Albanians in Kosovo
Encyclopedia
Albanians are the largest ethnic group in Kosovo
. According to the 1991 Serbia
n census, boycotted by Albanians
, there were 1,596,072 ethnic Albanians in Kosovo or 81.6% of population. By the estimation in year 2000, there were between 1,584,000 and 1,733,600 Albanians in Kosovo or 88% of population, as of today their population is over 92%.
Albanians in Kosovo speak Gheg Albanian
, more specifically the Northern and Northeastern Gheg variants.
Kosovar Albanians are ethnic Albanians with of Kosovan ancestry or descent, regardless of whether they live in Kosovo. A large Kosovan diaspora has formed since the Kosovo War
, mostly in Germany
and Switzerland
.
An estimated 500,000 Kosovar Albanians live in either Switzerland or Germany (about 300,000 in Germany
and 200,000 in Switzerland), accounting for roughly one fifth of the total number of Kosovar Albanians.
According to the 1991 census, Albanians were a majority in 23 of the 29 present municipalities of Kosovo (in the remaining 6 municipalities, the majority was Serb
or Gorani
).
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of 1878 had given to the Belgrade Principality, a large number of them settled in Kosovo, where they are known as muhaxher
(meaning the exiled, from the Arabic muhajir
) and whose descendants often bear the surname Muhaxheri.
As a reaction against the Congress of Berlin, which had given Albanian territories to Serbia and Montenegro, Albanians, mostly from Kosovo, formed the League of Prizren
in Prizren
in June 1878. Hundreds of Albanian leaders gathered in Prizren and opposed the Serbian and Montenegrin jurisdiction. Serbia complained to the Western Powers that the promised territories were not being held because the Ottomans were hesitating to do that. Western Powers put pressure to the Ottomans and in 1881, the Ottoman Army started the fighting against Albanians. The Prizren League created a Provisional Government with a President, Prime Minister (Ymer Prizreni) and Ministries of War (Sylejman Vokshi) and Foreign Ministry (Abdyl Frashëri). After three years of war, the Albanians were defeated. Many of the leaders were executed and imprisoned. In 1910, an Albanian uprising spread from Pristina
and lasted until the Ottoman Sultan
's visit to Kosovo in June 1911. The Aim of the League of Prizren was to unite the four Albanian-inhabited Vilayets by merging the majority of Albanian inhabitants within the Ottoman Empire into one Albanian vilayet
. However at that time Serbs have consisted about 25% of the whole Vilayet of Kosovo's overall population and were opposing the Albanian aims along with Turks and other Slavs in Kosovo, which prevented the Albanian movements from establishing their rule over Kosovo.
, most of Eastern Kosovo was taken by the Kingdom of Serbia
, while the Kingdom of Montenegro
took Western Kosovo, which a majority of its inhabitants call "The Plateau of Dukagjin" (Rrafsh i Dukagjinit) and the Serbs call Metohija
(Метохија), a Greek word meant for the landed dependencies of a monastery. Colonist Serb families moved into Kosovo, while the Albanian population was decreased. As a result, the proportion of Albanians in Kosovo declined from 75 percent at the time of the invasion to slightly more than 65% percent by 1941.
The 1918–1929 period under the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was a time of persecution of the Kosovar Albanians. Kosovo was split into four counties - three being a part of official Serbia: Zvečan, Kosovo and southern Metohija; and one in Montenegro: northern Metohija. However, the new administration system since 26 April 1922 split Kosovo among three Regions in the Kingdom: Kosovo, Rascia
and Zeta
.
In 1929 the Kingdom was transformed into the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
. The territories of Kosovo were split among the Banate of Zeta
, the Banate of Morava
and the Banate of Vardar
. The Kingdom lasted until the World War II
Axis
invasion of April 1941.
After the Axis invasion, the greater part of Kosovo became a part of Italian
-controlled Fascist Albania
, and a smaller, Eastern part by the Nazi
-Fascist Tsardom of Bulgaria
and Nazi
-German
-occupied Kingdom of Serbia
. Since the Albanian Fascist political leadership had decided in the Conference of Bujan that Kosovo would remain a part of Albania they started expelling the Serbian and Montenegrin settlers "who had arrived in the 1920s and 1930s".
Prior to the surrender of Fascist Italy
in 1943, the German forces took over direct control of the region. After numerous Serbian
and Yugoslav Partisans
uprisings, 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.
as a member of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia under the leadership of the former Partisan leader, Josip Broz Tito
, but with no factual autonomy. After the Yugoslavia's name changed to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
and Serbia's to the Socialist Republic of Serbia
in 1953, the Autonomous Region of Kosovo and gained inner autonomy in the 1960s.
In the 1974 constitution, the Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo's government received higher powers, including the highest governmental titles - President and Premier and a seat in the Federal Presidency which made it a de facto Socialist Republic within the Federation, but remaining as a Socialist Autonomous Region within the Socialist Republic of Serbia. Serbian
(called Serbo-Croatian at the time) and Albanian
were defined official on the Provincial level marking the two largest linguistic Kosovan groups: Serbs and Albanians.
In the 1970s, an Albanian nationalist movement pursued full recognition of the Province of Kosovo as another Republic within the Federation, while the most extreme elements aimed for full-scale independence. Tito's arbitrary regime dealt with the situation swiftly, but only giving it a temporary solution.
In 1981 the Kosovar Albanian students organized violent protests seeking that Kosovo becomes a Republic within Yugoslavia. Those protests were harshly contained by the centralist Yugoslav and Serbian governments. In 1986, the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANU) was working on a document, which later would be known as the SANU Memorandum. An unfinished edition was filtered to the press. In the essay, SANU portrayed the Serbian people as a victim and called for the revival of Serb nationalism, using both true and exaggerated facts for propaganda. During this time, Slobodan Milošević
's rise to power started in the League of the Socialists of Serbia.
