Albania was having horrible depression and poverty and there was no requirement at all to move across the border into Kosovo. Additionally some many years ago, some of it had been part of a larger ( greater) Albania.
Typical of muslim expansionist approaches, they began to move into Kosovo and dilute the population to their own favor. Eventually they began to speak about take overs. I think the Serbs at some point were harsh in that they refused to allow them their own language in the schools, some thing along those lines.
After that I think it pretty much just became ugly. I hope that Joan can add something to this. This is the history as given to me by a young guy who had a website while we were bombing Kosovo five years ago, name of Voji. It was called something like Under the Gun. He would post each day during the bombing.
Additionally some many years ago, some of it had been part of a larger ( greater) Albania.
The more time anyone spends in former Yugoslavia, the more than someone sees how it all goes back to WWII. Have a look at this map (wait, and move your mouse, and a button to enlarge the map will appear at lower right). You'll notice the shaded "Occupied by Albania 1941-44" corresponds to the present "Greater Albania" map. Just as in the old Nazi days, most of Kosovo, plus chunks of Macedonia and a sliver of Montenegro are included.
During the WWII occupation, Serbs and Roma were slaughtered and driven from Kosovo by Nazi-allied Albanians. Tito did not allow the Serbs to return to their homes after the war and present boundaries had been established. (I honestly don't remember, if I ever knew, about the Roma, whatever Roma were left alive in 1945.) Meanwhile, Tito looked the other way as Albanians snuck out of Enver's insane gulag into Kosovo. Illegal immigration from Albania continued, of course, in the post-Tito years.
I'll let someone else take over for the poverty/autonomy/boycott issues. Got a headache. Also hope someone will correct me if I'm wrong here, add anything that should be added. I just wrote this from memory, didn't check any sources.
