Prof. Dr. Fejzulla BERISHA. Translation Petrit Latifi.

In international discourse, and especially in Belgrade’s political narrative, the claim that “Serbia has lost Kosovo” is often repeated. This is a deliberate manipulation, a historical and political lie that aims to present Kosovo as legitimate Serbian property – allegedly unjustly stolen.

In reality, Kosovo has never been part of Serbia in the legal sense, but a territory conquered through violence and held with repression for more than a century.

I. The 1912 Invasion of Kosovo: The End of Ottoman Rule, Not the Beginning of Serbian Law

In October 1912, the army of the Kingdom of Serbia occupied Kosovo – then still part of the Ottoman Empire – without any international legal basis that would guarantee it sovereignty over this territory. International reports of the time, such as that of the Carnegie Commission (1913), testify to massive crimes against the Albanian population: massacres, expulsions, burnings and looting.

This military occupation, like any other form of colonialism, does not create sovereign rights. Serbia never gained legitimacy over Kosovo, but only control imposed by force.

II. The policy of colonization and Serbization (1912–1941)

After the occupation, Serbia and later the Kingdom of Yugoslavia developed a planned policy of colonization with Serbs and Montenegrins, in an attempt to change the demographic structure of Kosovo. The laws on colonization (1920–1939) distributed Albanian property to Slavic settlers, following a clear strategy of ethno-cleansing. Albanian schools were closed, the Albanian language and culture were suppressed, while thousands of Albanians were deported to Turkey.

This was systematic and deliberate violence – an attempt to make Kosovo “Serbian land” by eliminating Albanians as a constituent element.

III. Kosovo in Yugoslavia: Constitutional Autonomy, Not a “Natural” Part of Serbia

After World War II, Kosovo was included in the Yugoslav Federation as a formally autonomous province within Serbia, but with a special constitutional status, culminating in the 1974 Constitution. It had self-governing institutions, federal representation, and equivalent powers to the other republics.

Only in 1989, with the arrival of Slobodan Milošević, did Serbia suppress this autonomy through violence – a constitutional coup accompanied by sending the army to the Kosovo Assembly and the abolition of Albanian institutions. This act was legally invalid and was opposed by the Albanians with the creation of parallel institutions, proving that Kosovo was not part of Serbia even then, but an entity resisting internal colonization.

IV. The 1998–1999 War and NATO Intervention: The End of Serbian Colonial Rule

In the late 1990s, Serbia intensified its repression of Albanians. Over 13,000 civilians were killed, hundreds of thousands were expelled, and dozens of massacres were committed – from Prekaz to Kruše, Mejë and Reçak. These crimes show that Serbia did not exercise sovereign authority, but rule by terror.

NATO’s intervention in March 1999, based on the principles of international humanitarian law, demonstrated the international rejection of Serbian rule over Kosovo and paved the way for the liberation and building of new institutions.

V. Independence in 2008 and the opinion of the International Court of Justice

On 17 February 2008, Kosovo declared independence through an internationally supervised process. In 2010, the International Court of Justice found that this declaration did not violate any norm of international law. So, the world was convinced: Kosovo was not “separated” from Serbia, but was liberated from an invader.

VI. Serbian narrative: manipulation for diplomatic purposes

Serbia has built a deliberate narrative, where it presents itself as a victim that “lost Kosovo” due to external intervention. This narrative is used on all fronts – in the dialogue with the EU, in relations with Russia and China, and in efforts to prevent Kosovo’s membership in international organizations.

But this language is not based on legal facts, nor on historical reality. It aims to cover up crimes and legitimize claims that never existed.

VII. The Danger of Acceptance of This Narrative

The use of the phrase “Serbia Lost Kosovo” is harmful and dangerous because:

-it transforms the liberation of Kosovo into a territorial dispute;-

relativizes the struggle for freedom and the sacrifice of the Albanian people;-

encourages Serbia to continue its policy of denial and diplomatic obstruction.

This is an insult to the victims, to the KLA, to international assistance and to the very principles on which Kosovo’s statehood was built.
VIII. What Should Kosovo Do?

Kosovo must build and articulate with determination a counter-narrative on three pillars:

1. Historical truth – by recalling reports and facts about the occupation and repression (1912–1999);

2. International law – with an emphasis on the principle of self-determination and the legitimacy of the declaration of independence;

3. The language of liberation, not partition – Kosovo was not separated from Serbia, but was liberated from colonial rule.

Conclusion: Truth as the basis for the protection of statehood

Kosovo’s statehood is not a “favor” bestowed, but a reality earned with blood, perseverance, and national vision. Kosovo is not Serbia’s “loss” – because Serbia never had it. Therefore, every international representation, every diplomatic statement, and every academic text must be based on this fundamental truth.

Saying that Serbia “lost” Kosovo is like saying that a thief lost the house he had occupied by force. No – the house was returned to its rightful owner.

Reference

https://gazetadielli.com/kosova-kurre-pjese-e-serbise-e-verteta-historike-e-mohuar-me-qellim/