Soon afterwards, as approved by the Assembly in 1990, the autonomy of Kosovo was revoked back to the old status. Milošević, however, did not remove Kosovo's seat from the Federal Presidency, installing in it his own supporters to seize more power in the Federal government. After Slovenia
's secession from Yugoslavia in 1991, Milošević used the seat to attain dominance over the Federal government, outvoting his opponents.
Many Albanians organized a peaceful active resistance movement, following the job losses suffered by some of them, while other, more radical and nationalistic oriented Albanians, started violent purges of the non-Albanian residents of Kosovo.
On July 2, 1990 an unconstitutional Albanian parliament declared Kosovo an independent country, although this was not recognized by the Government since the Albanians refused to register themselves as legal citizens of Yugoslavia. In September of that year, the Albanian parliament, meeting in secrecy in the town of Kačanik
, adopted the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo. Two years later, in 1992, the Parliament organized a referendum which was observed by international organisations but was not recognized internationally because of a lot of irregularities. With an 80% turnout, 98% voted for Kosovo to be independent. Non-Albanian population refused to vote since the referendum wasn't legal. In the early nineties, Albanians organized a parallel state system and a parallel system of education and healthcare, among other things, Albanians organized and trained, with the help of some European countries, the army of the Republic of Kosovo called the Kosovo Liberation Army
(KLA). With the events in Bosnia
and Croatia
coming to an end, the Serb government started relocating Serbian refugees from Croatia and Bosnia to Kosovo. The OVK managed to re-relocate Serbian refugees back to Serbia..
in 1995, Albanians legalized the KLA. Yugoslav forces committed war crimes in Kosovo, although the Serbian government claims that the army was only going after suspected Albanian terrorists. This triggered a 78-day NATO campaign in 1999. Albanian KLA played a major role not only in reconnaissance missions for the NATO, but in sabotaging of the Serbian Army as well. During the conflict, some 12,000 people from Kosovo were killed, of whom 4,000-7,000 were Albanians and up to 700,000 Albanians from Kosovo took refuge in neighbouring country of Albania. Some 1,000 Albanians are still missing. According to OSCE numbers and Kosovar Albanian sources on population size and distribution, an estimated 45.7% of the Albanian population had fled Kosovo during the bombings (i.e. from 23 March to 9 June 1999). Over 1, 500 000 Albanians managed to return to their homes in Kosovo to date.
International negotiations began in 2006 to determine the final status of Kosovo, as envisaged under UN Security Council Resolution 1244 which ended the Kosovo conflict
of 1999. Whilst Serbia's continued sovereignty over Kosovo is recognised by the international community, a clear majority of the province's population would prefer independence. The UN-backed talks, led 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. 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. As of early July 2007 the draft resolution, which is backed by the United States
, United Kingdom
and other European members of the Security Council, had been rewritten four times to try to accommodate Russian concerns that such a resolution would undermine the principle of state sovereignty. Russia, which holds a veto in the Security Council as one of five permanent members, has stated that it will not support any resolution which is not acceptable to both Belgrade and Pristina.
Culturally, Albanians in Kosovo are very closely related to Albanians in Albania. Traditions and customs differ even from town to town in Kosovo itself. The spoken dialect is Gheg, typical of northern Albanians. The language of state institutions, education, books, media and newspapers is the standard dialect of Albanian, which is closer to the Tosk dialect.
Education is provided for all levels, primary, secondary, and university degrees. University of Pristina is the public university of Kosovo, with several faculties and majors. The National Library (Alb: Bibloteka Kombëtare) is the main and the largest library in Kosovo, located in the centre of Pristina. There are many other private universities, among them American University in Kosovo
(AUK), etc., and many secondary schools and colleges such as Mehmet Akif College.
Kosovafilmi is the film industry, which releases movies in Albanian, created by Kosovo Albanian movie-makers.
The National Theatre of Kosovo (Alb: Teatri Kombëtar i Kosovës) is the main theatre where plays are shown regularly by Albanian and international artists.
(an authentic Albanian instrument), mandolina, mandola and percussion.
Folk music
is very popular in Kosovo. There are many folk singers and ensembles.
Modern music in Kosovo has its origin from western countries. The main modern genres include Pop, Hip Hop/Rap
, Rock
, and Jazz
. The most notable rock bands are: Gjurmët, Troja, Votra, Diadema, Humus, Asgjë sikur Dielli, Kthjellu, Gillespie, Cute Babulja, Babilon etc. Ilir Bajri is a notable jazz
and electronic
musician.
There are some notable music festivals in Kosovo:
Kosovo Radiotelevisions like RTK
, 21 and KTV have their musical charts.
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
. According to the 1991 Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n census, boycotted by Albanians
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
, there were 1,596,072 ethnic Albanians in Kosovo or 81.6% of population. By the estimation in year 2000, there were between 1,584,000 and 1,733,600 Albanians in Kosovo or 88% of population, as of today their population is over 92%.
Albanians in Kosovo speak Gheg Albanian
Gheg Albanian
Gheg is one of the two major varieties of Albanian. The other one is Tosk, on which standard Albanian is based. The dividing line between these two varieties is the Shkumbin River, which winds its way through central Albania....
, more specifically the Northern and Northeastern Gheg variants.
Kosovar Albanians are ethnic Albanians with of Kosovan ancestry or descent, regardless of whether they live in Kosovo. A large Kosovan diaspora has formed since the Kosovo War
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
, mostly in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
An estimated 500,000 Kosovar Albanians live in either Switzerland or Germany (about 300,000 in Germany
Albanians in Germany
There are 300,000 ethnic Albanians living in Germany. They migrated to Germany from Albania, Kosovo and Republic of Macedonia.-History:The first Albanian immigration wave to Germany began in the early 1960s, they came as guest workers and worked mainly in the industry...
and 200,000 in Switzerland), accounting for roughly one fifth of the total number of Kosovar Albanians.
