Serbia - officially the Republic of Serbia
Official Languages - Serbian
Population - 7.2 Million (2011 Estimate)
Currency - Serbian Dinar(RSD)
Ethnic Groups - Serbs 83%;
Hungarians 4%
Bosniaks2% and
Others 11%
Serbia has the largest refugee population in Europe.Refugees and Internally Displace Persons in Serbia form between 7% and 7.5% of its population.About half a million refugees sought refuge in the country following the series of Yugoslav Wars, mainly from Croatia, and to a lesser extent from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the IDPs from Kosovo, which are currently the most numerous at over 200,000.
89% of households in Serbia have fixed telephone lines, and with over 9.60 million users the number of cell-phones surpasses the number of total population of Serbia
Flag Of Serbia
In the early 19th century the Serbian revolution reestablished the country as the region's first constitutional monarchy, which subsequently expanded its territory and pioneered the abolition of feudalism in Southeast Europe.
Following World War I, Serbia formed Yugoslavia with other South Slavic peoples which existed in several forms up until 2006, when Serbia retrieved its independence.
Out of roughly 1,000,000 casualties in all of Yugoslavia up until 1944 around 250,000 were citizens of Serbia of different ethnicities, according to Zundhauzen. The overall number of ethnic Serb casualties in Yugoslavia was around 530,000, out of whom up to 400,000 in the NDH genocide campaign.
The communist takeover resulted in abolition of the monarchy, ban on the royal family's return and a subsequent orchestrated constitutional referendum on the republic-socialist type of government.
In the aftermath of the victory of the communist Yugoslav Partisans, a totalitariansingle-party state was soon established in Yugoslavia by the League of Communists of Yugoslavia. . Serbia became a constituent republic within the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia known as the Socialist Republic of Serbia and had a republic-branch of the federal Communist party, the League of Communists of Serbia.
Slobodan Milošević rose to power in Serbia in 1989 in the League of Communists of Serbia through a series of coups against incumbent governing members. Milošević promised reduction of powers for the autonomous provinces of Kosovo and Vojvodina. This ignited tensions with the communist leadership of the other republics that eventually resulted in the secession of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovinaand Macedonia from Yugoslavia.
Multiparty democracy was introduced in Serbia in 1990, officially dismantling the former one-party communist system.
In 1992, the governments of Serbia and Montenegro agreed to the creation of a new Yugoslav federation called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia which abandoned the predecessor SFRY's official endorsement of communism, and instead endorsed democracy.
Milošević represented the Bosnian Serbs at the Dayton peace agreement in 1995, signing the agreement which ended the Bosnian War that internally partitioned Bosnia & Herzegovina largely along ethnic lines into a Serb republic and a Bosniak-Croat federation.
In September 2000, opposition parties accused Milošević of electoral fraud. A campaign of civil resistance followed, led by the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS), a broad coalition of anti-Milošević parties. This culminated on 5 October when half a million people from all over the country congregated in Belgrade, compelling Milošević to concede defeat. The fall of Milošević ended Serbia's international isolation. Milošević was sent to the ICTY on accusations of sponsoring war crimes during the breakup of Yugoslavia, which he was held on trial to until his death in 2006.From 2003 to 2006, Serbia was part of the "State Union of Serbia and Montenegro." This union was the successor to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. On 21 May 2006, Montenegro held a referendum to determine whether or not to end its union with Serbia. The next day, state-certified results showed 55.4% of voters in favor of independence. This was just above the 55% required by the referendum.On 5 June 2006, the National Assembly of Serbia declared Serbia to be the legal successor to the former state union. Serbia regained its independence in 2006, after 88 years in various federations.
Religion
Orthodox Christian comprise about 84% of the entire population.Catholics in Serbia, roughly 6.2% of the population. Bosniaks are the largest Muslim community in Serbia with 140,000 followers or 2% of the total population, followed by Albanians whereas some Roma are Muslim.
Protestantism accounts for about 1.1% of the country's population, chiefly among Reformist Hungarians and Slovaks in Vojvodina.
Serbia has two autonomous provinces: Vojvodina in the north and Kosovo and Metohija in the south. The area that lies between Vojvodina and Kosovo is called Central Serbia.
