Baština (Jan 2011)
The visit of Josip Broz Tito to Kosovo and Metohia (25-28 March 1967) in the highlights of post-Brioni happenings in the Province
Abstract
With the Fourth Plenum and suppression of centralistic current led by the chief of the State Security Service Aleksandar Ranković, the author stresses that a new period in the history of Kosovo and Metohia set in. By the loosening of political burdensome and police conducted control in the Province, the Albanians raise the issue of quicker economic development and national emancipation. By using of difficult economic situation and deterioration of interethnic relationships, which led to the first post-war chauvinistic outbursts against non-Albanian population in Kosovo and Matthias, Albanian personnel make a 'further step' by requesting the review of the Constitution. The aim of such outbursts was the acquisition of statehood. Therefore, they have come forward at public forums several times from 1967 requesting greater rights and competences for the Province. Nevertheless, by sliding over competent political institutions in Serbia, they addressed illegally the higher federal functionaries for help, as of Tito and Kardelj. While Kardelj was giving them an open support, Tito was a bit reserved. Therefore, Albanians have seen the visit to Kosovo and Metohia as Tito's positive defining toward their requests. As it will have been seen furthermore, they had right. The author concludes that Tito silently supported Albanian initiatives, but not in the price of chauvinistic outbursts and similar anti-state activity. The time will show very soon that Tito's warnings and advice remained without effects.