According to the 1991 census, Albanians were a majority in 23 of the 29 present municipalities of Kosovo (in the remaining 6 municipalities, the majority was Serb
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
or Gorani
Gorani (Kosovo)
The Gorani or Goranci are a South Slavic ethnic group inhabiting the Gora region of the Balkans, located at the triangle between Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia. Another autonym of this people is "Našinci" with literally meaning "our people"...
).
History
Before World War I
Albanian presence in Kosovo is recorded since the medieval period. As the Serbs expelled a large number of Albanians from the regions of Niš, Pirot, Leskovac and Vranje in southern Serbia, which the Congress of BerlinCongress of Berlin
The Congress of Berlin was a meeting of the European Great Powers' and the Ottoman Empire's leading statesmen in Berlin in 1878. In the wake of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78, the meeting's aim was to reorganize the countries of the Balkans...
of 1878 had given to the Belgrade Principality, a large number of them settled in Kosovo, where they are known as muhaxher
Muhajir (Albania)
Muhajir , in Albanian-populated regions including Albania and Kosovo, refers to Albanians from Chameria and parts of Vilayet of Kosovo which were ceded to Serbia and Montenegro....
(meaning the exiled, from the Arabic muhajir
Muhajir
Muhajir or Mohajir is an Arabic word meaning immigrant. The Islamic calendar Hejira starts when Muhammad and his companions left Mecca for Medina in what is known as Hijra. They were called Muhajirun...
) and whose descendants often bear the surname Muhaxheri.
As a reaction against the Congress of Berlin, which had given Albanian territories to Serbia and Montenegro, Albanians, mostly from Kosovo, formed the League of Prizren
League of Prizren
The League for the Defense of the Rights of the Albanian Nation commonly known as the League of Prizren was an Albanian political organization founded on 10 June 1878 in Prizren, in the Kosovo province of the Ottoman Empire....
in Prizren
Prizren
Prizren is a historical city located in southern Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the eponymous municipality and district.The city has a population of around 131,247 , mostly Albanians...
in June 1878. Hundreds of Albanian leaders gathered in Prizren and opposed the Serbian and Montenegrin jurisdiction. Serbia complained to the Western Powers that the promised territories were not being held because the Ottomans were hesitating to do that. Western Powers put pressure to the Ottomans and in 1881, the Ottoman Army started the fighting against Albanians. The Prizren League created a Provisional Government with a President, Prime Minister (Ymer Prizreni) and Ministries of War (Sylejman Vokshi) and Foreign Ministry (Abdyl Frashëri). After three years of war, the Albanians were defeated. Many of the leaders were executed and imprisoned. In 1910, an Albanian uprising spread from Pristina
Pristina
Pristina, also spelled Prishtina and Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous municipality and district....
and lasted until the Ottoman Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
's visit to Kosovo in June 1911. The Aim of the League of Prizren was to unite the four Albanian-inhabited Vilayets by merging the majority of Albanian inhabitants within the Ottoman Empire into one Albanian vilayet
Albanian Vilayet
The Albanian Vilayet was a projected vilayet of the Ottoman Empire in the western Balkan Peninsula, which was to include the four Ottoman vilayets with substantial ethnic Albanian populations: Kosovo Vilayet, Scutari Vilayet, Monastir Vilayet and Janina Vilayet...
. However at that time Serbs have consisted about 25% of the whole Vilayet of Kosovo's overall population and were opposing the Albanian aims along with Turks and other Slavs in Kosovo, which prevented the Albanian movements from establishing their rule over Kosovo.
World Wars era
In 1912 during the Balkan WarsBalkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
, most of Eastern Kosovo was taken by the Kingdom of Serbia
Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia was created when Prince Milan Obrenović, ruler of the Principality of Serbia, was crowned King in 1882. The Principality of Serbia was ruled by the Karađorđevic dynasty from 1817 onwards . The Principality, suzerain to the Porte, had expelled all Ottoman troops by 1867, de...
, while the Kingdom of Montenegro
Kingdom of Montenegro
The Kingdom of Montenegro was a monarchy in southeastern Europe during the tumultuous years on the Balkan Peninsula leading up to and during World War I. Legally it was a constitutional monarchy, but absolutist in practice...
took Western Kosovo, which a majority of its inhabitants call "The Plateau of Dukagjin" (Rrafsh i Dukagjinit) and the Serbs call Metohija
Metohija
Metohija , is a large basin and the name of the region covering the southwestern part of Kosovo.It encompasses three of the seven districts of Kosovo, namely the historical :* District of Peć * District of Đakovica * District of Prizren...
(Метохија), a Greek word meant for the landed dependencies of a monastery. Colonist Serb families moved into Kosovo, while the Albanian population was decreased. As a result, the proportion of Albanians in Kosovo declined from 75 percent at the time of the invasion to slightly more than 65% percent by 1941.
The 1918–1929 period under the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was a time of persecution of the Kosovar Albanians. Kosovo was split into four counties - three being a part of official Serbia: Zvečan, Kosovo and southern Metohija; and one in Montenegro: northern Metohija. However, the new administration system since 26 April 1922 split Kosovo among three Regions in the Kingdom: Kosovo, Rascia
Rascia
Rascia was a medieval region that served as the principal province of the Serbian realm. It was an administrative division under the direct rule of the monarch and sometimes as an appanage. The term has been used to refer to various Serbian states throughout the Middle Ages...
and Zeta
Zeta
-Science:* Zeta functions, in mathematics** Riemann zeta function* Zeta potential, the electrokinetic potential of a colloidal system* Tropical Storm Zeta , formed in December 2005 and lasting through January 2006* Z-pinch, in fusion power...
