The Rise of Serbian Nationalism and the Violent Revocation of the Kosovo Autonomy in March 1989

The purpose of research paper is analyzing the dissatisfaction of the Serbian nationalist circles who never agreed with the Constitution of 1974 which guaranteed Kosovo Autonomy. This paper examines the involvement of Serbian intellectuals with the concrete task of drawing up plans to change this legal act at all costs, not excluding violence. Scientific novelty to lies in the exploration of historical facts that focus on the socio-political life in Kosovo during the years 1987-1989, the study provides a detailed chronology of the circumstances that resulted in the violent revocation of the Kosovo Autonomy by the Serbian regime. Conclusions. Having as its historical goal the serbization of Kosovo, the Belgrade regime for decades denied the Albanians all their basic rights, treating them as second- and third-class citizens. On this premise, when gained Kosovo Autonomy in 1974, the Serbs remained the most dissatisfied people of the federation. From that time until March 1989, Serbian nationalist circles did not stop drawing up plans aimed at the receiving of Kosovo. It’s process was led by the Academy of Sciences and Arts, the Orthodox Church, the police-army, the media, etc., under the leadership of Slobodan Milošević. Nationalism was so deeply embedded in the Serbian circles led by the leader S. Milošević that they even justified the war for the realization of the idea of Greater Serbia. They openly emphasized that the Serbs, as the largest nation, have the right to be dominant, while the only solution for the other peoples of the federation was to submit. The first confrontation of this warning occurred on March 23, 1989, when Milošević with an iron siege violently revocation of the Kosovo Autonomy. In the following years, confrontations became inevitable for the other peoples of the federation, who, when they refused Serbian submission, were faced with war. As a result of this nationalist policy, in the last ten years of the 20th century, the Serbian leadership started four wars, from which more than 250,000 people were killed.