North Kosovo

North Kosovo (Serbian: Северно Косово, romanized: Severno Kosovo, Albanian: Kosova Veriore); also known as the Ibar Kolašin (Serbian: Ибарски Колашин, romanized: Ibarski Kolašin, Albanian: Koloshini i Ibrit or Kollashini i Ibrit); earlier Old Kolašin, (Serbian: Стари Колашин, romanized: Stari Kolašin, Albanian: Koloshini i Vjetër or Kollashini i Vjetër) and colloquially known as the North (Serbian: Север, romanized: Sever, Albanian: Veriu) is a region in the northern part of Kosovo, generally understood as a group of four municipalities with ethnic Kosovo Serbs majority: North Mitrovica, Leposavić, Zvečan and Zubin Potok.

Prior to the 2013 Brussels Agreement, the region functioned independently from the institutions in Kosovo, as they refused to acknowledge and recognize the independence of Kosovo, declared in 2008. The Government of Kosovo opposed any kind of parallel government for Serbs in this region. However, the parallel structures were all abolished by the Brussels Agreement, signed between the governments of Kosovo and Serbia. Both governments agreed upon creating a Community of Serb Municipalities. The association was expected to be officially formed in 2016. According to the agreement, its assembly will have no legislative authority and the judicial authorities will be integrated and operate within the Kosovo legal framework. Political wrangling over Kosovo's status between its government and Serbia has resulted in Kosovan authorities not allowing the formation of the Community. However differences remain and North Kosovo remains under de facto Serbian rule.