Preševo
Preševo
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Town and municipality | |
UTC+2 (CEST) | |
Postal code | 17523 |
Area code | +381(0)17 |
Car plates | VR |
Website | www |
Preševo (Serbian Cyrillic: Прешево, pronounced [prêʃeʋə]; Albanian: Preshevë) is a town and municipality located in the Pčinja District of southern Serbia. As of the 2022 census, the municipality has a population of 33,449 inhabitants.[2] It is the southernmost town in Central Serbia and largest in the geographical region of Preševo Valley.
Preševo is the cultural center of Albanians in Serbia. Albanians form the ethnic majority of the municipality, followed by Serbs, Roma and other ethnic groups.[3]
History
Slavs arrived roughly in the 7th century, when they first migrated to the Balkans, and by the Middle Ages, Preševo was part of the Kingdom of Serbia. According to
From 1877 to 1913 Preševo was part of
Yugoslavia (1918–92)
Kingdom of Yugoslavia was formed after World War I. From 1929 to 1941 Preševo was part of the Vardar Banovina.
During the
From 1945 until 1992 Preševo was part of
Breakup of Yugoslavia (1991–99)
In 1992, the Albanians in the area organized a referendum in which they voted that Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac should join the self-declared assembly of the Republic of Kosova. However, no major events happened until the end of the 1990s.
During the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999, a total of 161 depleted uranium bullets have been recovered in Reljan near Preševo in southern Serbia. The Serbian government has funded the cleanup operation of the Reljan site with 350,000 euros.[18]
Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, and nearby Kosovo War which lasted until 1999, between 1999 and 2001, an ethnic Albanian paramilitary separatist organization, the UÇPMB, raised an armed insurgency in the Preševo Valley, in the region mostly inhabited by Albanians, with a goal to occupy these three municipalities from Serbia and join them to the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosova.
Following the overthrow of Slobodan Milošević, the new Serbian government suppressed the violence by 2001 and defeated the separatists. NATO troops also helped the Serbian government by ensuring that the rebels do not import the conflicts back into Kosovo.[19]
In 2009, Serbia opened a military base Cepotina 5 kilometers south of Bujanovac, to further stabilize the area.[20]
Modern
Today, Preševo is located in the Pčinja District of southern Serbia.
On 7 March 2017, the President of Albania Bujar Nishani made a visit to the municipalities of Bujanovac and Preševo, in which Albanians form the ethnic majority.[21]
Settlements
Aside from the town of Preševo, the municipality includes the following settlements:
Demographics
Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
---|---|---|
1948 | 23,379 | — |
1953 | 24,607 | +1.03% |
1961 | 26,738 | +1.04% |
1971 | 30,056 | +1.18% |
1981 | 33,948 | +1.23% |
1991 | 38,943 | +1.38% |
2002 | 34,904 | −0.99% |
2011[a] | 23,080 | −4.49% |
2022 | 33,449 | +3.43% |
Source: [22][2] |
According to the 2002 census results, the municipality of Preševo has 34,904 inhabitants. The 2011 census was largely boycotted by the majority (Albanians) of the municipality. As a result, only 3,080 were inhabitants were registered. As of 2022 census, the municipality has a population of 33,449 inhabitants.[2]
Ethnic groups
According to the census conducted in 2002, Albanians form nearly 90% of the municipality, and over 95% of the town. Most of the remainder of its inhabitants are Serbs, who are mainly concentrated in the settlements of Ljanik, Svinjište, Slavujevac and Cakanovac. The rest of the settlements have an absolute Albanian majority.
