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North Kosovo

North Kosovo (Serbian: Северно Косово, romanizedSeverno Kosovo, Albanian: Kosova Veriore); also known as the Ibar Kolašin[1] (Serbian: Ибарски Колашин, romanized: Ibarski Kolašin, Albanian: Koloshini i Ibrit or Kollashini i Ibrit); earlier Old Kolašin,[2] (Serbian: Стари Колашин, romanized: Stari Kolašin, Albanian: Koloshini i Vjetër or Kollashini i Vjetër), is a region in the northern part of Kosovo, generally understood as a group of four municipalities with ethnic Kosovo Serbs majority: North Mitrovica, Leposavić, Zvečan and Zubin Potok.[3]

North Kosovo
Ibar Kolašin

  • Северно Косово / Severno Kosovo
    Ибарски Колашин / Ibarski Kolašin (Serbian)

  • Kosova Veriore
    Koloshini i Ibrit (Albanian)
North Kosovo is marked in orange
Coordinates: 43°29′N 21°27′E / 43.483°N 21.450°E / 43.483; 21.450
Country Kosovo
Largest cityNorth Mitrovica
Area
 • Total1,007 km2 (389 sq mi)
Population
 • Estimate 
(2015)
79,910
 • Density48/km2 (120/sq mi)
^ "North Kosovo" is not an official subdivision of the Republic of Kosovo. Ibarski Kolašin is a geographical region.

Prior to the 2013 Brussels Agreement, the region functioned independently from the institutions in Kosovo, as they refused to acknowledge and recognize the independence of Kosovo, declared in 2008.[4][5] The Government of Kosovo opposed any kind of parallel government for Serbs in this region.[6] However, the parallel structures were all abolished by the Brussels Agreement, signed between the governments of Kosovo and Serbia. Both governments agreed upon creating a Community of Serb Municipalities. The association was expected to be officially formed in 2016. According to the agreement, its assembly will have no legislative authority and the judicial authorities will be integrated and operate within the Kosovo legal framework. Political wrangling over Kosovo's status between its government and Serbia has resulted in Kosovan authorities not allowing the formation of the Community. However differences remain and North Kosovo remains under de facto Serbian rule.

History

2008–2011: Assembly of the Serb municipalities

 
Proposed logo of the Community of Serb Municipalities
 
Serbian barricades in Zvečan, following the 2011 border clashes

Following Kosovo's declaration of independence in 2008, Serbs put together the Community of Serb Municipalities,[7] elected on 11 May and called by the Government of Serbia.[8] The assembly was composed by 45 representatives.[9] The North Kosovo Serbs had taken a consistently hard line, refusing to cooperate with the government in Pristina or to take up their seats in the Assembly of Kosovo. Their stance was encouraged by the Serbian government of Vojislav Koštunica and they remained in control of this area with their own structures.

Serb List (Serbian: Српска листа, romanizedSrpska lista) leader Oliver Ivanović and other Kosovo Serb leaders had expressed increasing frustration at Belgrade's approach and have voiced their support for a more moderate stance, speaking openly of rejoining the Assembly of Kosovo and taking part in its government. This line has proved highly controversial, as many Kosovo Serbs reject any compromise; in February 2004, Ivanović's car was destroyed by a bomb explosion outside his home in Mitrovica.[10][11]

The Government of Serbia, Serb List, the Government of Kosovo and the United Nations all officially oppose the separation of North Kosovo. However, many Serbs in the region were adamantly opposed to living under the rule of an Albanian-majority provincial government and rejected an independent Kosovo. Ivanović has spoken out against partition, pointing out that more than 60,000 (50%) of the Serb population of Kosovo lives south of the Ibar, and that all of the important cultural and economic assets of the Kosovo Serbs are in the south of Kosovo.[12]

In 2011, former President of Kosovo Behgjet Pacolli crossed into the Northern part of Mitrovica. It marked the first time that a high ranking Republic of Kosovo official visited Northern Kosovo. Such a symbolic gesture was accompanied by a heavy security presence.[13]

2011–2013: Brussels Agreement

On 25 July 2011, Kosovo Police crossed into the Serb-controlled municipalities to control several administrative border crossings, without consulting either Serbia, the Kosovo Force (KFOR) and the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX).[14][15]

In early 2013, the Prime Minister of Serbia Ivica Dačić encouraged all Serbs to participate in Kosovo elections. The vast majority of Serbs turned out in large numbers to participate in elections held by the Kosovo government with symbols of the Republic of Kosovo Central Elections Commission on the ballot.

With the signatory of the Brussels Agreement in April 2013, Serbia officially dropped its support for the assembly and the parallel structures in Northern Kosovo. Both governments, of Kosovo and Serbia agreed upon creating the Community of Serb Municipalities. According to the agreement:

  • Its assembly will have no legislative authority and the judicial authorities will be integrated and operate within the Kosovo legal framework.[16]
  • There will be one police force in Kosovo called the Kosovo Police.
  • All police in northern Kosovo shall be integrated into the Kosovo Police framework.
  • Salaries will solely be paid by the KP.
  • The Appellate court in Pristina will establish a panel composed of a majority of Kosovo Serbs judges to deal with all Kosovo Serb majority municipalities.[17][18]
 
Partition of Kosovo proposed by some Serbian politicians[19]

As the final stage of dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo was near, various officials from Serbia have stated that the partition of Kosovo, with Serbia getting North Kosovo, is the best solution. President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić said on August 9 that he is for the division of Kosovo.[20] The same could be heard from Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić[21] and Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin.[22] Some Albanian politicians stated that the exchange of territories may be the solution of the Serbia-Kosovo dispute (with Serbia annexing North Kosovo and Kosovo annexing Preševo Valley), although many others rejected this proposal.

