United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo - History

History

After the war ended, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1244 that placed Kosovo under transitional UN administration (UNMIK) and authorized KFOR, a NATO-led peacekeeping force. Almost immediately, returning Kosovo Albanians attacked Kosovo Serbs, causing some 200,000-280,000 Serbs and other non-Albanians to flee (note: the current number of internally displaced persons is disputed, with estimates ranging from 65,000 to 250,000). Many displaced Serbs are afraid to return to their homes, even with UNMIK protection. Around 120,000-150,000 Serbs remain in Kosovo, but are subject to ongoing harassment and discrimination. This has continued the trend of reducing the numbers of Serbs which, in percentage terms, resulted in changes of the demographic map of the Kosovo and Metohija's population. Over the course of the last century the percentages have changed as follows: 1871 - Serbs: 64% Albanians: 32%; 1948 - Serbs: 24% Albanians: 65%; 1971 - Serbs: 18% Albanians: 74%; 1995 - Serbs: 8% Albanians: 90%; 2008 - Serbs: 5%; Albanians: 92%.

According to Amnesty International, the presence of peacekeepers in Kosovo led to an increase in the trafficking of women for sexual exploitation.

In 2001, UNMIK promulgated a Constitutional Framework for Kosovo that established the Provisional Institutions of Self-Government (PISG), including an elected Kosovo Assembly, Presidency and office of Prime Minister. Kosovo held its first free, Kosovo-wide elections in late 2001 (municipal elections had been held the previous year). UNMIK oversaw the establishment of a professional, multi-ethnic Kosovo Police Service.

In March 2004, Kosovo experienced its worst inter-ethnic violence since the Kosovo War. The unrest in 2004 was sparked by a series of minor events that soon cascaded into large-scale riots. This event was the motive for protests since no one was ever arrested nor personally accused in the case. Protesting, the Kosovo Albanians mobs burned hundreds of Serbian houses, Serbian Orthodox Church sites (including some medieval churches and monasteries) and UN facilities. Kosovo Police established a special investigation team to handle cases related to the 2004 unrest and according to Kosovo Judicial Council by the end of 2006 the 326 charges filed by municipal and district prosecutors for criminal offenses in connection with the unrest had resulted in 200 indictments: convictions in 134 cases, and courts acquitted eight and dismissed 28; 30 cases were pending. International prosecutors and judges handled the most sensitive cases.

Kosovo Serbs working for the Serbian government receive, since 1999, a stipend called kosovski dodatak. The extra payment was created during Miloševic regime, and it remains to this day.

On 17 February 2008, individual members of the Assembly of Kosovo (acting in personal capacity and not binding the Assembly itself), declared that Kosovo is independent from Serbia; Kosovo Serb parliamentarians, boycotted the session. Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica responded by stating, "Today, this policy of force thinks that it has triumphed by establishing a false state." The Republic of Kosovo has recognition from 89 sovereign UN states.

In August 2008 after the Kosovo Constitution came into play, the UN decided to cut staff levels by 70% during a UN reconfiguration in the country. Much of the UN powers in Kosovo were transferred to the Kosovo Government and the EU policing mission in Kosovo called EULEX.