History and Politics of South Serbia

The first two, Presevo and Bujanovac, lie in a triangle bounded by Serbia, Macedonia and Kosovo, in Pcinjski okrug (District of Pcinja), with Vranje as its administrative centre. In those two municipalities, ethnic Albanians make up the majority of population.

Medvedja, lies some 150 kilometres to the west, andis in the Jablanicki okrug (District of Jablanica), with Leskovac as it`s administrative centre. In Medvedja, Serbs make up the majority of the population, with ethnic Albanians as a significant minority.

The region is still recovering from an armed conflict between Serbia`s security forces and Albanian rebels, known as the UCPMB, (Liberation Army of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja), during 2000 and 2001.

The rebellion followed the Kosovo conflict of 1998 - 1999., and the fall of the Milosevic regime, on October 5th 2000.

The Kosovo conflict involved Serbia`s security forces and the Yugoslav Army, on one side and ethnic Albanian rebels, the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK), on other. The conflict and atrocities against the civilian population led to the NATO air campaign against the  Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1999.
 
South Serbia`s ethnic Albanians, in a 1992 referendum for territorial and cultural autonomy, for the opportunity to joining Kosovo. But, although the vast majority of Albanians voted “yes”, neither Belgrade, nor the international community ever recognised the referendum.

South Serbia's conflict ended in 2001. with the disarmament of the UCPBM rebels, and an agreement monitored by NATO and the international community.

At the beginning of the conflict, the government of Serbia formed a Coordinating Body, with the task of enabling better communication between Belgrade and the local ethnic Albanian political leaders in order to deal more efficiently with the problems of the region. The Coordinating Body still exists.

A year after the armed conflict ended, in July 2002, local elections were held, and in Bujanovac, for the first time, an ethnic Albanian was elected mayor of Bujanovac, while power was shared between Serb and ethnic Albanian parties.

How does it looks today?  Who has power in each of the three municipalities? What is the ethnicity of the region?  What are the most important economic and natural resources of the region?  For the latest news and analysis, read our special South Serbia page.