2021 North Kosovo crisis

In 2021, the Government of Kosovo decided to reciprocally ban Serbian license plates. Owning a Serbian license plate meant that those individuals would have had to switch for Kosovar license plates at a government vehicle registration center.

Kosovar vehicle registration centers in Zvečan and Zubin Potok were targeted by arsonists. Relations with both states during protests worsened as the Serbian Military was put on heightened alert. On 30 September, an agreement was reached to end the license plate ban, taking effect on 4 October, which led to Kosovar license plates in Serbia and Serbian license plates in Kosovo now have their national symbols and country codes covered with a temporary sticker.

North Kosovo crisis (2022–present)

The expiration of the eleven-year validity period of documents for cars on 1 August 2022 reignited tensions between Government of Kosovo and the Serbs in North Kosovo. After a Kosovo announcement that Serbian citizens who enter Kosovo will receive entry and exit documents, a number of barricades were created in North Kosovo, but were removed after the postponing of the ban.

In August 2022, unsuccessful negotiations regarding license plates were held, although the ID document dispute was solved. Serbia later submited a request to KFOR to deploy 1,000 Serbian troops to Kosovo, which was declined. In April 2023, Serbs boycotted the local elections, which led to ethnic Albanian mayors elected in all four North Kosovo municipalities. In May, Kosovo police took control of the North Kosovo municipal buildings by force to install the elected mayors, resulting in protests and clashes.[23][24] Kosovo later banned all Serbian vehicle license plates from entering its territory and imports from Serbia after 3 police officers were arrested.[25][26]

On 24 September 2023, approximately 30 Serb militants led by Milan Radoičić, attacked Kosovo police in the village of Banjska before barricading themselves inside the Banjska monastery.[27][28] Kosovo forces later recaptured the village and monastery, seizing multiple arsenals of weapons along with drones, APC's and ATV's.[29][30][31] The incident resulted in the death of a Kosovo police officer and three of the militants.[29]

An agreement was reached with Serbia and Kosovo, stating that Serbia would implement the 2011 agreement on license plates which would recognize Kosovo license plates starting on 1 January 2024.[32]

In February 2024, the Kosovar government banned the use of the Serbian dinar as a payment in Kosovo and North Kosovo.[33] The move was criticized by the U.S. and E.U. since the Serb minority relies on financial assistance and social benefit payments from the government of Serbia.[34]

Demographics

North Kosovo consists of four municipalities, Leposavić, Zvečan, Zubin Potok and North Mitrovica. It covers 1,007 km2 (389 sq. mi.), or 9.97% of Kosovo's land area.[35] Owing to its border with Serbia proper, North Kosovo is not, strictly speaking, a "Serb enclave" or "Serb exclave".

Before the Kosovo War, the area was predominantly inhabited by Serbs, with a substantial Kosovo Albanians minority and smaller populations of Bosniaks and Roma. The 1991 census recorded 50,500 people in the municipalities of Leposavić, Zvečan and Zubin Potok, of whom the vast majority were Serbs, with a small number of Albanians, and other smaller minorities,[35] though the Statistical Office of Kosovo regards the accuracy of this census as "questionable" given that most Albanians boycotted it.[36] The population of the Mitrovica municipality was predominantly Albanian, with the town itself and two of the nearby villages being ethnically mixed.[37]

Mitrovica was split between Serbs and Albanians at the end of the war, with the Ibar River marking the dividing line. North Mitrovica, which is now home to approximately 22,500 Serbs and 7,000 members of other ethnic groups, is recognized since 2013 as a separate municipality by the Government of Kosovo.

In 2018, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe estimated that the population of Leposavić, Zvečan, Zubin Potok and North Mitrovica stands at 48,500 inhabitants. Of these, around 42,500 (87%) are Serbs, 5,000 (10%) Albanians, 1,000 (3%) Bosniaks and others.

These estimations indicate that more than 60% of all Kosovo's Serbs live in North Kosovo. A special bus service operates in parts of North Kosovo to facilitate the movement of non-Serb residents around the territory.[38] The bus operates with an accompanying security presence to ensure the safety of the passengers and permits those residents to more safely enter and leave the North Kosovo area.[38]

 
Ethnic map of North Kosovo (blue-majority Serbs, red-majority Albanians)[39][failed verification]

Municipalities

Municipality District Area in km2 Population
North Mitrovica Mitrovica 11 29,460
Leposavić 539 18,600
Zvečan 122 16,650
Zubin Potok 335 15,200
Total 1,007 79,910

Economy

 
Zvečan Fortress located in the northwest part of North Mitrovica

The region suffers from high unemployment. The economic situation has deteriorated significantly in recent years due to a lack of capital investment, exacerbated by the uncertainty caused by the political dispute over the region's future. The region has used the Serbian dinar rather than the euro.[40][41][42][43] However, in February 2024, the Kosovar government banned the use of the dinar for payment, requiring all regions to use the euro.[33][44] Kosovo PM Kurti later clarified that the currency was not banned but that the Euro would be the only legal currency for commercial transactions and that there would be a months-long transition period to ease in the new legislation.[45] Smuggling of goods such as alcohol has become a business in North Kosovo where the customs regulations of the Kosovo authorities are unable to be enforced.[38] The Kosovo customs authorities do, however, attempt to curtail the flow of illegal goods from North Kosovo into the rest of Kosovo and have an elaborate network of surveillance cameras in place in that regard.[38] Smugglers transport goods over the porous frontier between Central Serbia and North Kosovo.[38]

The Serb-majority population refuse to recognize Kosovo as an independent state and have consequently not paid for electricity for more than two decades, since the Kosovo War. As a result, the energy-intensive industry of cryptomining, especially of Bitcoin, is especially profitable, even though it is banned.[46] The electricity used is estimated to cost about 12 million euros annually.[47] The total amount of electricity consumed in the year 2021 in northern Kosovo is 372 GWh, that in terms of electric power consumption per capita is at 7,670 kWh, while the average for Kosovo is 3,185 kWh.[48] This big differences accounts because of the illegal cryptomining in northern Kosovo.