.
In 1929 the Kingdom was transformed into the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
. The territories of Kosovo were split among the Banate of Zeta
Zeta Banovina
The Zeta Banovina or Zeta Banate was a province of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia between 1929 and 1941. This province consisted of all of the present-day Montenegro as well as adjacent parts of Central Serbia, Kosovo, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina...
, the Banate of Morava
Morava Banovina
The Morava Banovina or Morava Banate was a province of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia between 1929 and 1941. This province consisted of parts of present-day Central Serbia and it was named for the Morava Rivers...
and the Banate of Vardar
Vardar Banovina
The Vardar Banovina or Vardar Banate or Vardarska Banovina was a province of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia between 1929 and 1941. It was located in the southernmost part of the country, encompassing the whole of today's Republic of Macedonia, southern parts of Central Serbia and southeastern parts of...
. The Kingdom lasted until the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
invasion of April 1941.
After the Axis invasion, the greater part of Kosovo became a part of Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
-controlled Fascist Albania
Greater Albania
Greater Albania or Ethnic Albania is an irredentist concept of lands outside the borders of the Republic of Albania that are considered part of a greater national homeland by most Albanians, based on the present-day or historical presence of Albanian populations in those areas...
, and a smaller, Eastern part by the Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
-Fascist Tsardom of Bulgaria
Greater Bulgaria
Greater Bulgaria is term to identify the territory associated with a historical national state and a modern Bulgarian irredentist nationalist movement which would include most of Macedonia, Thrace and Moesia...
and Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
-German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
-occupied Kingdom of Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
. Since the Albanian Fascist political leadership had decided in the Conference of Bujan that Kosovo would remain a part of Albania they started expelling the Serbian and Montenegrin settlers "who had arrived in the 1920s and 1930s".
Prior to the surrender of Fascist Italy
History of Italy
Italy, united in 1861, has significantly contributed to the political, cultural and social development of the entire Mediterranean region. Many cultures and civilizations have existed there since prehistoric times....
in 1943, the German forces took over direct control of the region. After numerous Serbian
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
and Yugoslav Partisans
Partisans (Yugoslavia)
The Yugoslav Partisans, or simply the Partisans were a Communist-led World War II anti-fascist resistance movement in Yugoslavia...
uprisings, Kosovo was liberated after 1944 with the help of the Albanian partisans of the Comintern
Comintern
The Communist International, abbreviated as Comintern, also known as the Third International, was an international communist organization initiated in Moscow during March 1919...
, and became a province of Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
within the Democratic Federal Yugoslavia.
Within Yugoslavia
The Province of Kosovo was formed in 1945 as an autonomous region to protect its regional Albanian majority within the People's Republic of SerbiaHistory of Serbia
The history of Serbia, as a country, begins with the Slavic settlements in the Balkans, established in the 6th century in territories governed by the Byzantine Empire. Through centuries, the Serbian realm evolved into a Kingdom , then an Empire , before the Ottomans annexed it in 1540...
as a member of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia under the leadership of the former Partisan leader, Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
, but with no factual autonomy. After the Yugoslavia's name changed to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
and Serbia's to the Socialist Republic of Serbia
History of Serbia
The history of Serbia, as a country, begins with the Slavic settlements in the Balkans, established in the 6th century in territories governed by the Byzantine Empire. Through centuries, the Serbian realm evolved into a Kingdom , then an Empire , before the Ottomans annexed it in 1540...
in 1953, the Autonomous Region of Kosovo and gained inner autonomy in the 1960s.
In the 1974 constitution, the Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo's government received higher powers, including the highest governmental titles - President and Premier and a seat in the Federal Presidency which made it a de facto Socialist Republic within the Federation, but remaining as a Socialist Autonomous Region within the Socialist Republic of Serbia. Serbian
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
(called Serbo-Croatian at the time) and Albanian
Albanian language
Albanian is an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo but also in other areas of the Balkans in which there is an Albanian population, including western Macedonia, southern Montenegro, southern Serbia and northwestern Greece...
were defined official on the Provincial level marking the two largest linguistic Kosovan groups: Serbs and Albanians.
In the 1970s, an Albanian nationalist movement pursued full recognition of the Province of Kosovo as another Republic within the Federation, while the most extreme elements aimed for full-scale independence. Tito's arbitrary regime dealt with the situation swiftly, but only giving it a temporary solution.
In 1981 the Kosovar Albanian students organized violent protests seeking that Kosovo becomes a Republic within Yugoslavia. Those protests were harshly contained by the centralist Yugoslav and Serbian governments. In 1986, the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SANU) was working on a document, which later would be known as the SANU Memorandum. An unfinished edition was filtered to the press. In the essay, SANU portrayed the Serbian people as a victim and called for the revival of Serb nationalism, using both true and exaggerated facts for propaganda. During this time, Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević was President of Serbia and Yugoslavia. He served as the President of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Republic of Serbia from 1989 until 1997 in three terms and as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000...
's rise to power started in the League of the Socialists of Serbia.
Soon afterwards, as approved by the Assembly in 1990, the autonomy of Kosovo was revoked back to the old status. Milošević, however, did not remove Kosovo's seat from the Federal Presidency, installing in it his own supporters to seize more power in the Federal government. After Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
's secession from Yugoslavia in 1991, Milošević used the seat to attain dominance over the Federal government, outvoting his opponents.
Many Albanians organized a peaceful active resistance movement, following the job losses suffered by some of them, while other, more radical and nationalistic oriented Albanians, started violent purges of the non-Albanian residents of Kosovo.
