Preševo
Encyclopedia
Preševo is a town and municipality in the Pčinja District
of southern Serbia
, bordering Republic of Macedonia
. It is the largest town of the region known as the Preševo valley
, and the cultural center of Albanians in Central Serbia
.
According to 2011 census, the municipality of Preševo has a population of 3,066 people, but in 2002, the municipality of Preševo has a population of 34000 people, because mainly Albanians boycotted census.
. During the April War the Kingdom of Yugoslavia capitulated to the Axis Powers
. On April 20 Bulgaria occupied part of the Kingdom, including Preševo. The Bulgarians held the area until September 7, 1944 when they switched to the Allies. The Albanian Balli Kombëtar
subsequently took over the area. In mid-November Yugoslav Partisan's forced the retreat of the Albanian forces.
, excluding the disputed territory of Kosovo
. Most of the remainder of its inhabitants are Serbs
.
Also, most villages have a 99% Albanian population, but there are some settlements in which the Serbs of Preševo Valley live and where they form a significant minority: Buštranje, Golemi Dol, Reljan, Strezovce, Trnava, Čukarka, and the town of Preševo.
should join Kosovo. Between 1999 and 2001, an ethnic Albanian guerrilla organization, the "Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac" (UCPMB
), was operational in this region with a goal to secede these three municipalities from Yugoslavia and join them to a future independent Kosovo. The activities attracted less international media interest than the related events of Kosovo
and the Republic of Macedonia. The uprising was quelled by Serb forces, the current situation is stable but with some tension.
Since December 2005, the previous president lost in his seat and was replaced by the Albanian Democratic party (PDSH) with leader Skender Destani. After six months, the population again voted and again Skender Destani was chosen as Municipal President of Preševo for the next four years.
Pcinja District
The Pčinja District expands to the southern parts of Serbia, bordering Bulgaria and the Republic of Macedonia. Its seat is in the city of Vranje....
of southern 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...
, bordering Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
. It is the largest town of the region known as the Preševo valley
Preševo Valley
The Preševo Valley , is an Albanian political catchphrase used to describe the two south Serbian municipalities of Bujanovac and Preševo, which have a majority ethnic Albanian population. Medvedja municipality is sometimes also included under this term, although it has a majority Serbian population...
, and the cultural center of Albanians in Central Serbia
Albanians in Central Serbia
According to the 2002 census, there are 61,647 Albanians in Serbia if the Kosovo Albanians are not counted. Of those, 59,952 lived in former Central Serbia, mostly in the Preševo Valley, at the far south of Serbia near the border with Kosovo...
.
According to 2011 census, the municipality of Preševo has a population of 3,066 people, but in 2002, the municipality of Preševo has a population of 34000 people, because mainly Albanians boycotted census.
History
From 1929 to 1941 Preševo was part of the Vardar BanovinaVardar 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...
. During the April War the Kingdom of Yugoslavia capitulated to the Axis Powers
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...
. On April 20 Bulgaria occupied part of the Kingdom, including Preševo. The Bulgarians held the area until September 7, 1944 when they switched to the Allies. The Albanian Balli Kombëtar
Balli Kombëtar
Balli Kombëtar was an Albanian nationalist, anti-communist and anti-monarchy organization established in October 1939. It was led by Ali Këlcyra and Mit’hat Frashëri...
subsequently took over the area. In mid-November Yugoslav Partisan's forced the retreat of the Albanian forces.
Ethnic groups in the municipality
The population of the Preševo municipality has, at close to 90%, the highest percentage of ethnic Albanians in SerbiaAlbanians in Serbia
Due to dispute regarding the status of Kosovo, Albanians in Serbia may refer to:*Albanians in Central Serbia*Albanians in Kosovo...
, excluding the disputed territory of Kosovo
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...
. Most of the remainder of its inhabitants are Serbs
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...
.
Settlements by ethnic majority
Most settlements in Preševo municipality have an absolute Albanian majority. The exceptions are the villages: Ljanik, Svinjište, Slavujevac and Cakanovac, where Serbs compose an ethnic majority.Also, most villages have a 99% Albanian population, but there are some settlements in which the Serbs of Preševo Valley live and where they form a significant minority: Buštranje, Golemi Dol, Reljan, Strezovce, Trnava, Čukarka, and the town of Preševo.
| Ethnic Composition | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Serb | % | Albanian | % | Total |
| 1961 | 6,741 | 25.21% | 18,229 | 68.18% | 26,738 |
| 1971 | 5,777 | 19.22% | 23,625 | 78.60% | 30,057 |
| 1981 | 4,204 | 12.38% | 28,961 | 85.31% | 33,948 |
| 1991 | 3,206 | 8.23% | 34,992 | 89.85% | 38,943 |
| 2002 | 2,984 | 8.55% | 31,098 | 89.10% | 34,904 |
Politics
In 1992, the Albanians of the area organized a referendum in which they voted that Preševo, Medveđa and BujanovacBujanovac
Bujanovac is a town and municipality in Pčinja District of southern Serbia, located at the South Morava basin.It is known for its source of mineral water, so it is also known as Bujanovačka Banja ....
should join Kosovo. Between 1999 and 2001, an ethnic Albanian guerrilla organization, the "Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac" (UCPMB
UCPMB
The Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac was a separatist militant group fighting for independence from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia for the three municipalities: Preševo, Bujanovac, and Medveđa, home to most of the ethnic Albanians of Central Serbia, adjacent to Kosovo.UCPMB's...
), was operational in this region with a goal to secede these three municipalities from Yugoslavia and join them to a future independent Kosovo. The activities attracted less international media interest than the related events of Kosovo
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...
and the Republic of Macedonia. The uprising was quelled by Serb forces, the current situation is stable but with some tension.
Since December 2005, the previous president lost in his seat and was replaced by the Albanian Democratic party (PDSH) with leader Skender Destani. After six months, the population again voted and again Skender Destani was chosen as Municipal President of Preševo for the next four years.