1945 : Serbia became one of the republics in new Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1989 : Slobodan Milosevic becomes president of Serbia 1992 : Serbia and Montenegro formed Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1995 : Bosnian Muslim civilians massacred by Bosnian Serbs in Srebrenica; Bosnian war ended; sanctions lifted 1997 : Slobodan Milosevic becomes president of Yugoslav 1998 : Kosovo Liberation Army rebelled against Serbian rule 1999 : Kosovo war officially began; NATO launched air strikes 2000 : Federal Republic of Yugoslavia joined UN 2002 : Milosevic's trial on charges of genocide and war crimes began in The Hague 2002 : Serbian, Montenegrin, Yugoslav leaders signed EU-generated accord to set up new Union of Serbia and Montenegro 2003 : Parliament approved constitutional charter for Union of Serbia and Montenegro 2003 : Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindic assassinated in Belgrade 2004 : Vojislav Kostunica became prime minister 2004 : Clashes between Serbs and ethnic Albanians in Kosovo erupted in Mitrovica, more than 200 injured, six killed; NATO sent in reinforcements 2004 : Boris Tadic elected Serbian president 2006 : Montenegro voted to separate from Serbia 2006 : Serbia's declaration of independence marked final dissolution of State Union of Serbia and Montenegro; Serbia emerged as an independent state, under o 2007 : Talks regarding future status of Kosovo ended in stalemate 2008 : Kosovo declared independence; Serbia declared actions illegal and said it would not accept the establishment of a false country 2009 : IMF lent Serbia € 3 billion to help cover budget deficit 2009 : Russia loaned Serbia € 1 billion to help cover budget deficit 2009 : Visa-free travel in EU's Schengen countries came into effect for Serbians 2009 : Serbia submitted application for EU membership 2010 : Earthquake struck central Serbia, killed two, over 100 injured, many structures damaged 2011 : Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladic, accused of masterminding deportations and killings of Bosnian Muslims and Croats; extradited to The Hague 2011 : Serbia and Kosovo began direct talks to end disputes
