Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo

This article is about the Yugoslav Autonomous Province of Kosovo between 1974 and 1990. For other periods, see Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija (disambiguation).

Socijalistička Autonomna Pokrajina Kosovo Социјалистичка Аутономна Покрајина Косово Krahina Socialiste Autonome e Kosovës Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo
A Socialist Autonomous Province of SR Serbia, and a federal unit of SFR Yugoslavia
← 1974 — 1990 →
Flag
Capital	Priština
Official languages	Serbian, Albanian
Area  - Total  - Water	10,686 km² Negligible
Population  - Total   - Density	1,584,441 148.1/km²
Currency	Yugoslav dinar
Time zone	UTC + 1

Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo (Serbian: Socijalistička Autonomna Pokrajina Kosovo, Социјалистичка Аутономна Покрајина Косово; Albanian: Krahina Socialiste Autonome e Kosovës) was one of the two socialist autonomous areas of the Socialist Republic of Serbia incorporated into the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1974 until 1990. It was a predecessor of the modern day Kosovo.

Background

Main article: Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija (1946–1974)

History

The Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija received more and more autonomy and self-government within Serbia and Yugoslavia during the 1970s, and its name was officially changed in 1974 to Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo ("and Metohija" was removed because it was not used by the Kosovo Albanians and "Socialist" added to further show the Socialist ideal of then's SFRY) as per the Constitutions of SFRY and SR Serbia, when SAP Kosovo also gained its own Constitution. The Province of Kosovo gained the highest officials, most notably Presidency and Government, and gained a seat in the Federal Yugoslavian Presidency (including veto power on the federal level) which equated it to the states of SR Serbia.^{[citation needed]}

The local Albanian-dominated ruling class had been asking for recognition of Kosovo as a parallel republic to Serbia within the Federation, and after Josip Broz Tito’s death in 1980, the demands were renewed. In March 1981, Albanian students protested demanding independence of Kosovo. Subsequently the situation rapidly escalated into extremely violent mass-riots across the province that spread across 6 major Kosovo cities and included over 20,000 Albanian dissidents.^{[citation needed]} The Yugoslav authorities harshly persecuted and contained the civil unrest. Emigration of non-Albanians increased and ethnic tensions between Albanians and non-Albanians greatly increased, with violent inner-attacks, especially aimed at the Yugoslavian officials and representatives of authority.^{[citation needed]}

Slobodan Milošević became the leader of the Serbian communists in 1986, and then seized control of Kosovo and Vojvodina. This can especially be seen in the 1987 rift in Kosovo, which became the final turnout of possibilities of peace between Albanians and Yugoslavia.^{[citation needed]} On 28 June 1989, Milošević led a mass celebration with hundreds of thousands (almost one million)^{[citation needed]} Serbs in Gazimestan on the 600th anniversary of a 1389 Battle of Kosovo. Milošević's Gazimestan speech, which marked the beginning of his political prominence, was an important part of the events that contributed to the ongoing crisis in Kosovo. The ensuing Serbian nationalist movement was also a contributing factor to the Yugoslav Wars.^{[citation needed]}

In 1989, Milošević revoked the autonomy of Kosovo, returning it to the pre-1974 Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija status, which was passed by the Kosovo Parliament on 28 September 1990.^{[citation needed]}

Demographics

See also: Demographic history of Kosovo

According to the 1981 census (the only census taken during the existence of the Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo), the population of the province numbered 1,584,441 people, including:

• 1,226,736 Albanians (84.4%)
• 236,526 Serbs (7.9%)
• 58,562 Muslims (3.7%)
• 34,126 Roma (2.2%)
• 12,513 Turks (0.8%)
• 8,717 Croats (0.6%)
• 2,676 Yugoslavs (0.2%)
• 4,584 others (0.2%)

Politics

The only political party in the province was League of Communists of Kosovo, which was part of the League of Communists of Serbia and part of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia.^{[citation needed]}

The Constitution of the Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo was the highest juridical act of the province.

Heads of institutions

Prime Ministers

Chairman of the Executive Council of the People's Committee of the Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo:

• Fadil Hoxha, 1945–1953

Chairmen of the Executive Council of the Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo:

• Fadil Hoxha, 1953–1963
• Ali Shukri, 1963 – May 1967
• Ilija Vakić, May 1967 – May 1974
• Bogoljub Nedeljković, May 1974 – May 1978
• Bahri Oruçi, May 1978 – May 1980
• Riza Sapindžija, May 1980 – May 1982
• Imer Pula, May 1982 – 5 May 1984
• Ljubomir Neo Borković, 5 May 1984 – May 1986
• Namzi Mustafa, May 1986 – 1987
• Kaqusha Jashari, 1987 – May 1989
• Nikolla Shkreli, May 1989 – 1989
• Daut Jashanica, 1989
• Jusuf Zejnullahu, 4 December 1989 – 5 July 1990

Presidents

Chairman of the People's Liberation Committee of the Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo:

• Mehmed Hoxha, 1 January 1944 – 11 July 1945

presidents of the Assembly of the Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo:

• Fadil Hoxha, 11 July 1945 – 20 February 1953; 24 June 1967 – 7 May 1969
• Ismet Saqiri, 20 February 1953 – 12 December 1953
• Đorđije Pajković, 12 December 1953 – 5 May 1956
• Pavle Jovićević, 5 May 1956 – 4 April 1960
• Dusan Mugoša, 4 April 1960 – 18 June 1963
• Stanoje Akšić, 18 June 1963 – 24 June 1967
• Ilaz Kurteshi, 7 May 1969 – May 1974

presidents of Presidency of the Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo:

• Xhavit Nimani, March 1974 – 1981
• Ali Shukriu, August 1981 – 1982
• Kolë Shiroka, 1982 – May 1983
• Shefqet Nebih Gashi, May 1983 – May 1985
• Branislav Skembarević, May 1985 – May 1986
• Bajram Selani, May 1986 – May 1988
• Remzi Kolgeci, May 1988 – 5 April 1989
• Hysen Kajdomçaj, 27 June 1989 – 11 April 1990

See also

Part of a series on the
History of Kosovo
Early History
Prehistoric Balkans
Roman Empire
Byzantine Empire
Middle Ages
Bulgarian Empire
Medieval Serbia
Battle of Kosovo
Ottoman Kosovo
Eyalet of Rumelia
Vilayet of Kosovo
Albanian nationalism
20th century
First Balkan War
Kingdom of Serbia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Albanian Kingdom (1939–1943)
Albanian Kingdom (1943–1944)
AP Kosovo and Metohija
SAP Kosovo
AP Kosovo and Metohija
Republic of Kosovo
Recent history
Kosovo War
UN administration
2008 Kosovo declaration of independence
Contemporary Kosovo
See also
Timeline of history
Kosovo portal

• Kosovo
• Vojvodina
• SAP Vojvodina
• History of Kosovo
• Constitutional status of Kosovo
• Socialist Republic of Serbia

External links

• (Albanian) Constitution of Kosovo (1974)
• Constitutions of Kosovo