Misplaced Pages

North Kosovo Ibar Kolašin Северно Косово / Severno Kosovo Ибарски Колашин / Ibarski Kolašin (Serbian) Kosova Veriore Koloshini i Ibrit (Albanian)
Geographical region
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 city	North Mitrovica
Area
• Total	1,007 km (389 sq mi)
Population
• Estimate	79,910
• Density	48/km (120/sq mi)
"North Kosovo" is not an official subdivision of the Republic of Kosovo. Ibarski Kolašin is a geographical region.

North Kosovo (Serbian: Северно Косово, romanized: Severno Kosovo, Albanian: Kosova Veriore); also known as the Ibar Kolašin (Serbian: Ибарски Колашин, romanized: Ibarski Kolašin, Albanian: Koloshini i Ibrit or Kollashini i Ibrit); earlier Old Kolašin, (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.

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. The Government of Kosovo opposed any kind of parallel government for Serbs in this region. 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

Following Kosovo's declaration of independence in 2008, Serbs put together the Community of Serb Municipalities, elected on 11 May and called by the Government of Serbia. The assembly was composed by 45 representatives. 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, romanized: Srpska 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.

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.

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.

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).

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.
• 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.

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. The same could be heard from Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dačić and Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin. 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 (2022–2024)

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 submitted 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. Kosovo later banned all Serbian vehicle license plates from entering its territory and imports from Serbia after 3 police officers were arrested.

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. Kosovo forces later recaptured the village and monastery, seizing multiple arsenals of weapons along with drones, APC's and ATV's. The incident resulted in the death of a Kosovo police officer and three of the militants.

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.

In February 2024, the Kosovar government banned the use of the Serbian dinar as a payment in Kosovo and North Kosovo. 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.

Demographics

North Kosovo consists of four municipalities, Leposavić, Zvečan, Zubin Potok and North Mitrovica. It covers 1,007 km (389 sq. mi.), or 9.97% of Kosovo's land area. 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, though the Statistical Office of Kosovo regards the accuracy of this census as "questionable" given that most Albanians boycotted it. The population of the Mitrovica municipality was predominantly Albanian, with the town itself and two of the nearby villages being ethnically mixed.

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. 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.

Municipalities

Economy

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. However, in February 2024, the Kosovar government banned the use of the dinar for payment, requiring all regions to use the euro. 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. 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. 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. Smugglers transport goods over the porous frontier between Central Serbia and North Kosovo.

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. The electricity used is estimated to cost about 12 million euros annually. 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. 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.

Politics and the rule of law

Politics

Since 1999, the institutions of the Serb-majority North Kosovo have been de facto governed by Serbia. 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. 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. Serbs were active participants in the Kosovo Elections of 2013.

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. The Union's President is Dragan Velić. This union is not recognised by Kosovo or by UNMIK, which was abolished in 2013 as a result of the Brussels Agreement.

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

North Kosovo is by far the largest of the Serb-dominated areas within Kosovo, and unlike the others, directly borders Central Serbia. 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. 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. Before the 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence, it had been speculated that Kosovo might be partitioned with North Kosovo remaining part of Serbia. 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.

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. North Mitrovica in particular remains a hot spot for organized crime.

Sport

Due to Serbian refusal of Kosovo institutions, Serbs in this part of Kosovo acted independently in sport. For example, the Football First League of North Kosovo was primarily formed of Serbian clubs from four of North Kosovo's municipalities. Now the clubs like Trepča or FK Mokra Gora do not play anymore in North Kosovo but in Raška or Novi Pazar which was accepted by Zoran Gajić, the Serbian minister of sports.

Gallery

• North Mitrovica
• Leposavić
• Zvečan
• Zubin Potok

Notable people

• Isa Boletini - Kosovo Albanian nationalist figure and guerrilla fighter
• Rexhep Mitrovica - Albanian politician, 20th Prime Minister of Albania
• Milan Biševac - football player
• Miloš Krasić - football player
• Nikola Lazetić - football player
• Stevan Stojanović - former football player; won the European Cup in 1991 with Red Star Belgrade.
• Nevena Božović - Serbian singer, Eurovision Song Contest participant
• Anđelka Tomašević - Miss Universe Serbia 2014

See also

• North Kosovo crisis (2022–2024)
• 2021 North Kosovo crisis
• North Kosovo crisis (2011–2013)
• Community of Serb Municipalities
• Partition of Kosovo

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. ""Koha ditore": Kosovska vlada bez ingerencija na severu Kosova - Vesti dana - Vesti Krstarice". 13 July 2011. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011.
6. Kosovo PM: End to Parallel Structures, BalkanInsight.com, March 7, 2008
7. "Community of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo to be formed | InSerbia News". Inserbia.info. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
8. "Serbs form rival Kosovo assembly". BBC News. 14 June 2008. Retrieved 14 June 2008.
9. 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.
10. "Kosovo", Jane's Sentinel, July 2006
11. "UNMIK Condemns And Investigates Incident". 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
14. 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.
15. "Nato Steps in Amid Kosovo-Serbia Border Row". Sky News. Archived from the original on 3 August 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
16. "Serbia/Kosovo: The Brussels Agreements and Beyond" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2014.
17. "Report on implementation of the Brussels Agreements" (PDF). Archived from the original on 9 October 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
18. "The Brussels Agreement" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 November 2013.
19. "DODIK: Serbia should seek North Kosovo". www.novosti.rs (in Serbian (Latin script)). Retrieved 14 August 2018.
20. "Vučić: Zalažem se za razgraničenje sa Albancima". N1 Srbija (in Serbian (Latin script)). Retrieved 12 August 2018.
21. "Dačić: There is no better solution than partition of Kosovo". N1 Srbija (in Serbian (Latin script)). Retrieved 12 August 2018.
22. "Vulin: I am for partition of Kosovo and Metohija". Politika Online (in Serbian). Retrieved 12 August 2018.
23. Bytyci, Fatos (26 May 2023). "US rebukes Kosovo for escalating tensions, Serbia puts army on alert". Reuters. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
24. "Nato troops injured in clashes with Serb protesters in Kosovo". The Guardian. Reuters. 29 May 2023. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
25. 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.
26. "Kosovo bans entry of Serbian vehicles and goods after 3 Kosovo police officers arrested by Serbian police". europeanwesternbalkans.com. 15 June 2023.
27. "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.
28. "Serbia Releases Kosovo Serb Politician Detained Over Kosovo Shootout". Voice of America. Reuters. 4 October 2023.
29. ^ 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. Archived 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. Archived 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. ^ 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. ^ 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 Archived 2007-06-26 at the Wayback Machine, Statistical Office of Kosovo, September 2003
37. OSCE profile of Mitrovica, 1 May 2006
38. ^ 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.
41. "Kosovo's bitter enemies look to heal old wounds". TheGuardian.com. 28 April 2018.
42. "Points of dispute between Kosovo and Serbia". France 24. 9 November 2018. Archived from the original on 26 November 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
43. "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.
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. ^ "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. "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.
59. "Thaci autonomy for north kosovo is dream". 2007.
60. ^ North Kosovo: Dual Sovereignty in Practice Archived 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. ^ "List of association football clubs playing in the league of another country". secondchoice.life.
63. Kemajl Goca (1 October 2024). "Ministri serb e pranon dhe dorëzohet para Republikës së Kosovës!". Bota Sot. Retrieved 9 November 2024.

Further reading

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

External links

• 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

• North Kosovo
• Disputed territories in Europe
• Independence of Kosovo
• Regions of Kosovo