Political Leaders: Kosovo

Leaders of Kosovo

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Look for biographies of the leaders (in Spanish) at CIDOB website. See also the page on the late State (1992-2006) of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia/Serbia and Montenegro, including the Republic of Serbia, from which Kosovo is a subordinated province in principle (but not in practice). The leadership in Kosovo from 1945 to 1990, under the rule of the late Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia (1945-1992), is provided by Rulers.

Albanian parties and organizations: AAK: Alliance for the Future of Kosovo - AKR: New Kosovo Alliance - Guxo: To Dare - LDK: Democratic League of Kosovo - NISMA: Initiative for Kosovo - PDK: Democratic Party of Kosovo (formerly PPDK, Party for the Democratic Progress of Kosovo) - PPK: Parliamentary Party of Kosovo - PSD: Social Democratic Party - PSHDK: Albanian Christian Democratic Party of Kosovo - UÇK: Kosovo Liberation Army (disbanded) - VV: Vetëvendosje

Serbian parties: SPS: Socialist Party of Serbia; DS: Democratic Party; SNS: Serbian Progressive Party; SPO: Serbian Renewal Movement

Acknowledgements: sources for the institutional leadership: Rulers, by Ben Schemmel, and World Statesmen, by Ben Cahoon; the party leaderships are a courtesy of Dragan Markovic

Republic of Kosovo

Self-proclaimed on 7 Sep 1990; independence declared unilaterally on 19 Oct 1991 and again on 17 Feb 2008, winning partial international recognition; full sovereignty granted by the International Steering Group for Kosovo on 10 Sep 2012, but with no UN membership for the moment

Presidents
Ibrahim Rugova   24 May 1992 -  1 Feb 2000 (†2006) LDK
Ibrahim Rugova    4 Mar 2002 - 21 Jan 2006 (†2006) LDK
Nexhat Daci      21 Jan 2006 - 10 Feb 2006         LDK (acting)
Fatmir Sejdiu    10 Feb 2006 - 27 Sep 2010         LDK
Jakup Krasniqi   27 Sep 2010 - 22 Feb 2011         PDK (acting)
Behgjet Pacolli  22 Feb 2011 - 30 Mar 2011         AKR
Jakup Krasniqi   30 Mar 2011 -  7 Apr 2011         PDK (acting)
Atifete Jahjaga   7 Apr 2011 -  7 Apr 2016         n/p
Hashim Thaçi      7 Apr 2016 -  5 Nov 2020         PDK 
Vjosa Osmani      5 Nov 2020 - 22 Mar 2021         LDK, Guxo (acting)
Glauk Konjufca   22 Mar 2021 -  4 Apr 2021         VV (acting)
Vjosa Osmani      4 Apr 2021 -                     Guxo, n/p 
                              
Prime ministers 
Jusuf Zejnullahu 15 Jul 1990 -  5 Oct 1991         LDK
Bujar Bukoshi     5 Oct 1991 -  1 Feb 2000         LDK
Bajram Rexhepi    4 Mar 2002 -  3 Dec 2004 (†2017) PDK 
Ramush Haradinaj  3 Dec 2004 -  8 Mar 2005         AAK
Adem Salihaj      8 Mar 2005 - 23 Mar 2005         LDK (acting)
Bajram Kosumi    23 Mar 2005 - 10 Mar 2006         PPK
Agim Çeku        10 Mar 2006 -  9 Jan 2008         n/p
Hashim Thaçi      9 Jan 2008 -  9 Dec 2014         PDK
Isa Mustafa       9 Dec 2014 -  9 Sep 2017         LDK
Ramush Haradinaj  9 Sep 2017 -  3 Feb 2020         AAK
Albin Kurti       3 Feb 2020 -  3 Jun 2020         VV
Avdullah Hoti     3 Jun 2020 - 22 Mar 2021         LDK
Albin Kurti      22 Mar 2020 -                     VV

Prime minister of the "Provisional Government" (alternative)
Hashim Thaçi      2 Apr 1999 -  1 Feb 2000         UÇK/PPDK

