Serbian enclaves in Kosovo
Serbian enclaves refers to settlements in Kosovo outside North Kosovo ("south of the Ibar") where Serbs form a majority. The term does not include North Kosovo with a compact Serb majority, in which Kosovo institutions are still not fully operational. After the initial outflow after the Kosovo War the situation of the Kosovo Serb communities has improved and under the Ahtisaari plan minority rights have been promoted.
Serbs have often built roadblocks and barricades, to prevent access by Kosovo Police and customs officers. The 2013 Brussels Agreement allowed full operation of Kosovo Police and customs officials.
After the 2013 Brussels Agreement between the governments of Kosovo and Serbia, Serbia recognised the municipalities and the Republic's governance of the territory, and agreed to create an association of Serb-majority municipalities, which will operate within the Kosovan legal framework.
History
According to the 1991 census in Yugoslavia, there were five municipalities with a Serb majority in the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija. Those were: Leposavić, Zvečan, Zubin Potok, Štrpce and Novo Brdo. The remaining municipalities had an Albanian majority. Other significant ethnic minority in Kosovo were Muslims by nationality (today mostly identify as Bosniaks), and Roma who did not form majority in any of the municipalities. The 1991 census was boycotted by most Albanians., and is generally seen as unreliable.
