Rocznik_2014-215

Bosnia and Herzegovina in Kosovar Perspective: An Agenda for International Cooperation
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of the 20 th century, Yugoslavia was a truly multi-national state; The
Bosniak and Albanian communities comprised 18.6% respectively 8%
of the total Yugoslav population by 1988 5 . (See table 1.)
Table 1. Kosovo and Bosnian population within Yugoslavia 6
Year
Population in Percentage
1953 1979 1988
Kosovo 4.8% 6.9% 8%
Bosnia and Herzegovina 16.7% 18.6% 18.8%
The course of wars and the rise of nationalism and economic issues
within Yugoslavia profoundly influenced the stability of the federation.
The internal movements within BiH and later on Kosovo 7 raised
violence to a total new level and agitated the public opinion in Yugoslavia.
These movements triggered a chain of bloody wars that lasted
for years bringing the Yugoslav federation towards an end. Needless
to say, the conflicts brought unity, especially between Bosniaks and
Kosovo Albanians, having to share a similar experience of war, displacement
and later on international intervention.
The political elite in BiH having to deal with coordination and problems
originated by the Dayton Peace signed in December 1995 8 were
reluctant to show support for Kosovo explicitly. Nevertheless, by the
end of April, around 600, 000 residents of Kosovo had become refugees;
roughly 400,000 were displaced internally within the territory of
Kosovo. 375,000 Kosovars moved south to the neighbouring Albania,
and 150,000 had moved to Macedonia. Others moved to Montenegro
5 Lampe, J. R. (1996). Yugoslavia as history: twice there was a country. Cambridge: Cambridge Uniiversity
Press, 336-337.
6 Leätina D. (1992). Regional Development in Communist Yugoslavia: Success, Failure, anti-Consequences,
Boulder, CO: Westview Press (180-181).
7 For the purpose of this paper the case of Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro and FYROM will not be
elaborated.
8 Peace agreement reached on November 21, 1995, by the presidents of Bosnia, Croatia, and Serbia,
ending the war in Bosnia and outlining a General Framework of the Bosnian Federation and
its political system.
Rocznik Instytutu Europy Środkowo-Wschodniej • Rok 12 (2014) • Zeszyt 3