FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THE ECONOMY OF THE AUTONOMOUS REGION OF KOSOVO AND METOHIJA FROM THE BUDGET OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF SERBIA, 1946–1953.

Abstract

The territory of Kosovo and Metohija has been in a privileged economic position compared to the rest of Serbia since the formation of territorial autonomy after the Second World War. The amount of money at the disposal of the regional authorities significantly exceeded the amount of money at the disposal of the authorities in other parts of Serbia, especially in the area of «Central Serbia» outside Belgrade. This situation was made possible by financial subsidies to the regional budget, which from 1946 to 1953 amounted to 3,288,178,920 dinars. Out of a total of 6,525,114,070, which was the budget revenue of the Autonomous Kosovo-Metohija region from 1946 to 1953, 50.39% were subsidies from Serbia. A comparison of the economic development of Kosovo and Metohija and the neighboring regions of Serbia shows that the later claims about the «neglect» of the area’s development in the first post-war years were not based on data and historical facts but represented the political aspirations of the Communist League in connection with the economic strengthening of Kosovo’s autonomy.