Geography

North Kosovo is rich in mineral resources, once known for the Trepča mining complex. In the northern part of the region north Kosovo, there is a ridge of the mountain Kopaonik, with the peak of Šatorica, 1,770 metres (5,810 ft), above of the town Leposavić. The southern boundary is the river Ibar, which divides the towns of Mitrovica and North Mitrovica. On the west by Zubin Potok, the mountain ranges of Rogozna and Mokra Gora with the peak of Berim, 1,731 metres (5,679 ft), which separates one from the other lake Gazivode.[49]

Politics and the rule of law

Politics

Since 1999, the institutions of the Serb-majority North Kosovo have been de facto governed by Serbia.[50] It used Serbian national symbols and participated in Serbian national elections, which are boycotted in the rest of Kosovo; and in turn, it boycotted Kosovo's elections.[citation needed] The municipalities of Leposavić, Zvečan and Zubin Potok are run by local Serbs, while the Mitrovica municipality had rival Serb and Albanian governments until a compromise was agreed in November 2002, whereby the city has one mayor.[51] Serbs were active participants in the Kosovo Elections of 2013.[52]

The region united into a community, the Union of Serbian Districts and District Units of Kosovo and Metohija established in February 2008 by Serbian delegates meeting in Mitrovica, which has since served as North Kosovo's capital.[citation needed] The Union's President is Dragan Velić. This union is not recognised by Kosovo or by UNMIK,[53] which was abolished in 2013 as a result of the Brussels Agreement.[citation needed]

There is also a central governing body, the Serbian National Council for Kosovo and Metohija (SNV).[54] The President of the SNV in North Kosovo is Dr. Milan Ivanović, while the head of its Executive Council is Rada Trajković.[55] Local politics are dominated by the Serbian List for Kosovo.[56] The Serbian List was led by Oliver Ivanović, an engineer from Mitrovica.[55]

North Kosovo is by far the largest of the Serb-dominated areas within Kosovo, and unlike the others, directly borders Central Serbia.[citation needed] This had facilitated its ability to govern itself almost completely independently of the Kosovo institutions in a de facto state of partition; the authorities in turn chose to observe Belgrade's direct rule, which was generally recognised as the legal authority over Kosovo as a whole until the 1998–1999 Kosovo War.[citation needed] However, despite the region being contiguous with Central Serbia, its location within Kosovo and the subsequent conditions of the Kumanovo Treaty in 1999 mean that UNMIK officials have freedom of movement in North Kosovo whereby they assume supervisory status whilst no institution (e.g. police) is in place to enforce Serbian central directives which apply to the rest of Serbia.[citation needed] Before the 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence, it had been speculated that Kosovo might be partitioned with North Kosovo remaining part of Serbia.[57][58] The complexity of the region has been on the agenda of the 2011 Pristina–Belgrade Talks. In November 2012, Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi stated that autonomy for Northern Kosovo will never be granted, and the region will always remain a part of the Republic of Kosovo.[59]

Rule of law

Law enforcement and green border checkpoints are carried out by KFOR, EULEX and Kosovo Police. According to an International Crisis Group report, covert agents of Serbian police also operate in the area.[60][61] North Mitrovica in particular remains a hot spot for organized crime.[60]

Sport

Due to Serbian refusal of Kosovo institutions, Serbs in this part of Kosovo act independently in sport.[62] For example, the Football First League of North Kosovo is primarily formed of Serbian clubs from four of North Kosovo's municipalities.[62]