Vojvodina
officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina.
is an autonomous province in Serbia.
capital and largest city is Novi Sad.
there are more than 26 ethnic groups
has 6 official languages - Serbian, Hungarian,Slovak, Romanian,Croatian & Pannonian Rusyn
Kosovo and Metohija
Capital - Pristina
Ethnic Groups - Albanians 88%;Serbs 7% and Others 5%
Population - 1,804,838 (2007 Estimate)
Currency - Euro;Serbian Dinar
is a disputed territory following the collapse of Yugoslavia. The partially recognised Republic of Kosovo a self-declared independent state, has de facto control over most of the territory, with North Kosovo being the largest Kosovo Serb enclave. Serbia does not recognise the unilateral secession of Kosovo and considers it a United Nations-governed entity within its sovereign territory, the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija according to the 2006 Constitution of Serbia.
Ethnic Albanians number about 2 million - about 90% of the population.The Serbian minority live in separate areas watched over by Nato peacekeepers.
The 1974 Yugoslav constitution laid down Kosovo's status as an autonomous province, and pressure for independence mounted in the 1980s after the death of Yugoslav President Tito.
Yugoslav Serbian leader, Slobodan Milosevic. On becoming president in 1989 he proceeded to strip Kosovo of its autonomy.
Kosovo War
By 1996 the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), an ethnic Albanian guerilla group, had prevailed over the non-violent resistance movement and had started offering armed resistance to Serbian and Yugoslav security forces, resulting in early stages of the Kosovo War.
By 1998, as the violence had worsened and displaced scores of Albanians, Western interest had increased. The Serbian authorities were compelled to sign a ceasefire and partial retreat, monitored by OSCE observers according to an agreement negotiated by Richard Holbrooke. However, the ceasefire did not hold and fighting resumed in December 1998.
The Račak massacre in January 1999 in particular brought new international attention to the conflict. Within weeks, a multilateral international conference was convened and by March had prepared a draft agreement known as theRambouillet Accords, calling for restoration of Kosovo's autonomy and deployment of NATOpeacekeeping forces. The Serbian party found the terms unacceptable and refused to sign the draft.
Between March 24 and June 10, 1999, NATO intervened by bombing Yugoslavia aimed to force Milošević to withdraw his forces from Kosovo. This military action was not authorised by the Security Council of the United Nations and was therefore contrary to the provisions of the United Nations Charter.
Combined with continued skirmishes between Albanian guerrillas and Yugoslav forces the conflict resulted in a further massive displacement of population in Kosovo. Roughly a million ethnic Albanians fled or were forcefully driven from Kosovo.
On June 10, 1999, the UN Security Council passed UN Security Council Resolution 1244, which placed Kosovo under transitional UN administration (UNMIK) and authorised KFOR, a NATO-led peacekeeping force. Resolution 1244 provided that Kosovo would have autonomy within the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and affirmed the territorial integrity of Yugoslavia, which has been legally succeeded by the Republic of Serbia.
Declaration of independence
Kosovo with a population of mainly ethnic Albanians, unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on Feb 17, 2008 from Serbia..
75 UN states recognise the independence of Kosovo and it has become a member country of the IMF and World Bank as the Republic of Kosovo.
The UN Security Council remains divided on the question (as of 4 July 2008). Of the five members withveto power, USA, UK, and France recognised the declaration of independence, and the People's Republic of China has expressed concern, while Russia considers it illegal.
The European Union has no official position towards Kosovo's status.
On Oct 8, 2008, the UN General Assembly resolved to request the International Court of Justice to render an advisory opinion on the legality of Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia.
The advisory opinion, which is legally non-binding but had been expected to carry "moral" weight was rendered on 22 July 2010, holding that Kosovo's declaration of independence was not in violation of international law.
Serbs reject Kosovo Albanian rule in referendum - Feb 17,2012
Kosovo has about 120,000 ethnic Serbs, of whom 40,000 live in the north and the rest in scattered enclaves to the south.
Kosovo Serb officials said 99.7% of voters said "no" to the Kosovo government in Pristina.
Ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo have rejected rule by the territory's ethnic Albanian majority, in a referendum criticised by Serbia and the EU.
About 90% of Kosovo's population is ethnic Albanian, but Serbs dominate a northern area bordering on Serbia.Kosovo Serbs have ignored Pristina's decisions and obstructed the EU and Nato law and order mission in Kosovo.
The Kosovo parliament in Pristina denounced the Serbs' referendum this week in a resolution, saying it "does not produce any legally and politically binding effect and as such is not valid".
