Here is a list of all the presidents of Kosovo, Including acting presidents with their respective terms In office, and political affiliations:
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No. | Name | Term Start | Term End | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ibrahim Rugova | 25 Jan 1992 | 1 Feb 2000 | LDK |
2 | Ibrahim Rugova | 4 March 2002 | 21 Jan 2006 | LDK |
3 | Nexhat Daci | 21 Jan 2006 | 10 Feb 2006 | LDK |
4 | Fatmir Sejdiu | 10 Feb 2006 | 17 Feb 2008 | LDK |
5 | Fatmir Sejdiu | 17 Feb 2008 | 27 Sept 2010 | LDK |
6 | Jakup Krasniqi | 27 Sep 2010 | 22 Feb 2011 | PDK |
7 | Behgjet Pacolli | 22 Feb 2011 | 4 April 2011 | AKR |
8 | Jakup Krasniqi | 4 April 2011 | 7 April 2011 | PDK |
9 | Atifete Jahjaga | 7 April 2011 | 7 April 2016 | Independent |
10 | Hashim Thaçi | 7 April 2016 | 5 Nov 2020 | PDK |
11 | Vjosa Osmani | 5 Nov 2020 | 22 March 2021 | Guxo |
12 | Glauk Konjufca | 22 March 2021 | 4 April 2021 | Vetëvendosje |
13 | Vjosa Osmani | 4 April 2021 | Present | Guxo |
Who Was The First President Of Kosovo?
The first President of Kosovo was Ibrahim Rugova. He was born on December 2, 1944, and played a big part in Kosovo’s history.
Rugova became the first president when Kosovo declared itself a republic in 1992. His term started on January 25, 1992, and he served until February 1, 2000.
He was in office for about eight years. Rugova was a member of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), and he was known for his peaceful way of doing politics.
He believed in non-violent resistance against the Serbian government, which controlled Kosovo at that time. Rugova wanted Kosovo to have its own identity and rights.
His leadership was very important during a hard time when Kosovo was part of the former Yugoslavia. Many people in Kosovo looked up to him as a symbol of hope and unity.
However, after the war in Kosovo ended in 1999, Rugova continued to lead the country. He was elected again in 2002 and served until his death on January 21, 2006.
This second term was when Kosovo was under the administration of the United Nations. Rugova’s leadership aided the future of Kosovo and laid the groundwork for its eventual declaration of independence in 2008.
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Who Gave Kosovo Independence?
Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia on February 17, 2008. This decision was made by the Assembly of Kosovo. Out of 120 members, 109 voted in favor of becoming independent.
The leaders of Kosovo, including Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi and President Fatmir Sejdiu, announced that Kosovo was now an independent and sovereign state.
However, the push for independence was not sudden. It came after many years of conflict and talks. Since the end of the Kosovo War in 1999, Kosovo has been under international administration.
The United Nations (UN) was involved in trying to resolve Kosovo’s status for several years. In 2007, a UN envoy named Martti Ahtisaari proposed a plan for Kosovo’s future.
This plan included self-governance but did not grant full independence. Most of Kosovo’s Albanian population supported the plan, but Serbia rejected it.
When Kosovo declared independence, Serbia strongly opposed it. Serbia claimed that Kosovo was still part of its territory. Other countries like Russia and China also opposed Kosovo’s independence.
However, many countries, including the United States and several European nations, quickly recognized Kosovo as an independent state. Serbia asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to rule on the legality of Kosovo’s independence.
In 2010, the ICJ stated that Kosovo’s declaration did not violate international law, but this did not resolve the ongoing tensions between Kosovo and Serbia.
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Who Is The New President Of Kosovo?
The current President of Kosovo is Vjosa Osmani. She was elected by the Kosovo Parliament on April 4, 2021. Vjosa Osmani was born on 17 May 1982 and is a lawyer.
She is part of the Vetevendosje party, also known as the Self-Determination Movement. Osmani is the second woman to become president of Kosovo.
The first woman president was Atifete Jahjaga, who served from 2011 to 2016. Before becoming the president, Vjosa Osmani was the acting president starting in November 2020.
She took over after the former president, Hashim Thaçi, resigned because of serious charges related to war crimes. Osmani’s party, Vetevendosje, won more than half of the votes in the February 2021 elections.
This win allowed her party to hold the top three positions in the government: president, prime minister, and speaker of parliament. Vjosa Osmani is known for her strong views on Kosovo’s independence and its relations with Serbia.
In her first speech as president, she called for talks with Serbia. However, she said Serbia must first apologize for the war crimes committed during the Kosovo War in the late 1990s.
She believes that true peace can only happen when there is acknowledgment and justice for the victims of these crimes. Osmani has a strong educational background.
She studied at the University of Pristina and earned her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in the United States. And, she has been involved in politics for many years, previously serving as the speaker of parliament. Osmani is married and has twin daughters.