The Origin and Motives ofSerbian Myths on Kosova

From the ancient times to the present day, different circles have made efforts to place various theories and attitudes on Kosova, with which they intend to justify their claims to Albanians’ regions. Since last century, this area has become an arena for definition of its titular, property and territory. Much noise has been made by Serbian science and politics, which raises Kosova to the level of a Serbian Piedmont. Slavic quasi-science, stimulated by a grasping policy between the two World Wars and in the period of monism, has made use of any form and method, only to prove that the right to Kosova belongs solely to the Serbs and Montenegrins, as "their cradle".

In Serbian historiography continuous efforts have been made to assign the myths on Kosova to an earlier origin, from the middle Ages. Then, as regards the formation of myths and myth mania on Albanians’ land occupied by Serbia, it cannot be spoken about, since the historical time factor did not allow it. At that time, the Serbs had not formed their history yet.1 "To the peoples that do not know their genesis and their far past belong the Serbs as well. As part of a large Slavonic wholeness, on the historic scene, in

Accordingly, it is obvious that the basic motive for grabbing Albanians’ land was, first of all, the economic and strategic element. That is why myths on churches, cultural monuments, the cradle and the theory of Kosova being the cradle of the Serbs, are masques of an essence that has been revealed clearly so far. In the long run, the hegemonist policy pointed out especially by Jovan Cvijic (1865-1927) and others, has the aims at and aspirations for a Greater Serbia, which did not intend to include only Albanians’ regions, but also other Yugoslav regions, "from Trieste to Salonika",38 may have its justification on myths only, as the reality is something else.

From the ancient authors traces have remained on the former Dardania resources and the present Kosova ones, the level of economic development, convenient geostrategic position, connections with international roads. Through later periods, in the new antiquity, in the Middle Ages, under the Serbian and Ottoman ruling, Albanians’ territories presented special importance in the economic aspect. Even though there have not been done satisfactory geological researches, it has, nevertheless, been emphasised that Kosova was a very attractive region rich in natural resources, with its position, climate and other resources that accelerate the economic development. The natural resources of Kosova are rich both in their potential and structure. Kosova took part with 4.25% in the former Yugoslavia (12.32% in Serbia), and 10% in the value of economic and natural resources.57

Therefore, Serbian myths on Albanians’ land have their new origin and they appeared on the scene in the 19th century, particularly after the Eastern Crisis. The formation of nationalities and nations at the time of the appearance of capitalism, as it happened to the Albanians as well, made it possible to the Slavs, namely, Serbs, to present themselves as an "old" nation in the Balkans, under the blessing of Russia. The motives for such an appearance are multiple. There are specially distinguished: economic, strategic and expansionist interests to get to the sea, as a bequeath of Byzantine ideology that "the power on the land belongs to me",3 if there is an exit to the sea. During the Ottoman occupation, the Serbs compiled a project for occupation of the fertile land in Kosova and Dukagjin, the Sanjak of Nis, Western Macedonia, Tivar and Anamali, Plava and Gucia, and others, of natural resources and traffic connections with which three continents are connected.

To stimulate national feelings, then and later as well, they expressed their resignation "for the right already passed to Kosova".41 Ivo Andric imagined this and analysed it as a tragic to Kosova. And, according to the viewpoint of Jovan Cvijic, "the Islamised Albanians are the rudest people and much more apt to oppression and violence than the Ottomans".42 Pasic spread false and heavier facts that "the Albanians are Serbs by blood and that they were converted under the pressure of the Ottoman regime"43 and they did not know how to speak Albanian.44

Similar to other cases, it was clearly that the Slavic policy (as the highest bodies of the former Yugoslav regime were present at this ceremonial) did not have arguments to prove something legitimate about Albanians’ regions that it had held forcefully within its borders, except if legends and myths helped it. All of this propaganda had its metastasis in other regions as well, in the Province of Knin (Krajina) and wider, allegedly to revive the memory of Stefan Dusan’s land. However, masks and myths did not yield any result. Time itself threw them away brutally, war escalation made them bare, and so the former Serbian intentions were revealed openly.

As for the number and structure of the population in the national viewpoint, the data indicate clearly the absolute superiority of the Albanians. Therefore, the efforts to deny this truth, and exaggerating different expulsions (the one under

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