Speakers of the Assembly
Nexhat Daci      10 Dec 2001 - 10 Mar 2006         LDK
Kolë Berisha    10 Mar 2006 -  9 Jan 2008 (†2021) LDK
Jakup Krasniqi    9 Jan 2008 - 17 Jul 2014         PDK, NISMA
Isa Mustafa      17 Jul 2014 - 21 Aug 2014         LDK
Kadri Veseli      8 Dec 2014 - 29 Jun 2017         PDK 
Adem Mikullovci  29 Jun 2017 -  7 Sep 2017         VV (acting) 
Kadri Veseli      7 Sep 2017 - 27 Nov 2019         PDK
Jahja Kokaj      27 Nov 2019 - 26 Dec 2019         VV (acting)
Glauk Konjufca   26 Dec 2019 –  3 Feb 2020         VV
Vjosa Osmani      3 Feb 2020 - 22 Mar 2021         LDK, Guxo
Glauk Konjufca   22 Mar 2021 -                     VV 

Ministers of Foreign Affairs
Skënder Hyseni   15 Jun 2008 - 18 Oct 2010         LDK
Vlora Çitaku     18 Oct 2010 - 22 Feb 2011         PDK
Enver Hoxhaj     22 Feb 2011 -  9 Dec 2014         PDK
Hashim Thaçi      9 Dec 2014 -  7 Apr 2016         PDK
Petrit Selimi     7 Apr 2016 -  2 Jun 2016         PDK
Enver Hoxhaj      2 Jun 2016 - 10 Aug 2017         PDK
Emanuel Demaj    10 Aug 2017 -  9 Sep 2017         PSHDK (acting)
Behgjet Pacolli   9 Sep 2017 -  3 Feb 2020         AKR
Glauk Konjufca    3 Feb 2020 -  3 Jun 2020         VV
Meliza Haradinaj  3 Jun 2020 -  9 Mar 2021         AAK
Besnik Tahiri     9 Mar 2021 - 22 Mar 2021         AAK (acting)
Donika Gërvalla  22 Mar 2021 -                     Guxo

Ministers of Internal Affairs
Zenun Pajaziti    9 Jan 2008 -  1 Apr 2010         PDK
Bajram Rexhepi    1 Apr 2010 -  9 Dec 2014 (†2017) PDK
Skënder Hyseni    9 Dec 2014 -  9 Sep 2017         LDK
Flamur Sefaj      9 Sep 2017 - 13 Apr 2018         AKR
Bejtush Gashi    13 Apr 2018 -  1 Oct 2018         AKR
Ekrem Mustafa     1 Oct 2018 -  3 Feb 2020         AKR
Agim Veliu        3 Feb 2020 - 18 Mar 2020         LDK
Xhelal Sveçla    18 Mar 2020 -  3 Jun 2020         VV (acting)
Agim Veliu        3 Jun 2020 - 22 Mar 2021         LDK
Xhelal Sveçla    22 Mar 2021 -                     VV 

Ministers of the Kosovo Security Force/Defence
Fehmi Mujota     21 Jan 2009 - 22 Feb 2011         PDK
Agim Çeku        22 Feb 2011 -  9 Dec 2014         PSD
Haki Demolli      9 Dec 2014 -  9 Sep 2017         LDK
Rrustem Berisha   9 Sep 2017 -  3 Feb 2020         AAK
Anton Quni        3 Feb 2020 - 22 Mar 2021         LDK
Armend Mehaj     22 Mar 2021 -                     n/p

Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija (under Yugoslav/Serbian authority)

Provincial Coordinator
Momcilo Trajkovic     11 Apr 1990 -        1991         SPS

Mayors of Pristina
Zivojin Mitrovic             1991 -        1992         SPS (acting)
Novica Sojevic               1992 -        1992         SPS (acting)

Prefects of Kosovo district
Milos Simovic                1992 -        1994         SPS
Aleksa Jokic                 1994 -        1996         SPS
Milos Nesovic                1996 -        1998         SPS
Veljko Odalovic              1998 -        1999         SPS
Andreja Milosavljevic        1999 -        2000         SPS
Veljko Odalovic              2000 -        2001         SPS
Jovica Filipovic      12 Apr 2001 -  6 Dic 2001         SPS
Dragan Velic           6 Dic 2001 - 28 Sep 2004         SPS     
Srdjan Vasic          28 Sep 2004 -  8 Dec 2007         SPS
Goran Arsic           13 Dec 2007 -  4 Feb 2013         DS
Vladeta Kostic         4 Feb 2013 - 30 May 2014         SNS         
Srdjan Petkovic       30 May 2014 -                           