On July 2, 1990 an unconstitutional Albanian parliament declared Kosovo an independent country, although this was not recognized by the Government since the Albanians refused to register themselves as legal citizens of Yugoslavia. In September of that year, the Albanian parliament, meeting in secrecy in the town of Kačanik
Kacanik
Kačanik or Kaçanik is a town and municipality in southern Kosovo, in the Uroševac district. The municipality covers an area of , including the town of Kačanik and 31 villages. It has a population of approximately 33,454...
, adopted the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo. Two years later, in 1992, the Parliament organized a referendum which was observed by international organisations but was not recognized internationally because of a lot of irregularities. With an 80% turnout, 98% voted for Kosovo to be independent. Non-Albanian population refused to vote since the referendum wasn't legal. In the early nineties, Albanians organized a parallel state system and a parallel system of education and healthcare, among other things, Albanians organized and trained, with the help of some European countries, the army of the Republic of Kosovo called the Kosovo Liberation Army
Kosovo Liberation Army
The Kosovo Liberation Army or KLA was a Kosovar Albanian paramilitary organization which sought the separation of Kosovo from Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the 1990s....
(KLA). With the events in Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
and Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
coming to an end, the Serb government started relocating Serbian refugees from Croatia and Bosnia to Kosovo. The OVK managed to re-relocate Serbian refugees back to Serbia..
Kosovo War
After the Dayton AgreementDayton Agreement
The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, also known as the Dayton Agreement, Dayton Accords, Paris Protocol or Dayton-Paris Agreement, is the peace agreement reached at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio in November 1995, and formally signed in Paris on...
in 1995, Albanians legalized the KLA. Yugoslav forces committed war crimes in Kosovo, although the Serbian government claims that the army was only going after suspected Albanian terrorists. This triggered a 78-day NATO campaign in 1999. Albanian KLA played a major role not only in reconnaissance missions for the NATO, but in sabotaging of the Serbian Army as well. During the conflict, some 12,000 people from Kosovo were killed, of whom 4,000-7,000 were Albanians and up to 700,000 Albanians from Kosovo took refuge in neighbouring country of Albania. Some 1,000 Albanians are still missing. According to OSCE numbers and Kosovar Albanian sources on population size and distribution, an estimated 45.7% of the Albanian population had fled Kosovo during the bombings (i.e. from 23 March to 9 June 1999). Over 1, 500 000 Albanians managed to return to their homes in Kosovo to date.
International negotiations began in 2006 to determine the final status of Kosovo, as envisaged under UN Security Council Resolution 1244 which ended the Kosovo conflict
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
of 1999. Whilst Serbia's continued sovereignty over Kosovo is recognised by the international community, a clear majority of the province's population would prefer independence. The UN-backed talks, led by UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari
Martti Ahtisaari
Martti Oiva Kalevi Ahtisaari is a Finnish politician, the tenth President of Finland , Nobel Peace Prize laureate and United Nations diplomat and mediator, noted for his international peace work....
, began in February 2006. Whilst progress was made on technical matters, both parties remained diametrically opposed on the question of status itself. 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. As of early July 2007 the draft resolution, which is backed by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and other European members of the Security Council, had been rewritten four times to try to accommodate Russian concerns that such a resolution would undermine the principle of state sovereignty. Russia, which holds a veto in the Security Council as one of five permanent members, has stated that it will not support any resolution which is not acceptable to both Belgrade and Pristina.
Culture
The most widespread religion among Albanians in Kosovo is Islam (mostly Sunni. The other religion Kosovar Albanians practice is Roman Catholicism).Culturally, Albanians in Kosovo are very closely related to Albanians in Albania. Traditions and customs differ even from town to town in Kosovo itself. The spoken dialect is Gheg, typical of northern Albanians. The language of state institutions, education, books, media and newspapers is the standard dialect of Albanian, which is closer to the Tosk dialect.
Education is provided for all levels, primary, secondary, and university degrees. University of Pristina is the public university of Kosovo, with several faculties and majors. The National Library (Alb: Bibloteka Kombëtare) is the main and the largest library in Kosovo, located in the centre of Pristina. There are many other private universities, among them American University in Kosovo
American University in Kosovo
The American University in Kosovo is located in the Germia district of Pristina, Kosovo. It is affiliated with Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York....
(AUK), etc., and many secondary schools and colleges such as Mehmet Akif College.
Kosovafilmi is the film industry, which releases movies in Albanian, created by Kosovo Albanian movie-makers.
The National Theatre of Kosovo (Alb: Teatri Kombëtar i Kosovës) is the main theatre where plays are shown regularly by Albanian and international artists.
Music
Music has always been part of Albanian culture. Although in Kosovo music is diverse (as it was mixed with the cultures of different regimes dominating Kosovo), authentic Albanian music does still exist. It is characterized by use of çifteliaÇiftelia
The Çifteli is an Albanian wooden, largely acoustic string instrument, with only two strings .The çifteli is commonly used by Albanian folk musicians as well as other modern musicians and is played by Albanians at weddings, concerts, national events, and other occasions...
(an authentic Albanian instrument), mandolina, mandola and percussion.
Folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
is very popular in Kosovo. There are many folk singers and ensembles.
Modern music in Kosovo has its origin from western countries. The main modern genres include Pop, Hip Hop/Rap
Albanian hip hop
Albanian hip hop refers to artists from Albania, Kosovo, the Republic of Macedonia and Montenegro but also from other Albanian-inhabited places such as the United States and Germany.-Performers:*The Kid Gashi*Mc Kresha*Unikkatil*Presioni*Lyrical Son...
, Rock
Albanian rock
Albanian rock describes music in Albania, Kosovo, and other Albanian-inhabited areas closely related to western rock. It has a wide variety of sub-genres like heavy metal, punk, alternative and death metal...