Slobodan Milosevic’s former spokesman,Ivica Dacic is Serbia’s New Prime Minister
Slobodan Milosevic’s former spokesman — Ivica Dacic — became Serbia’s new Prime Minister on Friday July 27,2012.The Cabinet of Prime Minister Dacic was approved with 142 votes for and 72 against in a 250-member assembly, ending nearly three months of political uncertainty that followed an inconclusive election on May 6,2012.
Ivica Dacic’s coalition government includes ministers from his own Socialist Party; from nationalist Serbian Progressive Party of President Tomislav Nikolic; as well as several smaller group
Serbia reaches deal over Kosovo ahead of EU verdict
The Serbs agreed to allow Kosovo to take part in west Balkan regional meetings despite refusing to recognise its self-declared independence .An EU proposal to have Kosovo's nameplate at meetings followed by an asterisk was accepted.
Serbian President Boris Tadic Resigns
The President announces his resignation on Wednesday April 04,2012 paving the way for early Presidential Election where he will face a strong challenge from a Nationalist candidate.The President has 10 months of his current term of office to serve, but the move will allow him to stand for re-election on May6,2012.
Serbia’s parliament speaker is expected to call the vote for May 6, the same day when parliamentary and local elections are already scheduled
2012 Serbian Presidential Election - May 06,2012
Following the President Boris Tadic's resignation the presidential election was called(The Speaker of the Parliament,Slavica Dukic Dejanovic took over as the Acting President)
Republic Electoral Commission has confirmed 12 candidates.About 6.7 million people were eligible to vote for the 12 candidates.As no candidate won a majority, a runoff was on May 20, 2012 with incumbent Boris Tadic(Democratic Party)running for his 3rd consecutive mandate since 2004 and Tomislav Nikolic(Serbian Progressive Party)running for presidency for a fourth time having lost previous two times in second round of elections to Boris Tadić, and having won in 2003, but that elections were cancelled due to low turnout (38,8%).
Results of the Presidential Election
Candidate
|
First Round Vote %
|
Second Round Vote %
|
Boris Tadic
|
25.31
|
47.4
|
Tomislav Nikolic
|
25.05
|
49.4
|
Tomislav Nikolic has won the election and is the new President of Serbia
2012 Serbian Parliamentary Election - May 06,2012
The parliamentary elections to elect 250 members of National Assembly were held simultaneously with provincial,local and presidential elections. About 6.7 million people were eligible to vote in the elections.The results of the election were -
Political Party
|
Vote %
|
No of Seats Secured
|
Let's Get Serbia Moving Coalition
|
24.04
|
73
|
Choice for a Better Life Coalition
|
22.11
|
67
|
Socialist Party of Serbia Coalition
|
14.53
|
44
|
Democratic Party of Serbia
|
7.00
|
21
|
U-Turn or Turnover
|
6.52
|
19
|
United Regions of Serbia
|
5.49
|
16
|
Others
|
20.31
|
10
|
Total Seats of National Assembly
|
100.00
|
250
|
17th anniversay of the Srebrenica Tragedy -1995-2012
Members of the anti-war organization "Women in Black", hold a banner with 8372 names of people killed in Bosnia, in Belgrade, Serbia. A burial ceremony for 520 of victims will be held in Potocari, on the 17th anniversary of the Srebrenica tragedy when in 1995 Bosnian Serb forces stormed the enclave and systematically killed thousands of Bosnian Muslims
Srebrenica Funeral: Bosnians To Bury 520 Newly Identified Genocide Victims
On the 17th anniversary of Europe's worst massacre since World War II, Muslims in Bosnia are heading to Srebrenica to attend a funeral for 520 newly identified victims.
The remains of those Muslim men and boys slaughtered at Srebrenica around July 11, 1995, will be laid to rest Wednesday July 11,2012 in the town whose name is now synonymous with genocide. The coffins are already at the memorial center and the burial pits have been dug.Slobodan Milosevic’s former spokesman,Ivica Dacic is Serbia’s New Prime Minister
Slobodan Milosevic’s former spokesman — Ivica Dacic — became Serbia’s new Prime Minister on Friday July 27,2012.The Cabinet of Prime Minister Dacic was approved with 142 votes for and 72 against in a 250-member assembly, ending nearly three months of political uncertainty that followed an inconclusive election on May 6,2012.
Ivica Dacic’s coalition government includes ministers from his own Socialist Party; from nationalist Serbian Progressive Party of President Tomislav Nikolic; as well as several smaller group
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