Gallery

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ^ Cvetković, Marina. "The exchange of gifts at traditional weddings in the Ibarski Kolašin" – via Google Books.
  2. ^ Ilić, Jovan (1995). The Serbian question in the Balkans. Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade. ISBN 9788682657019 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ Živković, Miloš; Slobodan, Kremenjak; Stojković, Miloš (2020). Media Law in Serbia. Kluwer Law International. pp. 20–21. ISBN 9789403523033. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  4. ^ BBC, Could Balkan break-up continue?, 22.02.08
  5. ^ . 13 July 2011. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011.
  6. ^ Kosovo PM: End to Parallel Structures, BalkanInsight.com, March 7, 2008
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  10. ^ "Kosovo", Jane's Sentinel, July 2006
  11. ^ . 10 February 2005. Archived from the original on 31 July 2010.
  12. ^ Oliver Ivanović interview, Danas, Belgrade, pp. 12-13. 9 December 2006
  13. ^ President Pacolli visits the northern part of Mitrovica, President of the Republic of Kosovo, February 26, 2011
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  16. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2014.
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  27. ^ "Kosovarischer Polizist offenbar von serbischer Kampftruppe erschossen". euronews (in German). 24 September 2023. from the original on 24 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  28. ^ "Serbia Releases Kosovo Serb Politician Detained Over Kosovo Shootout". Voice of America. Reuters. 4 October 2023.
  29. ^ a b Bytyci, Fatos; Vasovic, Aleksandar (26 September 2023). "Serbs in Kosovo mourn those killed in monastery shootout". Reuters.
  30. ^ "Arrestohen edhe dy persona në veri, shkon në tetë numri i tyre – konfiskohen edhe armë" [Two more people are arrested in the north, bringing their number to eight – weapons are also confiscated] (in Albanian). Telegrafi. 26 September 2023. from the original on 26 September 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  31. ^ "Krejt arsenali i armatimit që u kap nga policia në veri" [The entire arsenal of weapons that was seized by the police in the north] (in Albanian). Klan Kosova. 25 September 2023. from the original on 25 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  32. ^ "Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, announced that the Government of Serbia had today made a decision to enable freedom of movement for all vehicles from Kosovo, which had been its obligation from the 2011 Freedom of Movement Agreement". 25 December 2023.
  33. ^ a b BOUISSOU, Camille. "Kosovo Says Dinar 'Not Banned' Amid New Row With Serbia". www.barrons.com. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  34. ^ "Kosovo's block on the Serbian currency raises alarm in the EU and US". Associated Press. 4 February 2024.
  35. ^ a b OSCE profiles of Leposavić 18,600 including 18,000 Serbs and 200 Albanians, Zubin Potok 14,900 "with a vast Kosovo Serb majority" with 800 Kosovo Albanians, and Zvečan "The estimated total population is 17,000 with a large Kosovo Serbian majority (approximately 16,000). Some 350 Kosovo Albanians (...)", 1 May 2006
  36. ^ Kosovo and its Population 2007-06-26 at the Wayback Machine, Statistical Office of Kosovo, September 2003
  37. ^ OSCE profile of Mitrovica, 1 May 2006
  38. ^ a b c d e France 24 'programme length' special report on Kosovo broadcast on 24 December 2010
  39. ^ "Šta zapravo znači ideja o razgraničenju na Kosovu?". N1 Srbija (in Serbian (Latin script)). Retrieved 12 August 2018.
  40. ^ Mitchell, Laurence (2007). Bradt Travel Guide Serbia. Bradt Travel Guides. ISBN 978-1-84162-203-3.
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  44. ^ Smith, Helena; O'Carroll, Lisa (6 February 2024). "Kosovo accused of raising ethnic tensions by banning use of Serbian dinar". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  45. ^ "Kosovo says dinar 'not banned' amid new row with Serbia". RFI. Agence France-Presse. 7 February 2024.
  46. ^ "Kosovo bans cryptocurrency mining after blackouts". BBC News. 5 January 2022. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  47. ^ Ahmeti, Adelina; Gashi, Kreshnik (12 May 2021). "In North Kosovo, Mining for Bitcoin on 'Free' Electricity". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  48. ^ "ANNUAL REPORT 2021" (PDF).
  49. ^ Valentina, Milanovic (May 2018). "Helminth fauna of small ruminants in North Kosovo Serbia". www.researchgate.net. p. 3.
  50. ^ Ramet, Sabrina P.; Simkus, Albert; Listhaug, Ola, eds. (2015). Civic and Uncivic Values in Kosovo: History, Politics, and Value Transformation. Central European University Press. pp. 191, 223. ISBN 9789633860748.
  51. ^ "Four Northern Kosovo Mayors Resign due to Reciprocity Rules". ALBANIA DAILY NEWS. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  52. ^ "Kosovo – 2013 local election: The Battle for Prishtina". www.ifimes.org. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  53. ^ "Kosovo Serbs launch new assembly". BBC News. 28 June 2008. Retrieved 28 June 2008.
  54. ^ Brenner, Yermi (19 February 2013). "The North Kosovo Obstacle to Peace". PassBlue. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  55. ^ a b "Serb integration in Kosovo" (PDF). www.files.ethz.ch. 12 May 2009.
  56. ^ "Serb List Will Not Attend North Kosovo Local Elections". ALBANIA DAILY NEWS. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
  57. ^ "Kosovo partition 'on the table'". BBC News. 12 August 2007. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
  58. ^ . Kosovo.birn.eu.com. 19 April 2007. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
  59. ^ "Thaci autonomy for north kosovo is dream". 2007.
  60. ^ a b North Kosovo: Dual Sovereignty in Practice 2011-03-20 at the Wayback Machine, International Crisis Group, 14 March 2011
  61. ^ Mark Lowen (27 July 2011). "Kosovo tense after deadly clash on Serbian border". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
  62. ^ a b "List of association football clubs playing in the league of another country". secondchoice.life.

