Under the 1992 Constitution the Union republic of Yugoslavia
comprises two republics: the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Monte
Negro. Within Serbia there are the autonomous regions of Voivodina and
Kosovo and Metohija. Kosovo and Metohija is home to 2 million people -
one fifth of the population of Serbia. 95 percent of them are Albanians.
The capital of the province is Pristina. Kosovo is rich in coal, silver,
lead and zinc. It boasts the Trepca mining and smelting giant and a group
of Oblichevo thermo-electric power stations.
Serbia's southern region of Kosovo ("kos" is
"thrush" in Serbian)is the cradle of Serb  culture
and civilization where Serbs and Montenegrins were in the majority before
the beginning of this century.
Kosovo was annexed to Serbia after the Balkan war of
1912-1913 when the number of Serbs and Albanians was nearly equal. Albanians
began to arrive in Kosovo in great numbers during the Second World War
after the province was occupied by the Nazis. Thousands of Serbs and Montenegrins
were forced to leave Kosovo while Albanians came to settle there from Albania.
According to Serbia's Constitution which came into force
on September 28th, 1990, Kosovo's rights were curtailed considerably and
legislative and executive bodies abolished to leave territorial and cultural
autonomy alone. The province was then named Kosovo and Metohija, a word
of Greek origin, "metoh" meaning "suburb", "country
property" which should remind the Albanians that this was a Serb territory
where the first Serb state had originated.
That was followed by Kosovo Albanians declaring their
own "Republic of Kosovo". They formed a parliament and a government
which is in emigration in Switzerland. In May 1992 Ibrahim Rugova was elected
first President of the Republic of Kosovo.
1996 saw the creation of a terrorist organization to
be known as the Kosovo Liberation Army to fight for independence.
March 1998 saw the beginning of a bloodshed in Kosovo
between Kosovo Albanians demanding independence and Serb policemen.
Since March 1998 Kosovo Albanian representatives and
Yugoslav officials have been holding negotiations to resolve the conflict.
The year 1998 witnessed the creation of the Contact Group
which held regular meetings to discuss a settlement.
On June 15th, 1998 NATO countries start exercises near
Yugoslavia's borders. According to the American Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright, their purpose is to warn President Miloshevic about the need
to stop military operations in Kosovo.
Russia has from the very beginning called for a negotiated
settlement supporting the Contact Group's proposal to impose an embargo
on weapons supplies to Yugoslavia.
Kosovo is not only the cradle of medieval Serb culture
but a Serb Jerusalem symbolizing allegiance to Christianity. It preserves
the genetic code of Orthodox Serbs which cannot exist without Kosovo. It
was in Kosovo in 1389 that Serbs fought Ottoman Turks in a battle which
became a kind of sacrifice for them. The then Serb Prince Lazar refused
to accept a victory in exchange for renunciation of Christian faith and
accepted defeat and death in order to preserve the spiritual values of
his people.
Kosovo boasts more than 1800 Serb-Byzantine medieval
monuments including  monasteries
in Pec, Decani, Prizren and Gracanitsa, and a great number of monuments
belonging to Ottoman civilization. The Gracanitsa convent was damaged by
the recent air strikes.
The revival of the monasteries began after Bishop Artemy
visited Crna Reka monastery in 1974. He decided to devote himself to monastic
life and became a confessor of Serb Christians. The role of the Serb Orthodox
Church in the rebirth of the Serb people can hardly be underestimated.
For today monasteries in Decany and Kovil are the biggest
in the Serb Orthodox Church. The situation in Visoky Decany monastery complicated
recently due to the continuing fighting nearby between Serb policemen and
militants of the outlawed Kosovo Liberation Army. The monastery is situated
in immediate proximity to the Albanian border. A considerable number of
local residents have fled the area, so the monastery is now used to house
cattle they left behind.
Life has returned to many monasteries in Kosovo in the
past few decades. There are 21 monks in Visoky Decani monastery and more
in Kovil monastery.
Gracanitsa is the largest convent which is situated near
Pristina. More than 20 nuns live there. Founded by King Milutin in 1315-21.
The dome-shaped Church of the Annunciation (1315-21), its interiour bearing
murals dating back to 1321-22 and late 14th century and vestry - Serb icons
and illuminated manuscripts of the 14th to 16th centuries.
Decani is a monastery near Pec, the domain of King Stephan
Decansky which was founded in early 14th century, Pantocrator Church (1327-35).
In the interior are paintings depicting portraits of emperors of the Nemanici
dynasty, a stone iconostasis with 14-16th centuries icons, the wooden sarcophagus
of Emperor Snephan III and in the ventry are jewellry works of art. The
remains of stone fortifications, a belfry, a refectory and a town house
and a cell.
Zvecan is a fortress in Kosovo founded in the 11th century
and situated on a rock on the left bank of the Ibar river.
Pec is a city in Kosovo, a residence of Serb archbishops
and patriarchs. The architectural complex of the Patriarchate of 1230 -
mid 14th century is situated here.
Prizren is a city in Kosovo, first records dating back
to early 11th century as the bishop's residence. Situated here are the
Church of the Virgin, Gazi-Mehmed-pashi mosques (mid 16th century), and
near the city are ruins of the Vishegrad fortress (14th century) and St.Archangel
Monastery (1348-52).
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