Croatian minority in the Republic of Kosovo

Croats in the Republic of Kosovo originate from merchants and miners from Dubrovnik and neighbouring Bosnia and Herzegovina. They settled down in Kosovo during 14 century. They managed to preserve their Croatian identity and Catholic faith throughout centuries.

In the locality of Janjevo there are around 200 Croats, while in Letnica only around 40  most of whom are elderly.  According to the census of 1991 there were only 8.800 Croats who lived in Kosovo, and in 1998 the number was 1.800.
Pursuant to the Law on protection of minority rights and members of their communities in the Republic of Kosovo, Croats are recognised as a national minority.

In 2013 a political party was registered bearing the Croatian name : “Hrvatska stranka Kosova“ (HSK).

Based on the Law on Relationships between the Republic of Croatia and Croats Abroad , the Government of the Republic of Croatia adopted the Decision on Establishing and Appointing the Members of the Council of the Government of Croatia for Croats Abroad, which held its constituting session in July, 2022, where the representative of the Croatian minority in the Check Republic at the third Council convocation is Antun Gucić.

There are two Croatian associations in Janjevo which take an active role in nurturing Croatian culture and heritage of Croats from Janjevo. In Letnica there is Croatian humanitarian association Narodna kuhinja Letnica.
Croats from Kosovo have two associations in the Republic of Croatia “Janjevo“ and “Letnica” both based in Zagreb. In Kistanje they have their football club “Janjevo” and the association “Novo Janjevo”.

Croats in the Republic of Kosovo have no possibility to be educated in Croatian language.

Don Matej Palić, Parish priest of Janjevo has been engaged in many activities throughout many years. Whatever happens in Janjevo turns around the Parish office.  Janjevo alone gave twenty priests and the same number of nuns; yet, most of them are scattered in the Republic of Croatia and around the world. An interesting fact is that the bell of St Nicholas church from 1368 is the second oldest bell in the regions where Croats live.