Further reading

  • Lutovac, M. (1956) Ibarski Kolašin. Naselja, Beograd, XXXIV, 8

External links

north, kosovo, serbian, Северно, Косово, romanized, severno, kosovo, albanian, kosova, veriore, also, known, ibar, kolašin, serbian, Ибарски, Колашин, romanized, ibarski, kolašin, albanian, koloshini, ibrit, kollashini, ibrit, earlier, kolašin, serbian, Стари,. North Kosovo Serbian Severno Kosovo romanized Severno Kosovo Albanian Kosova Veriore also known as the Ibar Kolasin 1 Serbian Ibarski Kolashin romanized Ibarski Kolasin Albanian Koloshini i Ibrit or Kollashini i Ibrit earlier Old Kolasin 2 Serbian Stari Kolashin romanized Stari Kolasin Albanian Koloshini i Vjeter or Kollashini i Vjeter is a region in the northern part of Kosovo generally understood as a group of four municipalities with ethnic Kosovo Serbs majority North Mitrovica Leposavic Zvecan and Zubin Potok 3 North KosovoIbar Kolasin Severno Kosovo Severno KosovoIbarski Kolashin Ibarski Kolasin Serbian Kosova VerioreKoloshini i Ibrit Albanian Geographical region1North Kosovo is marked in orangeCoordinates 43 29 N 21 27 E 43 483 N 21 450 E 43 483 21 450Country KosovoLargest cityNorth MitrovicaArea Total1 007 km2 389 sq mi Population Estimate 2015 79 910 Density48 km2 120 sq mi North Kosovo is not an official subdivision of the Republic of Kosovo Ibarski Kolasin is a geographical region Prior to the 2013 Brussels Agreement the region functioned independently from the institutions in Kosovo as they refused to acknowledge and recognize the independence of Kosovo declared in 2008 4 5 The Government of Kosovo opposed any kind of parallel government for Serbs in this region 6 However the parallel structures were all abolished by the Brussels Agreement signed between the governments of Kosovo and Serbia Both governments agreed upon creating a Community of Serb Municipalities The association was expected to be officially formed in 2016 According to the agreement its assembly will have no legislative authority and the judicial authorities will be integrated and operate within the Kosovo legal framework Political wrangling over Kosovo s status between its government and Serbia has resulted in Kosovan authorities not allowing the formation of the Community However differences remain and North Kosovo remains under de facto Serbian rule Contents 1 History 1 1 2008 2011 Assembly of the Serb municipalities 1 2 2011 2013 Brussels Agreement 1 3 2021 North Kosovo crisis 1 4 North Kosovo crisis 2022 present 2 Demographics 2 1 Municipalities 3 Economy 4 Geography 5 Politics and the rule of law 5 1 Politics 5 2 Rule of law 5 3 Sport 6 Gallery 7 Notable people 8 See also 9 References 10 Further reading 11 External linksHistory2008 2011 Assembly of the Serb municipalities nbsp Proposed logo of the Community of Serb Municipalities nbsp Serbian barricades in Zvecan following the 2011 border clashes Following Kosovo s declaration of independence in 2008 Serbs put together the Community of Serb Municipalities 7 elected on 11 May and called by the Government of Serbia 8 The assembly was composed by 45 representatives 9 The North Kosovo Serbs had taken a consistently hard line refusing to cooperate with the government in Pristina or to take up their seats in the Assembly of Kosovo Their stance was encouraged by the Serbian government of Vojislav Kostunica and they remained in control of this area with their own structures Serb List Serbian Srpska lista romanized Srpska lista leader Oliver Ivanovic and other Kosovo Serb leaders had expressed increasing frustration at Belgrade s approach and have voiced their support for a more moderate stance speaking openly of rejoining the Assembly of Kosovo and taking part in its government This line has proved highly controversial as many Kosovo Serbs reject any compromise in February 2004 Ivanovic s car was destroyed by a bomb explosion outside his home in Mitrovica 10 11 The Government of Serbia Serb List the Government of Kosovo and the United Nations all officially oppose the separation of North Kosovo However many Serbs in the region were adamantly opposed to living under the rule of an Albanian majority provincial government and rejected an independent Kosovo Ivanovic has spoken out against partition pointing out that more than 60 000 50 of the Serb population of Kosovo lives south of the Ibar and that all of the important cultural and economic assets of the Kosovo Serbs are in the south of Kosovo 12 In 2011 former President of Kosovo Behgjet Pacolli crossed into the Northern part of Mitrovica It marked the first time that a high ranking Republic of Kosovo official visited Northern Kosovo Such a symbolic gesture was accompanied by a heavy security presence 13 2011 2013 Brussels Agreement Main articles North Kosovo crisis 2011 2013 2021 North Kosovo crisis and North Kosovo crisis 2022 present On 25 July 2011 Kosovo Police crossed into the Serb controlled municipalities to control several administrative border crossings without consulting either Serbia the Kosovo Force KFOR and the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo EULEX 14 15 In early 2013 the Prime Minister of Serbia Ivica Dacic encouraged all Serbs to participate in Kosovo elections The vast majority of Serbs turned out in large numbers to participate in elections held by the Kosovo government with symbols of the Republic of Kosovo Central Elections Commission on the ballot With the signatory of the Brussels Agreement in April 2013 Serbia officially dropped its support for the assembly and the parallel structures in Northern Kosovo Both governments of Kosovo and Serbia agreed upon creating the Community of Serb Municipalities According to the agreement Its assembly will have no legislative authority and the judicial authorities will be integrated and operate within the Kosovo legal framework 16 There will be one police force in Kosovo called the Kosovo Police All police in northern Kosovo shall be integrated into the Kosovo Police framework Salaries will solely be paid by the KP The Appellate court in Pristina will establish a panel composed of a majority of Kosovo Serbs judges to deal with all Kosovo Serb majority municipalities 17 18 nbsp Partition of Kosovo proposed by some Serbian politicians 19 As the final stage of dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo was near various officials from Serbia have stated that the partition of Kosovo with Serbia getting North Kosovo is the best solution President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic said on August 9 that he