Contemporary challenges and perspectives for the survival of the Croatian Diaspora in Kosovo

Tema rada „Suvremeni izazovi i perspektive opstanka hrvatske dijaspore na Kosovu“ izabrana je prvenstveno zbog autorove etimološke, pa na temelju toga i sentimentalne povezanosti s Janjevom, hrvatskim naseljem na Kosovu u kojem su rođeni njegovi roditelji. Hrvati su na Kosovu prisutni od 13. stoljeća kada su se naselili prvi rudari i trgovci s područja tadašnje Dubrovačke Republike te s prostora središnje Bosne. Osigurali su kontinuitet opstanka na Kosovu preko sedam stoljeća te prema mnogim izvorima nose epitet najstarije hrvatske dijaspore. U radu se nastojao utvrditi način na koji su njegovali te očuvali etnički i religijski identitet usprkos mnogim prijetnjama koje su ih kroz povijest zadesile i izazove s kojima se danas suočavaju. Posljednjih desetljeća 20. stoljeća Hrvata je na Kosovu bilo preko 8 tisuća okupljenih u dvije hrvatske enklave – Janjevo i Letnica s okolnim selima, dok ih je danas ostalo manje od dvije stotine. Teorijski te empirijski – selektiranim istraživačkim metodama anketnog upitnika i intervjua od preostalih hrvatskih stanovnika na Kosovu nastojalo se dobiti odgovore i pogled na njihove probleme i prepreke s kojima se svakodnevno susreću, tešku socioekonomsku situaciju te shodno samom naslovu radu artikulirano procijeniti potencijal i perspektive njihova opstanka u budućnosti.The topic of the paper "Contemporary challenges and perspectives for the survival of the Croatian Diaspora in Kosovo" was chosen primarily because of the author's etymological, and based on that sentimental connection with Janjevo, the Croatian settlement in Kosovo where his parents were born. Croats have been present in Kosovo since the 13th century, when the first miners and merchants from the then Dubrovnik Republic and central Bosnia settled. They ensured the continuity of survival in Kosovo for over seven centuries and according to many sources bear the epithet of the oldest Croatian diaspora. The paper sought to establish the way in which they nurtured and preserved their ethnic and religious identity despite the many threats that have befallen them throughout history and the challenges they face today. In the last decades of the 20th century, there were over 8,000 Croats in Kosovo situated in two Croatian enclaves - Janjevo and Letnica with the surrounding villages, while today there are less than two hundred left. Theoretically and empirically – with selected research methods of questionnaire and interview from the remaining Croatians in Kosovo sought to obtain answers and views on their problems and obstacles they face every day, the difficult socio-economic situation and according to the title of the paper to articulate assess the potential and prospects of their survival in the future