The ethnic composition of the municipality:
Ethnic group | Population 1961[23] |
Population 1971[24] |
Population 1981[25] |
Population 1991[26] |
Population 2002[27] |
Population 2011[28][a] |
Census 2022 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Population | % | |||||||
Albanians | 18,229 | 23,625 | 28,961 | 34,992 | 31,098 | 416 | 31,340 | 93.69 |
Serbs | 6,741 | 5,777 | 4,204 | 3,206 | 2,984 | 2,294 | 1,607 | 4.80 |
Romani | 146 | 312 | 434 | 505 | 322 | 271 | 219 | 0.65 |
Macedonians | 43 | 71 | 36 | - | 21 | 14 | 6 | 0.02 |
Muslims
|
40 | 70 | 100 | 118 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0.00 |
Montenegrins | 14 | 8 | 19 | 7 | 2 | - | 1 | 0.00 |
Yugoslavs | 94 | 18 | 27 | 35 | - | 1 | 1 | 0.00 |
Others | 1,431 | 176 | 167 | 80 | 462 | 82 | 274 | 0.82 |
Total | 26,738 | 30,057 | 33,948 | 38,943 | 34,904 | 3,080 | 33,449 |
Notable people
- Bardhly Osmani, Albanian guerrilla fighter for the UÇPMB
- Fidan Aliti, Kosovo-Albanian footballer, national team
- Idriz Seferi, Albanian nationalist figure, born in Sefer
- Iljasa Zulfiu, Albanian-Serbian footballer
- Arta Selimi, Albanian actress
Economy
The following table gives a preview of total number of registered people employed in legal entities per their core activity (as of 2018):[29]
Activity | Total |
---|---|
Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 11 |
Mining and quarrying | 9 |
Manufacturing | 660 |
Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply | 14 |
Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities | 48 |
Construction | 202 |
Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles | 529 |
Transportation and storage | 343 |
Accommodation and food services | 213 |
Information and communication | 29 |
Financial and insurance activities | 35 |
Real estate activities | - |
Professional, scientific and technical activities | 95 |
Administrative and support service activities | 60 |
Public administration and defense; compulsory social security | 628 |
Education | 722 |
Human health and social work activities | 295 |
Arts, entertainment and recreation | 98 |
Other service activities | 95 |
Individual agricultural workers | 40 |
Total | 4,127 |
Politics
Elections
In December 2005, the leader of the Albanian Democratic party (PDSH) Ragmi Mustafa became the president of the municipality. He was re-elected several times and served as the president of the municipality until 2016.
On 7 March 2017, the President of Albania Bujar Nishani made a historical visit to the municipalities of Preševo and Bujanovac, in which Albanians form the ethnic majority.[21] Three days later, Ardita Sinani became the president of the municipality of Preševo, following the resignation of Shqiprim Arifi due to the termination of the municipal coalition.[30]
Stele controversies 2012–13
On 21 November 2012, the municipality council of Preševo erected a stele in the center of the town honouring members of the former UÇPMB, who died during the Preševo Valley Conflict from 1999 to 2001, causing a public outcry throughout Serbia. The Prime Minister of Serbia, Ivica Dačić, said about this incident: "It's best that they remove it themselves, because this is a needless provocation, nowhere else in Europe can a memorial plaque be erected to those who are members of terrorist organizations and those who were directly involved in the murders of police officers and soldiers".[31][32] He called for the removal of the stele to 17 January, then several Albanian politicians and organizations responded with criticism. Mayor of Preševo Ragmi Mustafa said that the stele shows the identity of the Albanians in the region and announced that it would end the cooperation with national authorities of
Deputies of the
As a first reaction, the former commander of UÇPMB, Orhan Rexhepi, made the separatist statement that this is a "historic day", because "Preševo and Bujanovac will be a part of Kosovo."[40] Ragmi Mustafa, Preševo's Mayor, confirmed shortly afterwards that the Albanians want a union with Kosovo for a long time.[41]
The former president of the National Council for Cooperation with the
On the evening of 20 January, a group of Albanians who protested against the removal of the stele gathered in
In response to the removal of the stele, dozens of Albanians, led by former UÇK veterans, destroyed a memorial plaque from the World War II in
Culture
The Abdulla Krashnica Culture Center (Shtëpia e Kulturës "Abdulla Krashnica") is the home to various culture events in Preševo. Its complex includes the town library, music hall and theater. Preševo organizes the annual "Netët e komedisë" (The nights of comedy), a one–week festival with comedy shows from all the Albanian-speaking territories. The festival was first organized in 1994.