, and Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
. The most notable rock bands are: Gjurmët, Troja, Votra, Diadema, Humus, Asgjë sikur Dielli, Kthjellu, Gillespie, Cute Babulja, Babilon etc. Ilir Bajri is a notable jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
musician.
There are some notable music festivals in Kosovo:
- Rock për Rock - contains rockAlbanian rockAlbanian rock describes music in Albania, Kosovo, and other Albanian-inhabited areas closely related to western rock. It has a wide variety of sub-genres like heavy metal, punk, alternative and death metal...
and metalHeavy metal musicHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
music - Polifest - contains all kinds of genres (usually hip hopAlbanian hip hopAlbanian hip hop refers to artists from Albania, Kosovo, the Republic of Macedonia and Montenegro but also from other Albanian-inhabited places such as the United States and Germany.-Performers:*The Kid Gashi*Mc Kresha*Unikkatil*Presioni*Lyrical Son...
, commercial pop, and never rockAlbanian rockAlbanian rock describes music in Albania, Kosovo, and other Albanian-inhabited areas closely related to western rock. It has a wide variety of sub-genres like heavy metal, punk, alternative and death metal...
or metalHeavy metal musicHeavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
) - Showfest - contains all kinds of genres (usually hip hop, commercial pop, unusually rock and never metal)
- Videofest - contains all kinds of genres
- Kush Këndon Lutet Dy Herë - contains all kinds of genres which have ChristianChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
lyricsLyricsLyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
Kosovo Radiotelevisions like RTK
Radio Television of Kosovo
Radio Television of Kosovo is the public service broadcaster in Kosovo.It consists of the television service, broadcast on the terrestrial transmitter network and digital satellite , and two radio stations, Radio Kosovo and Radio Blue Sky...
, 21 and KTV have their musical charts.
Before 1950
- Gjergj PeliniGjergj PeliniGjergj Pelini was an Albanian Catholic priest and diplomat of the League of Lezhë.- Life :Pelini's birthdate is unknown, but his birthplace Novobërdë is stated in a 1441 document. From 1438 to 1463, he was the head of the Saint Mary abbey in Rotec, in nowadays Sutomore...
(-1463), Catholic priest and diplomat of the League of LezhëLeague of LezhëThe League of Lezhë was an alliance of Albanian Principalities forged in Lezhë on the 2nd of March 1444. It was initiated and organised by Skanderbeg with the aim of uniting the Albanian principalities that had been founded in the 12th - 14th centuries, to fight the Ottoman Armies...
. - Andrea BogdaniAndrea BogdaniAndrea Bogdani also known as Ndre Bogdani was an Albanian scholar and prelate of the Roman Catholic Church.Andrea Bogdani was born in the beginning of the 17th century near Prizren, Kosovo. From 1656 to 1677, when he resigned he served as Archbishop of Skopje, while from 1675 to 1677 he also...
(ca. 1600-1683), Catholic prelate and Archbishop of Skopje. - Pjetër BogdaniPjetër BogdaniPjetër Bogdani , known in Italian as Pietro Bogdano, is the most original writer of early literature in Albania. He is author of the Cuneus Prophetarum , 1685, the first prose work of substance written originally in Albanian Pjetër Bogdani (ca. 1630 - 1689), known in Italian as Pietro Bogdano, is...
, (1630–1689), Catholic prelate, Archbishop of Skopje and author of Cuneus ProphetarumCuneus ProphetarumCuneus Prophetarum is a philosophical, theological and scientific treatise written by Pjetër Bogdani, an Albanian philosopher, originally published in Padua in 1685 in the Albanian and Latin language...
considered to be the most prominent work of early Albanian literature. - Toma RaspasaniToma RaspasaniToma or Tomë Raspasani was an Albanian Franciscan monk and vicar.- Life :Born in Skopska Crna Gora in 1648 after studying in Italy he was appointed parish priest in Prizren in 1679. Later he served as the vicar of Pjetër Bogdani, Archbishop of Skopje...
, (1648-17??), Franciscan monk and vicarVicarIn the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of Pjetër Bogdani.
- Isa BoletiniIsa BoletiniIsa Boletini was an Albanian nationalist figure and guerilla fighter, born in the village of Boletin near Mitroviça, Ottoman Empire...
(1864–1916), leader of the Albanian anti-Ottoman revolts of the late 19th and early 20th century. - Bajram CurriBajram CurriBajram Curri was an ethnic Albanian politician and activist within the Vilayet of Kosovo, Ottoman Empire. He is awarded the title Hero of Albania....
(1862–1925), minister of defence of Albania and member of the Committee for the National Defence of KosovoCommittee for the National Defence of KosovoThe Committee for the National Defence of Kosovo was an Albanian organization illegally founded in Shkoder at the beginning of November 1918. It was mainly consisted of the political exiles from Kosovo and was led by Hoxha Kadriu from Priština. It existed in looser form since May 1915...
. - Nexhip DragaNexhip Draga-Biography:Nexhip Draga was born in 1867 in Mitrovica, then a town of the Ottoman Empire. His father was Ali Pasha Draga, a notable local of Mitrovica who owned lands in the Sanjak of Novi Pazar. He finished his elementary studies in Mitrovica before going in Istanbul, where he studied at an...
(1867–1920), deputy of the Ottoman and later of the Yugoslav parliament. - Azem GalicaAzem GalicaAzem Bejta , commonly known as Azem Galica, was a Albanian nationalist and rebel who fought for the unification of Kosovo with Albania.-Life:Bejta was born in the village of Galica in the Drenica region of central Kosovo...
(1889–1924), anti-Yugoslav rebel of the pre-WWII era. - Shota Galica (1895–1927), anti-Yugoslav rebel of the pre-WWII era and wife of Azem Galica.
- Shtjefën GjeçoviShtjefën GjeçoviShtjefën Gjeçovi born Mëhill Kostandin Gjeçi-Kryeziu was an Albanian Catholic priest, ethnologist and folklorist...
