Kosovo (in Albanian Kosova, in Serbian Kosovo or Kosovo i Metohija = Kosovo and Metohia) was under Turkish rule. After World War I it became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, later renamed the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. After World War II, Yugoslavia became a republic, and was ruled under Josip Broz Tito, who died in 1980. Former Yugoslavia had six republics and two provinces, Kosovo and Vojvodina, both of which were constitutionally part of Serbia. The first conflicts in Kosovo after World War II started in the 60s, but there was a real escalation in 1981, after demonstrations by Kosovo-Albanian students, which resulted in a strong reaction by police and military forces from Belgrade. From then until 1999, daily life in Kosovo was under constant control by strong police and military forces from Belgrade. Serbian politician Slobodan Milošević used developments in Kosovo as a political instrument to stay in power. His move was supported by Serbian nationalists and part of the Serbian-Orthodox church. In the second half of the ‘90s, Serbian-state controlled forces, as well as paramilitary units that had participated in wars in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina used repression to maintain Serbian rule in Kosovo. As a result, the Kosovo-Albanian population came under the strong influence of local armed groups, which united to become the UÇK (Ushtria Çlirimtare e Kosovës, Kosovo Liberation Army). West European countries and the U.S. - after several unsuccessful initiatives to solve the situation in Kosovo and the continuation of Belgrade’s Kosovo policy under Slobodan Milošević - reacted in March 1999 with NATO air attacks on Serbia, including Kosovo, and on Serbian-Montenegrin military targets in Montenegro, in an attempt to aid the local Albanian population in Kosovo. A great number of Albanians in Kosovo became refugees. After the conflict between Belgrade and NATO ended, international troops came to Kosovo, and Belgrade-controlled military and police forces were forced to leave. Most Kosovo-Albanian refugees came back to Kosovo, including many Kosovo-Albanians living abroad (many had left Kosovo as economic emigrants starting in 1960, while some were forced to leave Kosovo for political reasons during the existence of former Yugoslavia). On other hand, Serbs (and Montenegrins) started to leave Kosovo, especially since 1985, saying there is pressure from Albanian extremists, but also for economic reasons. In 1999, together with the retreat of Serbian military and police forces, most of the Serbian population left Kosovo and today live in Serbia. Numerous Roma also left Kosovo. Since June 1999, Kosovo has been administered under the civil authority of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 1244. This resolution recognised the continuing sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (called Serbia-Montenegro since February 2003) over Kosovo, but also called for "substantial autonomy and meaningful self-administration for Kosovo". However, Kosovo is a de facto protectorate run by a UN administration. The future status of Kosovo is scheduled to be resolved during talks in 2006. While the Kosovo-Albanian majority (more than 85% of the Kosovo population) seeks independence from Serbia, the Serbian community in Kosovo and Belgrade authorities maintain the province should remain in Serbia. There are also suggestions from Serbia that Kosovo be divided in two parts: a Serbian part and a Kosovo-Albanian part. The task of negotiating a solution has been given to former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, who is supposed to guide the process towards a sustainable solution. He is supported by long-time Austrian diplomat Albert Rohan, former Secretary General of the Austrian Ministry for Foreign Affairs. There is, as well, a Kosovo Negotiating Team comprised of representatives from the four biggest Kosovo-Albanian parties under the leadership of President Ibrahim Rugova (until he died). Other members are Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi, President of the Assembly Nexhat Daci, and two opposition leaders, Hashim Thaçi of the PDK (Kosovo Democratic Party, also known as the Democratic Party of Kosovo) and Veton Surroi from a party called ORA. Non-Serb minorities have also been included in the process through Consultative Council for Communities. The Serb representatives have declared themselves part of the Belgrade team. So far, the international community has not opted for any particular solution, but through Contact Group it has declared which options are not acceptable: a return to the situation before 1999, a division of Kosovo or the union of Kosovo with other neighbouring territories inhabited by Albanians. Western policy makers regard European integration as the main magnet for both Serbia and Kosovo to accept a compromise. On the other hand, several Western independent think tanks, including International Crisis Group and Independent Balkans Commission, have advocated the solution of “Conditional Independence” for Kosovo, under which Kosovo would get independence from Serbia, but several aspects of sovereignty would remain under international auspices. The year 2005 did not see the kind of violence and tension that existed in 2004, and the security situation has been mainly stable, even though there were situations perceived as potential security threats. The biggest security test was expected to be in March 2005, when then-Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj was indicted for war crimes by the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in Hague. Contrary to expectations, the whole affair ended peacefully. Haradinaj surrendered voluntarily the day after the indictment was delivered to him. He was later released until the start of the trial, and a decision to allow him to take limited part in politics is being weighed by the ICTY. After Haradinaj’s departure, a governing alliance between his AAK (Alliance for the Future of Kosovo) and LDK (Lidhja Demokratike e Kosovės or in English Democratic League of Kosovo) was led until his death in January 2006 by President of Kosovo Ibrahim Rugova. The alliance survived and continued governing under new Prime Minister Bajram Kosumi, from the AAK. The rest of the government remained essentially unchanged. Kosumi’s cabinet was seen as weaker than the previous one, and lot of scepticism was expressed regarding its ability to fulfil goals set in Standards for Kosovo, a UN-sponsored project aimed at bringing Kosovo closer to European standards in politics, government, economy, security, justice, human rights, civil society, etc. Kosovo’s Ombudsperson Marek Antoni Nowicki left Kosovo at the end of 2005 after five-and-a-half years in the position. At his last press conference he voiced his concerns on the situation of human rights in Kosovo, emphasising they are still far from international standards. The Director of Budget, Agim Krasniqi, said that the 2006 budget would be 700 million Euro. The World Bank has allocated 15 million dollars for 2006 to implement projects that enable the achievement of economic development in Kosovo and the creation of new jobs. At the beginning of 2006 President Ibrahim Rugova died after a long period of illness. Rugova came to prominence in the 1990s as leader of the resistance against Serbian rule. The LDK has decided that Fatmir Sejdiu, currently General Secretary, should replace Ibrahim Rugova as the President of Kosovo. Sejdiu is considered to be a moderate within the party and an acceptable figure to the opposition. He is a realist and a lot less idealistic than the late president, which will signify a change of direction for the largest party in Kosovo. Major reforms within the party will be expected if Sejdiu gets the position.