president could not simultaneously serve as party leader.

On March 8, 2011, the first negotiations in the history of Kosovo with Serbia took place in Brussels. The political status of Kosovo was not discussed. Belgrade's position: improving the life of the Serbian community in Kosovo. Pristina's position: normalization of relations with Serbia.

In July 2011, a conflict arose between the authorities of the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo and the Kosovo Serbs over control of two crossings on the province’s border with Central Serbia, which the Kosovo authorities consider as state. In fact, KFOR forces also took Kosovo’s side. The conflict was preceded by unsuccessful negotiations between Pristina and Belgrade on customs regulation.

On April 19, 2013, in Brussels, Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic and Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci initialed an agreement on the principles of normalization of relations. It concerns the status and functions of the Serb communities in northern Kosovo, but not the status of Kosovo itself. The agreement provides for the formation of a new unified community/association of Serb communities in Kosovo, which should oversee the areas of economic development, education, health, urban and agriculture. This association can be given additional powers by the “central authorities” of Kosovo. The police forces of the Serbian part of Kosovo should be fully integrated into a single Kosovo service, but the command of the regional police department, which will take control of the four Serb communities (North Mitrovica, Zvecan, Zubin Potok and Leposavic), should be commanded by a Kosovo Serb. The judiciary of northern Kosovo should be integrated into Kosovo and operate under Kosovo laws, but a special district court should be established in the Serbian part of the city of Mitrovica. It is envisaged that elections for the leadership of Serbian municipalities will be held in 2013 with the support of the OSCE. Serbia and Kosovo agreed not to block each other's accession to the EU. To implement the agreement, a joint committee must be formed with EU support. Many Serbian opposition parties, the Serbian Orthodox Church, nationalist movements and Kosovo Serbs oppose the Kosovo agreement as they consider it a betrayal of national interests.

Recognized countries:

Afghanistan, Costa Rica, Albania, France, Turkey, USA, UK, Australia, Senegal, Latvia, Germany, Estonia, Italy, Denmark, Luxembourg, Peru, Belgium, Poland, Switzerland, Austria, Ireland, Sweden, Netherlands, Iceland, Slovenia, Finland, Japan, Canada, Monaco, Hungary, Croatia, Bulgaria, Liechtenstein, Republic of Korea, Norway, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Burkina Faso, Lithuania, San Marino, Czech Republic, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Colombia, Belize, Malta, Samoa, Portugal, Montenegro, Macedonia, UAE, Malaysia, Micronesia, Panama, Maldives, Palau, Gambia, Saudi Arabia, Comoros, Bahrain, Jordan, Dominican Republic, New Zealand, Malawi, Mauritania, Swaziland, Vanuatu, Djibouti, Somalia , Honduras, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Qatar, Guinea-Bissau, Oman, Andorra, Central African Republic, Guinea, Niger, Benin, Saint Lucia, Nigeria, Gabon, Cote d'Ivoire, Kuwait, Ghana, Haiti, Uganda, San Tomé and Principe, Brunei, Chad, Papua New Guinea, Burundi, East Timor, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Fiji, Dominica, Pakistan, Guyana, Tanzania, Yemen, Egypt, El Salvador, Grenada, Libya, Thailand, Tonga

Flag:

Map:

Territory:

Demography:

1,733,872 people
Density – 220 people/km²

Religion:

Languages:

Albanian, Serbian

Armed forces:

In accordance with UN Security Council Resolution No. 1244, after the NATO war against Yugoslavia, the collective security force KFOR was created, which entered Kosovo on June 12, 1999. The maximum number of KFOR reached 50 thousand military personnel. KFOR main bases:

Camp Bondsteel
Camp Casablanca

The Kosovo Protection Corps is a civilian authority created on 21 September 1999 under the auspices of UNMIK. It included many former members of the Kosovo Liberation Army. It had approximately 5,000 employees.

In March 2008, KFOR and the Kosovo Protection Corps began preparations for the formation of a new security force. According to the plan, the Security Forces should include 2,500 soldiers in permanent readiness units and 800 reservists aged 19-35 years. Lieutenant General Suleiman Selimi was appointed head of the General Staff.