North Mitrovica

North Mitrovica
Municipality and city
Albanian: Mitrovica e Veriut, Mitrovicë Veriore
Serbian: Северна Косовска Митровица / Severna Kosovska Mitrovica

View of the Mitrovica, with North Mitrovica in the background, Zvečan Fortress on the mountain to the left, and Trepča chimney on the right.
North Mitrovica

Location in Kosovo

Coordinates: 42°53′N 20°52′E / 42.883°N 20.867°E / 42.883; 20.867
Country Kosovo[lower-alpha 1]
District District of Mitrovica
Established 2013
Government
 • Mayor Goran Rakić
Area
 • Total 11 km2 (4 sq mi)
Population
 • Estimate (2014) 29,460
 • Density 2,678/km2 (6,940/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Area code(s) +381 28
Car plates 02
Climate Cfb
Website Official Website

North Mitrovica or North Kosovska Mitrovica (Albanian: Mitrovica e Veriut, Mitrovicë Veriore; Serbian: Ceвepнa Косовска Митровица / Severna Kosovska Mitrovica) is a municipality in Kosovo established in 2013,[1][2] the settlement is part of the city of Mitrovica, divided by the Ibar river (and the river bridge). The separation came as a result of the North Kosovo crisis. It is planned be the administrative centre of the Association of Serb municipalities, which is expected to be formed in 2016.

Since most municipalities in the north boycotted the 2011 Kosovo census, the exact population is unknown.[3] However, according to a report by the OSCE mission in Kosovo, North Mitrovica's total population is 29,460,[4] with the following ethnic composition: 76.6% Serbs, 16.6% Albanians and 6.8% others, including Bosniaks, Roma, Gorani and Turks.

Name

The northern part of Mitrovica ( listen ; formerly "Kosovska Mitrovica") was commonly referred to as "North(ern) Kosovska Mitrovica" (Serbian: Северна Косовска Митровица), however, as of late, the northern part is referred to as simply North Mitrovica (Albanian: Mitrovica e veriut, sr. Северна Митровица).

History

The city was officially part of Mitrovica, until its official separation in 2013. The separation came as a result of the North Kosovo crisis, following Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008. The municipality was recognized by the Government of Kosovo in 2013 before the Kosovo local elections.

Monument to Serbian victims of Kosovo War

The city served as the de facto capital of the North Kosovo region which refused to work with the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo. Therefore, local Serbs formed the Assembly of Community of Municipalities, supported only by Serbia. However, with the signing of the 2013 Brussels Agreement between the governments of Kosovo and Serbia, Serbia officially dropped its support for the assembly, agreeing to create a new Community of Serb municipalities, an association of municipalities with Serb majorities in Kosovo.[5] Its assembly will have no legislative authority and the judicial authorities will be integrated and operate within the Kosovo legal framework.[6]

Culture and education

North Mitrovica currently represents the most important political, cultural, educational and health centres for Serbs in Kosovo. It is the largest urban area in Kosovo where Serbs are the ethnic majority. The University of Pristina is located in the area, having relocated from Pristina to Mitrovica during the Kosovo War. In 2013, after November elections in Kosovo, North Mitrovica officially became a separate municipality.[7]

Sport

The FK Trepča Sever and Rudar Kosovska Mitrovica are football clubs that are located in this part of the city. FK Partizan has merged with FK Trepca. Currently FK Trepca plays in Serbian fourth rank Morava Zone League while FK Rudar Kosovska MItrovica plays in Football First League of North Kosovo.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to North Kosovska Mitrovica.

Annotations

  1. ↑ Kosovo is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Serbia. The Republic of Kosovo unilaterally declared independence on 17 February 2008, but Serbia continues to claim it as part of its own sovereign territory. The two governments began to normalise relations in 2013, as part of the Brussels Agreement. Kosovo has received recognition as an independent state from 110 out of 193 United Nations member states.

References

  1. ↑ "2013 Elections in Kosovo: North Mitrovica, a separate municipality". KQZ-Ks.
  2. ↑ "2013 Kosovo Elections (Page 38): North Mitrovica" (PDF).
  3. ↑ Karadaku, Linda. "Kosovo completes 2011 census without data from north". SETimes.com. Southeast Europe Times. Retrieved 16 October 2012.
  4. ↑ "OSCE figures 2014: North Mitrovica". OSCE.
  5. ↑ "Community of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo to be formed". InSerbia News.
  6. ↑ "Brussels Agreement 2013" (PDF). Key number 10: 'The judicial authorities will be integrated and operate within the Kosovo legal framework...
  7. ↑ "Official website".

Coordinates: 42°53′40″N 20°51′58″E / 42.894406°N 20.866095°E / 42.894406; 20.866095

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