Chairman of the Temporary Executive Council (PIV)
Zoran Andjelkovic     28 Sep 1998 -  7 Mar 2002         SPS

Serbian National Council of Kosovo and Metohija (SNV KiM) (self-proclaimed, ethnic Serb)

Presidents of the Council
Bishop Artemije       24 Oct 1999 -  3 Mar 2004         n/p 
Rada Trajkovic         3 Mar 2004 -  3 Sep 2006  
Dragan Velic           3 Sep 2006 -                     SPS
  
Presidents of the Executive Committee
Momcilo Trajkovic     24 Oct 1999 - 18 Jul 2000         SPO 
Dusan Ristic          18 Jul 2000 - 20 Jan 2002 (†2002) 
Dragan Velic                 2002 -  3 Sep 2006         SPS
Rada Trajkovic         3 Sep 2006 -

International occupation, administration and representation (de facto protectorate to the second proclamation of independence in 2008)


Military Commanders of the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR)
Michael Jackson          12 Jun 1999 -  8 Oct 1999         (UK)    
Klaus Reinhardt           8 Oct 1999 - 18 Apr 2000 (†2021) (Germany) 
Juan Ortuño Such         18 Apr 2000 - 16 Oct 2000         (Spain, Eurocorps)            
Carlo Cabigiosu          16 Oct 2000 -  6 Apr 2001         (Italy) 
Thorstein Skiaker         6 Apr 2001 -  3 Oct 2001         (Norway)
Marcel M. Valentin        3 Oct 2001 -  4 Oct 2002         (France)
Fabio Mini                4 Oct 2002 -  3 Oct 2003         (Italy)
Holger Kammerhoff         3 Oct 2003 -  1 Sep 2004         (Germany)
Yves de Kermabon          1 Sep 2004 -  1 Sep 2005         (France)  
Giuseppe Valotto          1 Sep 2005 -  1 Sep 2006         (Italy)
Roland Kather             1 Sep 2006 - 31 Aug 2007         (Germany)
Xavier Bout de Marnhac   31 Aug 2007 - 29 Aug 2008         (France)
Giuseppe Emilio Gay      29 Aug 2008 -  8 Sep 2009         (Italy)
Markus Bentler            8 Sep 2009 -  1 Sep 2010         (Germany)
Erhard Bühler             1 Sep 2010 -  9 Sep 2011         (Germany)
Erhard Drews              9 Sep 2011 -  7 Sep 2012         (Germany)
Volker Halbauer           7 Sep 2012 -  6 Sep 2013         (Germany)
Salvatore Farina          6 Sep 2013 -  3 Sep 2014         (Italy)
Francesco Paolo Figliuolo 3 Sep 2014 -  7 Aug 2015         (Italy)
Guglielmo Luigi Miglietta 7 Aug 2015 -  1 Sep 2016         (Italy)
Giovanni Fungo            1 Sep 2016 - 15 Nov 2017         (Italy)
Salvatore Cuoci          15 Nov 2017 - 28 Nov 2018         (Italy)
Lorenzo D'Addario        28 Nov 2018 - 19 Nov 2019         (Italy)
Michele Risi             19 Nov 2019 - 13 Nov 2020         (Italy)
Franco Federici          13 Nov 2020 - 15 Oct 2021         (Italy)
Ferenc Kajári            15 Oct 2021 -                     (Hungary)