There are some natural heritage sites in Preševa Valley like: (Shpella e Ilincës), (Shpella e Arushës), (Trungu i Çarrit), (Burimi i ujit në Banjke), (Ujëndarësi i Preshevës). There has been some criticism, and Arsim Ejupi in his work Kërkime Gjeografike from 2013, claims that until now there were no activities regarding the protection and management of this natural heritage sites, and that this situation is a result of lack of capacities in local government and NGOs regarding the professional treatment of environmental issues. He considers that only with active participation of these actors it can be realized protection and sustainable management of natural heritage in Preševo Valley and the development of ecotourism in the region of Preševo Valley.[52]
See also
- List of places in Serbia
- Albanians in Serbia
References
- ^ "Municipalities of Serbia, 2006". Statistical Office of Serbia. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
- ^ a b c d НАЦИОНАЛНА ПРИПАДНОСТ Подаци по општинама и градовима
- ISBN 978-86-6161-025-7.
- ^ Историско друштво НР Србије 1951, pp. 20-21:
према повељи манастиру богоро- дичимог ваведења у Архиљевици,50 држао као своју баштину пространу област иеточно од Скопске Црне Горе. Она је обухватала старе жупе Прешево и Жеглигово (данас кумановски крај са Средореком, Козјачијом...
- ^ Mandić 1986, p. 161:
У повељи манастиру Архиљевици, издатој ав- густа 1355. године, Душан на три места каже: "Брат царства ми севастократор Дејан". Именица брат има вишеструко значење. Најодређеније је оно примарно: рођени брат.
- ^ Fajfric, 42
- ^ Mihaljčić 1989, p. 81:
Дејанова баштина — жупе Жеглигово и Прешево — простиру се између Пчиње, Јужне Мораве и Скопске Црне горе. Источно од Жеглигова и Прешева, око горњег тока Струме са Велбуждом, простирала се "држава" севастократора Дејана
- ^
... старе жупе Жеглигово (са данашњом Козјачијом, Средореком и највећим делом Пчиње) на истоку и Прешево са једним делом Гњиланског Карадага на западу. Оно се није ограничавало само на кумановски крај — Жеглигово — ...
- ^ Fajfric, 45. Braća Mrnjavčević
- ^ Samardzic 1892 p. 22:
Синови деспота Дејана заједнички су управљали пространом облашћу у источној Македонији, мада је исправе чешће потписивао старији, Јован Драгаш. Као и његов отац, Јован Драгаш је носио знаке деспотског достојанства. Иако се као деспот помиње први пут 1373, сасвим је извесно да је Јован Драгаш ову титулу добио од цара Уроша. Високо достојанство убрајало се, како је ...
- ^ a b Михаљчић 1975, p. 174
- ^ a b Историјски гласник Друштва историчара СР Србије 1994, p. 31
- ^ Edition de lA̕cadémie bulgare des sciences, 1986, "Balkan studies, Vol. 22", p. 38
- ^ Ćorović 2001, ch. 3, XIII. Boj na Kosovu
- ^ a b Ćorović 2001, ch. 4, I. Srbi između Turaka i Mađara
- ^ Vasil Kanchov. "Macedonia. "Ethnography and statistics." Sofia, 1900, p. 218
- ^ "Šta bi danas rekao Abdulah Krašnica". danas.rs. 12 December 2010.
- ^ Current Issues – Depleted Uranium Weapons in the Balkans
- ^ Lobjakas, Ahto. "NATO: Yugoslav Officials Discuss Presevo Valley". rferl.org. Radio Free Europe / Liberty. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
- ^ "Otvorena baza na jugu Srbije". b92.net (in Serbian). Beta. 23 November 2009. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
- ^ a b "Musliu: Albanski predsednik Bujar Nišani posetiće 7. marta Bujanovac i Preševo". blic.rs (in Serbian). Beta. 3 March 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
- ^ "2011 Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in the Republic of Serbia" (PDF). stat.gov.rs. Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
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- ^ "PM: Government will react to provocation in Preševo". The B92. 21 November 2012. Archived from the original on 21 February 2013. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
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- ^ ^38 [1]Arsim Ejupi| KËRKIME GJEOGRAFIKE Nr. 15, 2013 (39\49)[permanent dead link]|
Notes
a. | ^ In the municipality of Preševo there was undercoverage of the census units owing to the boycott by most of the members of the Albanian ethnic community. |