, (1873–1929), Catholic priest, ethnologist and folklorist. - Pjetër MazrekuPjetër MazrekuPjetër Mazreku or Peter Masarechi or Petar Masarechi was an Albanian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church.- Life :Born in Prizren from 1624 to 1634 he served as Archbishop of Bar, while in 1631 he became the apostolic visitor of Hungary, Serbia and Slavonia. In 1634 he was ordained as the...
, Catholic prelate, Archbishop of Bar and Bishop of Prizren. - Shaban PolluzhaShaban PolluzhaShaban Kastrati better known as Shaban Polluzha was an Albanian military leader in Kosovo.He was the son of Mustafëe Rexhep Kastrati from the village Polluzhë, Drenica region. During World War I he fought with the Entente against Bulgaria and Austria. Later he fought against Yugoslavia. In 1921...
, anti-Communist military leader. - Hasan PrishtinaHasan PrishtinaHasan Prishtina born Hasan Berisha was an Albanian politician, who served as Prime Minister of Albania in December 1921.-Biography:He studied politics and law in Istanbul...
(1873–1933) (1873–1933) born in VučitrnVucitrnVučitrn or Vushtrri is a city and municipality in north-eastern Kosovo. It is the seat of the Kosovska Mitrovica District. The name of the city means "wolf's thorn", the name of the spiny restharrow plant in Serbian....
, former Albanian Prime Minister, and organizer of Albanian movements against Ottomans and other regimes installed in Kosovo, during the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century. - Ymer PrizreniYmer PrizreniYmer Prizreni was an Albanian political leader in the 19th century and President of the Albanian government in 1881....
(1820–1887), founding member and leader of the League of PrizrenLeague of PrizrenThe League for the Defense of the Rights of the Albanian Nation commonly known as the League of Prizren was an Albanian political organization founded on 10 June 1878 in Prizren, in the Kosovo province of the Ottoman Empire....
. - Sulejman VokshiSulejman VokshiSulejman Vokshi was born in Yakova, which at that time was a part of the Rumelia Province of the Ottoman Empire. He was one of the main founders and leaders of the 1878 held League of Prizren organized armed forces.- See also :...
(1815–1890), leader of the military branch of the League of PrizrenLeague of PrizrenThe League for the Defense of the Rights of the Albanian Nation commonly known as the League of Prizren was an Albanian political organization founded on 10 June 1878 in Prizren, in the Kosovo province of the Ottoman Empire....
.
Current
- Nexhmije PagarushaNexhmije PagarushaNexhmije Pagarusha is an ethnic Albanian singer and actress from Kosovo.- Biography :Nexhmije Pagarusha was born in the small village of Pagaruša , near the town of Mališevo, in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia...
, born on May 7, 1933, singer and actress - Ibrahim RugovaIbrahim RugovaIbrahim Rugova was an Albanian politician who was the first President of Kosovo and of its leading political party, the Democratic League of Kosovo ....
former President of KosovoPresident of KosovoThe President of the Republic of Kosovo is Head of State of the disputed Republic of Kosovo. The President of Kosovo is elected by the Assembly of Kosovo. The first post-war president, who served until his death in January 2006, was Ibrahim Rugova. His successor was Fatmir Sejdiu. When Sejdiu...
and founder and head of Democratic League of KosovoDemocratic League of KosovoThe Democratic League of Kosovo is the second largest political party in Kosovo. It is a conservative and liberal conservative party; the main right-wing party in Kosovo....
(LDK) and organizer of the peaceful resistance of Kosovo Albanians from 1990 - 1999 (died of lung cancer on Jan 21, 2006). - Adem JashariAdem JashariAdem Jashari was born in Prekaz, in the Drenica region of Kosovo, . He is considered to be one of the chief architects of the Kosovo Liberation Army, along with Zahir Pajaziti...
, (1955–1998), born in Prekaz, a distinguished commander of the Kosovo Liberation ArmyKosovo Liberation ArmyThe Kosovo Liberation Army or KLA was a Kosovar Albanian paramilitary organization which sought the separation of Kosovo from Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the 1990s....
(KLA), killed during the 1999 Kosovo WarKosovo WarThe term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
. - Veton SurroiVeton SurroiVeton Surroi is a popular Kosovo Albanian publicist and politician. Surroi is the founder and former leader of the ORA reformist political party, and was a member of Kosovo assembly from 2004 to 2008...
former publicist of Koha DitoreKoha DitoreKoha Ditore is the leading daily newspaper from Kosovo. It is published by Koha Group and was founded and owned by politician Veton Surroi. His sister Flaka Surroi is now the publisher, following Veton Surroi's launch of his political career within the ORA reformist party...
, formerly the political leader of the ORAReformist Party ORAReformist Party ORA was a social-democratic centre-left political party in Kosovo. The party stood for an independent, free and democratic Kosovo.The party was normally referred to as ORA, which in Albanian means the Hour....
reformist party. - Nexhat DaciNexhat DaciNexhat Daci is a Kosovan politician. He was elected as the speaker of Assembly of Kosovo in 2001 as a member of President Ibrahim Rugova's Democratic League of Kosovo...
Ph.D. in Chemistry, university professor, and former speaker of Assembly of KosovoAssembly of KosovoThe Assembly of Kosovo was originally established by the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo in 2001 to provide 'provisional, democratic self-government'....
. A former member of the Democratic League of KosovoDemocratic League of KosovoThe Democratic League of Kosovo is the second largest political party in Kosovo. It is a conservative and liberal conservative party; the main right-wing party in Kosovo....
