Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija (1946-1974)
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The Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija was an autonomous province of Serbia, within the larger federation of Yugoslavia from 1946 to 1974, when it was replaced by the Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo.
[edit] History and background
During the interwar period, the name of Kosovo was associated with a specific region, though did not exist as any form of political subdivision. Its new outline following the end of the war and the establishment of Tito's Communist regime was carved out of the southeastern corner of Serbia. The entity of Kosovo had last existed as an Ottoman Province. By 1946, one piece of the Ottoman Province had been given to the new Yugolsav republic of Macedonia (including the former capital Skopje), whilst another chunk had passed to Montenegro, also a new entity. Whilst another significant piece had formed a part of Albania since the Treaty of London in 1913, the remainder lay within Serbia. The new province's borders were demarcated with the purpose of incorporating a large area within Serbia where there had been an absolute Albanian majority, and thus was created the autonomous region of Kosovo and Metohija in 1946.
Kosovo officially became an autonomous province in 1963, though the central Communist government did not permit the return of many of the refugees.
The Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija received more and more autonomy and self-government within Serbia and Yugoslavia during the 1970s, and its name was officially changed in 1974 to Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo ("and Metohija" was removed because it was not used by the Kosovo Albanians and "Socialist" was added to further show the Socialist ideal of then's SFRY).