Heads of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and chairmen of the Interim Administrative Council (IAC, 2000-2002) (*)
Sérgio Vieira de Mello   13 Jun 1999 - 15 Jul 1999 (†2003) (Brazil)
Bernard Kouchner         15 Jul 1999 - 15 Jan 2001         (France)
Hans Hækkerup            15 Jan 2001 - 31 Dec 2001         (Denmark)    
Charles H. Brayshaw       1 Jan 2002 - 14 Feb 2002         (United States, acting)
Michael Steiner          14 Feb 2002 -  8 Jul 2003         (Germany)        
Charles H. Brayshaw       8 Jul 2003 - 25 Aug 2003         (United States, acting)
Harri Holkeri            25 Aug 2003 - 25 May 2004         (Finland)
Charles H. Brayshaw      25 May 2004 - 16 Aug 2004         (United States, acting)
Søren Jessen-Petersen    16 Aug 2004 - 30 Jun 2006         (Denmark)
Steven P. Schook         30 Jun 2006 - 31 Aug 2006         (United States, acting)
Joachim Rücker            1 Sep 2006 - 20 Jun 2008         (Germany)  
Lamberto Zannier         20 Jun 2008 - 30 Jun 2011         (Italy)   
Robert E. Sorenson        1 Jul 2011 -  3 Aug 2011         (United States, acting)
Farid Zarif               3 Aug 2011 - 31 Aug 2015         (Afghanistan, acting to 11 Oct 2011)
Simona-Mirela Miculescu   1 Sep 2015 -  9 Oct 2015         (Romania, acting)
Zahir Tanin               9 Oct 2015 - 19 Nov 2021         (Afghanistan)
Caroline Ziadeh          19 Nov 2021 -                     (Lebanon)

International Civilian Representative for Kosovo (ICR)
Pieter Feith              4 Feb 2008 - 10 Sep 2012         (Netherlands)

European Union Special Representatives for Kosovo (EUSR)
Pieter Feith              4 Feb 2008 -  1 May 2011         (Netherlands)
Fernando Gentilini        1 May 2011 -  1 Feb 2012         (Italy)
Samuel Zbogar             1 Feb 2012 -  1 Sep 2016         (Slovenia)
Nataliya Apostolova       1 Sep 2016 -                     (Bulgaria)
   
Heads of European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX Kosovo)
Yves de Kermabon         16 Feb 2008 - 15 Oct 2010         (France)
Xavier Bout de Marnhac   15 Oct 2010 -  1 Feb 2013         (France)
Bernd Borchardt           1 Feb 2013 - 15 Oct 2014         (Germany)
Gabriele Meucci          15 Oct 2014 -  1 Sep 2016         (Italy) 
Alexandra Papadopoulou    1 Sep 2016 - 29 Nov 2019         (Greece)
Lars-Gunnar Wigemark     29 Nov 2019 -                     (Sweden)

(*) The Interim Administrative Council (IAC), executive board of the Joint Interim Administrative Structure (JIAS) agreed 15 Dec 1999, started its effective establishment 1 Feb 2000 as the single ruling body in Kosovo with recognition of all parallel and unofficial Albanian institutions, which were temporally desactivated. On 4 Mar 2002 the elected Albanian institutions, Presidency, Government and Assembly, were installed, marking the ends of JIAS/IAC structure.

Leadership of main Albanian parties and organizations

 Chairmen of LDK
Ibrahim Rugova    1989-2005 (†2006) 
Fatmir Sejdiu     2006-2010
Isa Mustafa       2010-2021
Lumir Abdixhiku   2021-
  
 --> LDK was founded 23 Dec 1989

 Political leaders of UÇK 
Adem Demaçi       1998-1999 (†2018)     
Hashim Thaçi      1999      

 Military leaders of UÇK 
Sylejman Selimi   1999
Agim Çeku         1999          

 --> UÇK officially disbanded upon agreements with KFOR and UNMIK 20 Sep 1999

 Chairmen of PPDK, PDK
Hashim Thaçi      1999-2016
Kadri Veseli      2016-2020
Enver Hoxhaj      2020-     (acting)         

 --> PPDK, made from the political wing of UÇK, was founded 14 Oct 1999 and renamed to PDK 21 May 2000

 Chairman of AAK
Ramush Haradinaj  2001-         

 --> AAK was first born in 2000 as a multy coalition and became properly a party on 29 Apr 2001.

Chairmen of VV
Albin Kurti       2005-2015
Visar Ymeri       2015-2018
Albin Kurti       2018-

Chairmen of Guxo
Vjosa Osmani      2021
Donika Gërvalla   2021-

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