(LDK), he is now the leader of the Democratic League of DardaniaDemocratic League of DardaniaThe Democratic League of Dardania is a newly founded political party in Kosovo. The Democratic League of Dardania was established in January 2007 by the former Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo Nexhat Daci following his unsuccessful bid to become leader of the Democratic League of Kosovo...
(LDD). - Agim ÇekuAgim ÇekuAgim Çeku is the current Minister of Security Forces for the Republic of Kosovo. He is also the former Prime Minister of Kosovo and a chief of the Kosovo Liberation Army . He was born in the village of Ćuška near Peć, in the Yugoslav province of Kosovo .Çeku is an ethnic Albanian...
former Colonel of the Croatian Army, former military commander of Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and later of the Kosovo Protection CorpsKosovo Protection CorpsThe Kosovo Protection Corps was a civilian emergency services organisation in Kosovo active from 1999 to 2009.The KPC was created on September 21, 1999 through the promulgation of UNMIK Regulation 1999/8 and the agreement of a "Statement of Principles" on the KPC's permitted role in Kosovo...
(KPC), former Prime Minister of KosovoPrime Minister of KosovoThe Prime Minister of Kosovo is Head of Government of the disputed Republic of Kosovo .The Prime Minister and the Government of Kosovo, which he or she heads, are responsible for their actions to the Assembly of Kosovo, of which they must all be members...
. - Rifat KukajRifat KukajRifat Kukaj was a Kosovar Albanian and the a successful writer in Albanian literature for grown ups and children. He was born in the Drenica region of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, in present day Kosovo. He was educated in Drenica and Pristina...
(25 October 1938 – September 11, 2005) one of the most successful writers in Albanian literature for children. He was born in Tërstenik, Drenica region of Kosovo. - Anton ÇettaAnton ÇettaAnton Çeta Anton Çeta Anton Çeta (born in 1920 in Gjakova, Kosovo then former Yugoslavia - died in 1995 in Prishtina, Kosovo, was a folklorist, academician and university professor....
born in Đakovica, patriot, folklorist, academician, university professor. He was the founder of the Reconciliation Committee for erasing blood feuds in Kosovo (Alb: Komiteti per pajtimin e gjaqeve ne Kosovë). He is famous for having settled almost all of blood feuds among Albanians in Kosovo, in the 1990s. - Albin KurtiAlbin KurtiAlbin Kurti is the leading activist and party leader of VETËVENDOSJE!. He came to prominence in 1997 as the vice-president of UPSUP, the University of Prishtina Student Union, and the main organiser of the nonviolent demonstrations in autumn 1997 and spring 1998...
a former leader of the student protests during late 1990s, currently the leader of the VETËVENDOSJE!VETËVENDOSJE!Vetëvendosje is a radical nationalistic political movement in Kosovo which opposes foreign involvement in internal affairs in the country and campaigns for the sovereignty exercised by the people and government of the Republic of Kosovo instead, as part of the right of self-determination.The...
(Self-determination) movement, which fights for the right of Albanians in Kosovo for self-determination on the future of Kosovo. - Xhevad PrekaziXhevad PrekaziXhevat Prekazi is an ethnic Kosovar Albanian football manager and former player.He is generally considered one of the best players ever to have worn the jersey of the Turkish club Galatasaray. Prekazi was instrumental in building up the Galatasaray team to a point where it became the strongest...
football player - Shefki KuqiShefki KuqiShefki Kuqi is a Kosovar-born Finnish professional footballer who is currently playing for League One side Oldham Athletic. Kuqi plays predominately as a striker. He has spent most of his career in the English league, and has played for clubs including Stockport County, Sheffield Wednesday, Ipswich...
football player - Bojan NeziriBojan NeziriBojan Neziri is a Serbian football defender who plays for FK Inđija in the Serbian SuperLiga since January 2011.-Career:...
is a famous soccer player currently playing for the Serbian national soccer teamSerbia national football teamThe Serbia national football team represents Serbia in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia, the governing body for football in Serbia. Serbia's home ground is Stadion Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade and their last head coach was Vladimir Petrović...
- Marigona DragushaMarigona DragushaMarigona "Gona" Dragusha is an Albanian pageant titleholder from Kosovo who placed as the 2nd runner-up at the Miss Universe 2009 pageant, only behind the eventual winner, Venezuela's Stefanía Fernández, and the 1st runner-up Ada de la Cruz from the Dominican Republic. Dragusha won her national...
, model, competed in Miss Universe 2009Miss Universe 2009Miss Universe 2009, the 58th Miss Universe pageant, was held at the Atlantis Paradise Island, in Nassau, Bahamas on August 23, 2009. It was the first time back to back victories in Miss Universe history: Stefanía Fernández of Venezuela, was crowned Miss Universe 2009 by outgoing titleholder Dayana...
and placed in 2nd runner-up. - Benet KaciBenet KaciBenet Kaci is an Kosovan media personality, journalist, occasional singer known for hosting talk shows from the 2000 to the present. His career in show business began when he started working in RTK. His first television hosting job was on RTKSound, a music program...
(born August 4, 1978) is a Kosovan media personality.
See also
- AlbaniansAlbaniansAlbanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
- KosovoKosovoKosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
- Albanians in MacedoniaAlbanians in the Republic of MacedoniaAlbanians are the largest ethnic minority in the Republic of Macedonia. Of the 2,022,547 citizens of Macedonia, 509,083, or 25%, are Albanian according to the latest national census in 2002. The Albanian minority lives mostly in the north-western part of the country...
- Albanians in MontenegroAlbanians in MontenegroAlbanians in Montenegro constitute 4.91% of the county's total population. They mainly live in South-Eastern Montenegro, in the region commonly known as Malesija as well as in the municipality of Ulcinj .-Geography:...
- Kosovan diaspora
- Demographic history of KosovoDemographic history of KosovoThe demographic features of the population of Kosovo, includes various factors such as population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population....