Viti | |
|---|---|
Town andmunicipality | |
 Morava River  Street scene | |
 Flag  Emblem | |
  Viti  Viti | |
| Coordinates:42°18′N21°23′E / 42.300°N 21.383°E /42.300; 21.383 | |
| Country | Kosovo |
| District | Gjilan |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Sokol Haliti |
| Area | |
• Municipality | 269.69 km2 (104.13 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 23rd in Kosovo |
| Elevation | 499 m (1,637 ft) |
| Population (2024)[1] | |
• Municipality | 35,566 |
| • Density | 131.88/km2 (341.56/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 4,924 |
| • Ethnicity | |
| Demonym(s) | Albanian:Vitias (m), Vitiase (f) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 61000 |
| Area code | +383 38 |
| Vehicle registration | 06 |
| Website | kk |
Viti (Albaniandefinite form:Vitia) orVitina (Serbian Cyrillic:Витина) is atown andmunicipality located in theDistrict of Gjilan inKosovo. As of 2024, the town of Viti has 5,780 inhabitants, while the municipality has 35,566 inhabitants.[1]
The toponym Vitina is of Serbian origin and is derived from the personal name Vita or Vit, which comes from the Slavic root vitъ, meaning “lively,” “vital,” or “energetic.” The suffix -ina is a common Slavic toponymic ending indicating possession or association with a person or feature. The name therefore originally denoted “the settlement belonging to Vita” or “Vita’s place.”
An alternative interpretation links the root toSaint Vitus (Sveti Vid), a saint widely venerated in medieval Slavic regions, suggesting that the name may have originated from land associated with a church, estate, or community dedicated to him.
The Albanian form Viti represents a shortened phonological adaptation of the Slavic name Vitina, reflecting later linguistic usage rather than a separate Albanian lexical origin.
In theVërban archaeological site, the statue ofDea Dardanica was found.[2] The sculpture is thought that represents an ancient deity of theDardani, anIllyrian people, it is considered a masterpiece of the Dardanian art.
The municipality has several settlements historically inhabited by theLaramans, crypto-Catholics.
During theKosovo War 16 KLA soldiers, as well as 5 Serb soldiers and policemen were killed in Viti.[3] The entire fighting happened in 1999 and in the southern part of the municipality, near theKaradak Mountains, in villages such asLubishtë,Gjylekare,Mogillë,Smirë,Kabash andDëbëlldeh.[3]
During and after theKosovo War 76 civilians were killed, 38 Albanians and 38 Serbs.[3]
Following the 1999Kosovo War, it was the home of A Company, 2/505 Parachute Infantry Regiment,82nd Airborne Division, the firstKFOR troops to begin stabilization efforts in the municipality. After the initial unit left, Viti was the site of a subsequent international scandal when a Staff Sgt. Frank J. Ronghi, from A company, 3/504 Parachute Infantry Regiment raped and killed a local girl. The subsequent investigation uncovered serious training and leadership deficiencies in the 3/504 Parachute Infantry Regiment, and catalysed a tremendous change in the training of units deploying forpeacekeeping operations.[4] TheChurch of the Holy Mother of God, Podgorce was looted during the conflict.
During theNATO bombing of Yugoslavia, the Orthodox cemetery in Viti and the village of Dobreš were hit by missiles.[5]
In August 2003, explosive devices planted in Klokot destroyed five Serb houses, with several injuries, including two American KFOR soldiers.[6]
Serbian Orthodox cemeteries have been destroyed in Viti, among other towns, and in 2004 duringunrest, nuns of the Binča monastery were physically attacked, by ethnic Albanians.[7]
During theInsurgency in the Preševo Valley, theUÇPMB mostly recruited fighters from theKaradak region of Kosovo, specifically in the town of Vitia. In February 2001, many towns and villages in the region were covered with posters that instructed Albanians between the ages of 18 and 48 to join their fellow Albanians in theUÇPMB. These posters were supposedly issued by the previously disbandedKLA.[8]
Amidst theInsurgency in Macedonia, approximately 300NLA fighters from the Vitia municipality, mostly recruited inDëbëlldeh and Mjakë, participated in several battles against Macedonian security forces inTanuševci.[9] TheNLA also usedDëbëlldeh and Mjakë as strongholds, where they would store Arms.[10][11]
The village ofKllokot, formerly part of the municipality of Viti, was established as a separate municipality on 8 January 2010. This change was implemented in accordance with theAhtisaari Plan for thedecentralization of Kosovo, which proposed the creation of a new municipality with a Serbian majority within the territory Viti municipality.
In 2013 in response to aKLA monument being removed by Serbian authorities inPreševo, a Kosovo Albanian crowd in Viti demolished a Yugoslav-era memorial for anti-fascistPartisans that were killed during theSecond World War.[12]
The municipality and the town of Viti is located in the southeastern Kosovo. The town is located around 20 km (12 mi) away from bothFerizaj andGjilan. Viti and the southern part of the municipality lie on the foothills of theKaradak Mountains.[13]
According to the last census of 2024 by theKosovo Agency of Statistics, the town of Viti has a 5,780 inhabitants while the municipality has 35,566 inhabitants.[14]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 33,642 | — |
| 1971 | 39,780 | +1.69% |
| 1981 | 47,839 | +1.86% |
| 1991 | 57,290 | +1.82% |
| 2011 | 46,987 | −0.99% |
| 2024 | 35,566 | −2.12% |
| Source:Kosovo Agency of Statistics[1] | ||
The municipality is homogeneously Albanian where 99.3% of the population identifies as ethnicAlbanian. The dialect of theAlbanian language spoken by the inhabitants isGheg.[14]
In terms of religious affiliation, 95% of the population identified asSunni Muslim.Roman Catholics constituted 3.6% of the population, while 0.4% identified asOrthodox Christian. An additional 0.4% reported adherence to other religions. A small proportion, 0.1%, declared no religious affiliation, and 0.5% refused to answer.
42°19′N21°21′E / 42.317°N 21.350°E /42.317; 21.350
| District of Ferizaj |  | |
|---|---|---|
| District of Gjakova | ||
| District of Gjilan | ||
| District of Mitrovica | ||
| District of Peja | ||
| District of Pristina | ||
| District of Prizren | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