is for the division of Kosovo 20 The same could be heard from Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic 21 and Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin 22 Some Albanian politicians stated that the exchange of territories may be the solution of the Serbia Kosovo dispute with Serbia annexing North Kosovo and Kosovo annexing Presevo Valley although many others rejected this proposal 2021 North Kosovo crisis In 2021 the Government of Kosovo decided to reciprocally ban Serbian license plates Owning a Serbian license plate meant that those individuals would have had to switch for Kosovar license plates at a government vehicle registration center Kosovar vehicle registration centers in Zvecan and Zubin Potok were targeted by arsonists Relations with both states during protests worsened as the Serbian Military was put on heightened alert On 30 September an agreement was reached to end the license plate ban taking effect on 4 October which led to Kosovar license plates in Serbia and Serbian license plates in Kosovo now have their national symbols and country codes covered with a temporary sticker North Kosovo crisis 2022 present Main article North Kosovo crisis 2022 present The expiration of the eleven year validity period of documents for cars on 1 August 2022 reignited tensions between Government of Kosovo and the Serbs in North Kosovo After a Kosovo announcement that Serbian citizens who enter Kosovo will receive entry and exit documents a number of barricades were created in North Kosovo but were removed after the postponing of the ban In August 2022 unsuccessful negotiations regarding license plates were held although the ID document dispute was solved Serbia later submited a request to KFOR to deploy 1 000 Serbian troops to Kosovo which was declined In April 2023 Serbs boycotted the local elections which led to ethnic Albanian mayors elected in all four North Kosovo municipalities In May Kosovo police took control of the North Kosovo municipal buildings by force to install the elected mayors resulting in protests and clashes 23 24 Kosovo later banned all Serbian vehicle license plates from entering its territory and imports from Serbia after 3 police officers were arrested 25 26 On 24 September 2023 approximately 30 Serb militants led by Milan Radoicic attacked Kosovo police in the village of Banjska before barricading themselves inside the Banjska monastery 27 28 Kosovo forces later recaptured the village and monastery seizing multiple arsenals of weapons along with drones APC s and ATV s 29 30 31 The incident resulted in the death of a Kosovo police officer and three of the militants 29 An agreement was reached with Serbia and Kosovo stating that Serbia would implement the 2011 agreement on license plates which would recognize Kosovo license plates starting on 1 January 2024 32 In February 2024 the Kosovar government banned the use of the Serbian dinar as a payment in Kosovo and North Kosovo 33 The move was criticized by the U S and E U since the Serb minority relies on financial assistance and social benefit payments from the government of Serbia 34 DemographicsMain article Demographics of Kosovo North Kosovo consists of four municipalities Leposavic Zvecan Zubin Potok and North Mitrovica It covers 1 007 km2 389 sq mi or 9 97 of Kosovo s land area 35 Owing to its border with Serbia proper North Kosovo is not strictly speaking a Serb enclave or Serb exclave Before the Kosovo War the area was predominantly inhabited by Serbs with a substantial Kosovo Albanians minority and smaller populations of Bosniaks and Roma The 1991 census recorded 50 500 people in the municipalities of Leposavic Zvecan and Zubin Potok of whom the vast majority were Serbs with a small number of Albanians and other smaller minorities 35 though the Statistical Office of Kosovo regards the accuracy of this census as questionable given that most Albanians boycotted it 36 The population of the Mitrovica municipality was predominantly Albanian with the town itself and two of the nearby villages being ethnically mixed 37 Mitrovica was split between Serbs and Albanians at the end of the war with the Ibar River marking the dividing line North Mitrovica which is now home to approximately 22 500 Serbs and 7 000 members of other ethnic groups is recognized since 2013 as a separate municipality by the Government of Kosovo In 2018 the Organization for Security and Co operation in Europe estimated that the population of Leposavic Zvecan Zubin Potok and North Mitrovica stands at 48 500 inhabitants Of these around 42 500 87 are Serbs 5 000 10 Albanians 1 000 3 Bosniaks and others These estimations indicate that more than 60 of all Kosovo s Serbs live in North Kosovo A special bus service operates in parts of North Kosovo to facilitate the movement of non Serb residents around the territory 38 The bus operates with an accompanying security presence to ensure the safety of the passengers and permits those residents to more safely enter and leave the North Kosovo area 38 nbsp Ethnic map of North Kosovo blue majority Serbs red majority Albanians 39 failed verification Municipalities Municipality District Area in km2 Population North Mitrovica Mitrovica 11 29 460 Leposavic 539 18 600 Zvecan 122 16 650 Zubin Potok 335 15 200 Total 1 007 79 910Economy nbsp Zvecan Fortress located in the northwest part of North Mitrovica The region suffers from high unemployment The economic situation has deteriorated significantly in recent years due to a lack of capital investment exacerbated by the uncertainty caused by the political dispute over the region s future The region has used the Serbian dinar rather than the euro 40 41 42 43 However in February 2024 the Kosovar government banned the use of the dinar for payment requiring all regions to use the euro 33 44 Kosovo PM Kurti later clarified that the currency was not banned but that the Euro would be the only legal currency for commercial transactions and that there would be a months long transition period to ease in the new legislation 45 Smuggling of goods such as alcohol has become a business in North Kosovo where the customs regulations of the Kosovo authorities are unable to be enforced 38 The Kosovo customs authorities do however attempt to curtail the flow of illegal goods from North Kosovo into the rest of Kosovo and have an elaborate network of surveillance cameras in place in that regard 38 Smugglers transport goods over the porous frontier between Central Serbia and North Kosovo 38 The Serb majority population refuse to