On March 23, 1989, the Parliament of Kosovo, under heavy military presence, voted to revoke Kosovo’s autonomy within the former Yugoslav Federation, placing it directly under Serbian control.
The vote took place under extreme pressure, with tanks and armed forces surrounding the Assembly. Out of 190 delegates, 10 courageously voted against the suppression, despite the intense military lockdown.
Protests & Resistance
The revocation of autonomy triggered widespread protests and demonstrations, with miners from Trepça leading a historic strike in February 1989 in defense of Kosovo’s constitutional status.
During the mass protests:
- Around 30 demonstrators were killed
- Hundreds were injured
- Hundreds more were arrested and imprisoned
The Beginning of an Anti-Kosovo Campaign
This political crackdown was part of a larger Serbian nationalist movement, which began in 1987 in Fushë Kosovë and led to the rise of Slobodan Milošević, later known as the “Butcher of the Balkans”.
The events of March 23, 1989, are remembered as a turning point in Kosovo’s history, paving the way for a decade-long struggle that ultimately led to Kosovo’s independence in 2008.
