YUGOSLAVIA: CONTINUED UNREST IN KOSOVO

Created: 5/21/1981

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

YUGOSLAVIA: Continued Unrest cvz

Belgrade is still relying on ad hoe acasuret to BNNRt orldi-"ticnal unreet in Kosovo Province, but problem* with sthnie Alixmian* will continue there and may spread.-

Provincial leaders closed Pristine Univernity after students demonstrated twiceeekgainthat Kosovo, an autonomous province of Serbia, be granted republic status. Belgrade has refused, fearing that it would antagonize the Serbs and aggravate theproblem in other parts of thc country,

Although the Yugoslav leaders believe that theis the center of nationalist activities in Kosovo, its closure is unlikely to dampen sentiments, which are apparently more widespread. Leaders in 'the neighboring Republics of Macedonia and Montenegro also seem worried about their Albanian minorities. ssSffsm ^

Five Albanian nationalists on trial in the Macedonian capital of Skopje have been convicted of "hostile activity" against the state over the past two years. Jn Montenegro, authorities have admitted thatre having problems with "nationalistic excesses."

Purges and resignations in the local party, the media, and the university in Kosovo continue, but the leadership in Belgrade appears unable to deal with the basic problems of Albanian-Serb animosity and the backward economy in Kosovoy Preoccupation with the situation in Kosovo may account for the delay inew secretary of the party prosldium to replace the incumbent, whose two-year term expired last week.

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