It has been 37 years since the demonstrations opposing the suppression of Kosovo’s autonomy.
On March 23, 1989, the Kosovo Assembly amended the 1974 Constitution, effectively stripping Kosovo of its autonomy within the former Yugoslavia and placing it under the direct administration of Serbia.
The parliament was surrounded by tanks and military forces, and under strict martial law, Serbia violently removed Kosovo’s autonomous status. Among the 190 delegates present, some voted against the suppression despite immense pressure, defending Kosovo’s constitutional position.
Earlier, in February 1989, the month was marked by a miners’ strike at the Trepça Mine, defending Kosovo’s constitutional status.
During the demonstrations against the suppression of autonomy, calling for the creation of the Republic of Kosovo, around 30 people were martyred, hundreds were injured, and many others were arrested and imprisoned.
The entire campaign against Kosovo had started earlier, in 1987, by Serbian political circles in Kosovo Polje. This period is recognized as the beginning of the anti-Albanian Serbian movement and marks the rise to power of Slobodan Milošević.