recognize Kosovo as an independent state and have consequently not paid for electricity for more than two decades since the Kosovo War As a result the energy intensive industry of cryptomining especially of Bitcoin is especially profitable even though it is banned 46 The electricity used is estimated to cost about 12 million euros annually 47 The total amount of electricity consumed in the year 2021 in northern Kosovo is 372 GWh that in terms of electric power consumption per capita is at 7 670 kWh while the average for Kosovo is 3 185 kWh 48 This big differences accounts because of the illegal cryptomining in northern Kosovo GeographyNorth Kosovo is rich in mineral resources once known for the Trepca mining complex In the northern part of the region north Kosovo there is a ridge of the mountain Kopaonik with the peak of Satorica 1 770 metres 5 810 ft above of the town Leposavic The southern boundary is the river Ibar which divides the towns of Mitrovica and North Mitrovica On the west by Zubin Potok the mountain ranges of Rogozna and Mokra Gora with the peak of Berim 1 731 metres 5 679 ft which separates one from the other lake Gazivode 49 Politics and the rule of lawPolitics Since 1999 the institutions of the Serb majority North Kosovo have been de facto governed by Serbia 50 It used Serbian national symbols and participated in Serbian national elections which are boycotted in the rest of Kosovo and in turn it boycotted Kosovo s elections citation needed The municipalities of Leposavic Zvecan and Zubin Potok are run by local Serbs while the Mitrovica municipality had rival Serb and Albanian governments until a compromise was agreed in November 2002 whereby the city has one mayor 51 Serbs were active participants in the Kosovo Elections of 2013 52 The region united into a community the Union of Serbian Districts and District Units of Kosovo and Metohija established in February 2008 by Serbian delegates meeting in Mitrovica which has since served as North Kosovo s capital citation needed The Union s President is Dragan Velic This union is not recognised by Kosovo or by UNMIK 53 which was abolished in 2013 as a result of the Brussels Agreement citation needed There is also a central governing body the Serbian National Council for Kosovo and Metohija SNV 54 The President of the SNV in North Kosovo is Dr Milan Ivanovic while the head of its Executive Council is Rada Trajkovic 55 Local politics are dominated by the Serbian List for Kosovo 56 The Serbian List was led by Oliver Ivanovic an engineer from Mitrovica 55 North Kosovo is by far the largest of the Serb dominated areas within Kosovo and unlike the others directly borders Central Serbia citation needed This had facilitated its ability to govern itself almost completely independently of the Kosovo institutions in a de facto state of partition the authorities in turn chose to observe Belgrade s direct rule which was generally recognised as the legal authority over Kosovo as a whole until the 1998 1999 Kosovo War citation needed However despite the region being contiguous with Central Serbia its location within Kosovo and the subsequent conditions of the Kumanovo Treaty in 1999 mean that UNMIK officials have freedom of movement in North Kosovo whereby they assume supervisory status whilst no institution e g police is in place to enforce Serbian central directives which apply to the rest of Serbia citation needed Before the 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence it had been speculated that Kosovo might be partitioned with North Kosovo remaining part of Serbia 57 58 The complexity of the region has been on the agenda of the 2011 Pristina Belgrade Talks In November 2012 Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaci stated that autonomy for Northern Kosovo will never be granted and the region will always remain a part of the Republic of Kosovo 59 Rule of law Law enforcement and green border checkpoints are carried out by KFOR EULEX and Kosovo Police According to an International Crisis Group report covert agents of Serbian police also operate in the area 60 61 North Mitrovica in particular remains a hot spot for organized crime 60 Sport Due to Serbian refusal of Kosovo institutions Serbs in this part of Kosovo act independently in sport 62 For example the Football First League of North Kosovo is primarily formed of Serbian clubs from four of North Kosovo s municipalities 62 Gallery nbsp North Mitrovica nbsp Leposavic nbsp Zvecan nbsp Zubin PotokNotable peopleIsa Boletini Kosovo Albanian nationalist figure and guerrilla fighter Rexhep Mitrovica Albanian politician 20th Prime Minister of Albania Milan Bisevac football player Milos Krasic football player Nikola Lazetic football player Stevan Stojanovic former football player won the European Cup in 1991 with Red Star Belgrade Nevena Bozovic Serbian singer Eurovision Song Contest participant Anđelka Tomasevic Miss Universe Serbia 2014See alsoNorth Kosovo crisis 2022 present 2021 North Kosovo crisis North Kosovo crisis 2011 2013 Community of Serb Municipalities Partition of KosovoReferences Cvetkovic Marina The exchange of gifts at traditional weddings in the Ibarski Kolasin via Google Books Ilic Jovan 1995 The Serbian question in the Balkans Faculty of Geography University of Belgrade ISBN 9788682657019 via Google Books Zivkovic Milos Slobodan Kremenjak Stojkovic Milos 2020 Media Law in Serbia Kluwer Law International pp 20 21 ISBN 9789403523033 Retrieved 11 October 2022 BBC Could Balkan break up continue 22 02 08 Koha ditore Kosovska vlada bez ingerencija na severu Kosova Vesti dana Vesti Krstarice 13 July 2011 Archived from the original on 13 July 2011 Kosovo PM End to Parallel Structures BalkanInsight com March 7 2008 Community of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo to be formed InSerbia News Inserbia info Retrieved 30 October 2015 Serbs form rival Kosovo assembly BBC News 14 June 2008 Retrieved 14 June 2008 Vesna Peric Zimonjic 29 June 2008 Kosovo Serbs set up rival assembly The Independent UK Archived from the original on 21 June 2022 Retrieved 29 June 2008 Kosovo Jane s Sentinel July 2006 UNMIK Condemns And Investigates Incident 10 February 2005 Archived from the original on 31 July 2010 Oliver Ivanovic interview Danas Belgrade pp 12 13 9 December 2006 President Pacolli visits the northern part of Mitrovica President of the Republic of Kosovo February 26 2011 Mark Lowen 27 July 2011 Kosovo tense after deadly clash on Serbian border BBC Archived from the original on 28 July 2011 Retrieved 28 July 2011 Nato Steps in Amid Kosovo Serbia Border Row Sky News Archived from the original on 3 August 2021 Retrieved 8 September 2012 Serbia Kosovo The Brussels Agreements and Beyond PDF Archived from the original PDF on 18 February 2014 Report on implementation of the Brussels Agreements PDF The Brussels Agreement PDF Archived from the original PDF on 7 November 2013 DODIK Serbia should seek North Kosovo www novosti rs in Serbian Latin script Retrieved 14 August 2018 Vucic Zalazem se za razgranicenje sa Albancima N1 Srbija in Serbian Latin script Retrieved 12 August 2018 Dacic There is no better solution than partition of Kosovo N1 Srbija in Serbian Latin script Retrieved 12 August 2018 Vulin I am for partition of Kosovo and Metohija Politika Online in Serbian Retrieved 12 August 2018 Bytyci Fatos 26 May 2023 US rebukes Kosovo for escalating tensions Serbia puts army on alert Reuters Retrieved 27 May 2023 Nato troops injured in clashes with Serb protesters in Kosovo The Guardian Reuters 29 May 2023 Retrieved 29 May 2023 Bytyci Fatos Vasovic Aleksandar Vasovic Aleksandar 14 June 2023 Serbian security forces detain three Kosovo police officers Kosovo official says Reuters Retrieved 14 June 2023 Kosovo bans entry of Serbian vehicles and goods after 3 Kosovo police officers arrested by Serbian police europeanwesternbalkans com 15 June 2023 Kosovarischer Polizist offenbar von serbischer Kampftruppe erschossen euronews in German 24 September 2023 Archived from the original on 24 September 2023 Retrieved 24 September 2023 Serbia Releases Kosovo Serb Politician Detained Over Kosovo Shootout Voice of America Reuters 4 October 2023 a b Bytyci Fatos Vasovic Aleksandar 26 September 2023 Serbs in Kosovo mourn those killed in monastery shootout Reuters Arrestohen edhe dy persona ne veri shkon ne tete numri i tyre konfiskohen edhe arme Two more people are arrested in the north bringing their number to eight weapons are also confiscated in Albanian Telegrafi 26 September 2023 Archived from the original on 26 September 2023 Retrieved 26 September 2023 Krejt arsenali i armatimit qe u kap nga policia ne veri The entire arsenal of weapons that was seized by the police in the north in Albanian Klan Kosova 25 September 2023 Archived from the original on 25 September 2023 Retrieved 25 September 2023 Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Petar Petkovic announced that the Government of Serbia had today made a decision to enable freedom of movement for all vehicles from Kosovo which had been its obligation from the 2011 Freedom of Movement Agreement 25 December 2023 a b BOUISSOU Camille Kosovo Says Dinar Not Banned Amid New Row With Serbia www barrons com Retrieved 8 February 2024 Kosovo s block on the Serbian currency raises alarm in the EU and US Associated Press 4 February 2024 a b OSCE profiles of Leposavic 18 600 including 18 000 Serbs and 200 Albanians Zubin Potok 14 900 with a vast Kosovo Serb majority with 800 Kosovo Albanians and Zvecan The estimated total population is 17 000 with a large Kosovo Serbian majority approximately 16 000 Some 350 Kosovo Albanians 1 May 2006 Kosovo and its Population Archived 2007 06 26 at the Wayback Machine Statistical Office of Kosovo September 2003 OSCE profile of Mitrovica 1 May 2006 a b c d e France 24 programme length special report on Kosovo broadcast on 24 December 2010 Sta zapravo znaci ideja o razgranicenju na Kosovu N1 Srbija in Serbian Latin script Retrieved 12 August 2018 Mitchell Laurence 2007 Bradt Travel Guide Serbia Bradt Travel Guides ISBN 978 1 84162 203 3 Kosovo s bitter enemies look to heal old wounds TheGuardian com 28 April 2018 Points of dispute between Kosovo and Serbia France 24 9 November 2018 Archived from the original on 26 November 2021 Retrieved 26 November 2021 Kosovo loses millions of euros from the use of the Serbian dinar Kosova Press 12 September 2020 Archived from the original on 26 November 2021 Retrieved 26 November 2021 Smith Helena O Carroll Lisa 6 February 2024 Kosovo accused of raising ethnic tensions by banning use of Serbian dinar The Guardian ISSN 0261 3077 Retrieved 8 February 2024 Kosovo says dinar not banned amid new row with Serbia RFI Agence France Presse 7 February 2024 Kosovo bans cryptocurrency mining after blackouts BBC News 5 January 2022 Retrieved 11 June 2023 Ahmeti Adelina Gashi Kreshnik 12 May 2021 In North Kosovo Mining for Bitcoin on Free Electricity Balkan Insight Retrieved 12 May 2021 ANNUAL REPORT 2021 PDF Valentina Milanovic May 2018 Helminth fauna of small ruminants in North Kosovo Serbia www researchgate net p 3 Ramet Sabrina P Simkus Albert Listhaug Ola eds 2015 Civic and Uncivic Values in Kosovo History Politics and Value Transformation Central European University Press pp 191 223 ISBN 9789633860748 Four Northern Kosovo Mayors Resign due to Reciprocity Rules ALBANIA DAILY NEWS Retrieved 6 December 2022 Kosovo 2013 local election The Battle for Prishtina www ifimes org Retrieved 6 December 2022 Kosovo Serbs launch new assembly BBC News 28 June 2008 Retrieved 28 June 2008 Brenner Yermi 19 February 2013 The North Kosovo Obstacle to Peace PassBlue Retrieved 6 December 2022 a b Serb integration in Kosovo PDF www files ethz ch 12 May 2009 Serb List Will Not Attend North Kosovo Local Elections ALBANIA DAILY NEWS Retrieved 6 December 2022 Kosovo partition on the table BBC News 12 August 2007 Retrieved 11 September 2012 BIRN Serbia Plays Kosovo Partition Card Kosovo birn eu com 19 April 2007 Archived from the original on 5 September 2012 Retrieved 11 September 2012 Thaci autonomy for north kosovo is dream 2007 a b North Kosovo Dual Sovereignty in Practice Archived 2011 03 20 at the Wayback Machine International Crisis Group 14 March 2011 Mark Lowen 27 July 2011 Kosovo tense after deadly clash on Serbian border Bbc co uk Retrieved 11 September 2012 a b List of association football clubs playing in the league of another country secondchoice life Further readingLutovac M 1956 Ibarski Kolasin Naselja Beograd XXXIV 8External links nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to North Kosovo Kosovo section at International Crisis Group Serbia Kosovo Relations International Crisis Group NORTH KOSOVO DUAL SOVEREIGNTY IN PRACTICE Europe Report N 211 14 March 2011 Postcard from Mitrovica Almost Mellow at Kosovo s Front Line Cafe TIME Magazine 2008 06 04 Andrew Purvis Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title North Kosovo amp oldid 1220484243, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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