Kosovo Government

What is the capital of Kosovo?

Country Name	Kosovo
Full Country Name	Republic of Kosovo
Local - Long	Republika e Kosoves (Albanian)/ Republika Kosovo (Serbian)
Local - Short	Kosove (Albanian)/ Kosovo (Serbian)
Former Name	Kosovo and Metohija Autonomous Province
Etymology- history of name	name derives from the Serbian "kos" meaning "blackbird," an ellipsis (linguistic omission) for "kosove polje" or "field of the blackbirds"
Government Type	parliamentary republic
Capital Name	Pristina (Prishtine, Prishtina)
Capital - geographic coordinate	42 40 N, 21 10 E
Capital Time Difference	UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight Savings Time	+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Independence	17 February 2008 (from Serbia)
National Holiday	Independence Day, 17 February (2008)
Constitution	history: previous 1974, 1990; latest (postindependence) draft finalized 2 April 2008, signed 7 April 2008, ratified 9 April 2008, entered into force 15 June 2008; note - amendment 24, passed by the Assembly in August 2015, established the Kosovo Relocated Specialist Institution, referred to as the Kosovo Specialist Chamber or "Specialist Court," to try war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other crimes under Kosovo law committed during and immediately after the Kosovo War (1998-2000) amendments: proposed by the government, by the president of the republic, or by one fourth of Assembly deputies; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly, including two-thirds majority vote of deputies representing non-majority communities, followed by a favorable Constitutional Court assessment; amended several times, last in 2020

Kosovo Capital City Map

Source: Google Maps

Kosovo Government and Politics

Who is the president of Kosovo?

Executive Branch:	chief of state: President Vjosa OSMANI-Sadriu (since 4 April 2021) head of government: Prime Minister Albin KURTI (since 22 March 2021) cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Assembly elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly for a 5-year term; if a candidate does not attain a two-thirds threshold in the first two ballots, the candidate winning a simple majority vote in the third ballot is elected (eligible for a second term); election last held on 3 to 4 April 2021 (next to be held in 2026); prime minister indirectly elected by the Assembly election results: 2021: Vjosa OSMANI-Sadriu elected president in third ballot; Assembly vote - Vjosa OSMANI-Sadriu (Guxo!) 71 votes; Albin KURTI (LVV) elected prime minister; Assembly vote - 67 for, 30 against 2017: Ramush HARADINAJ (AAK) elected prime minister; Assembly vote - 61 for, 1 abstention, 0 against (opposition boycott) 2016: Hashim THACI elected president in third ballot; Assembly vote - Hashim THACI (PDK) 71 votes
Citizenship Criteria:	citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Kosovo dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Legal System:	civil law system; note - the European Union Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) retained limited executive powers within the Kosovo judiciary for complex cases from 2008 to 2018
Suffrage:	18 years of age; universal
Legislative Branch:	description: unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi i Kosoves/Skupstina Kosova (120 seats; 100 members directly elected by open-list proportional representation vote with 20 seats reserved for ethnic minorities - 10 for Serbs and 10 for other ethnic minorities; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 14 February 2021 (next to be held in 2025) election results: percent of vote by party - LVV 50%, PDK 16.9%, LDK 12.7%, AAK 7.1%, Serb List 5.1%, other 8.2%; seats by party - LVV 58, PDK 19, LDK 15, Serb List 10, AAK 8, other 10; composition as of December 2021 - men 79, women 41, percent of women 34.2%
Judicial Branch:	highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the court president and 18 judges and organized into Appeals Panel of the Kosovo Property Agency and Special Chamber); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and 7 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the Kosovo Judicial Council, a 13-member independent body staffed by judges and lay members, and also responsible for overall administration of Kosovo's judicial system; judges appointed by the president of the Republic of Kosovo; judges appointed until mandatory retirement age; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the Kosovo Assembly and appointed by the president of the republic to serve single, 9-year terms subordinate courts: Court of Appeals (organized into 4 departments: General, Serious Crime, Commercial Matters, and Administrative Matters); Basic Court (located in 7 municipalities, each with several branches) note: in August 2015, the Kosovo Assembly approved a constitutional amendment that established the Kosovo Relocated Specialist Judicial Institution, also referred to as the Kosovo Specialist Chambers or "Special Court"; the court, located at the Hague in the Netherlands, began operating in late 2016 and has jurisdiction to try crimes against humanity, war crimes, and other crimes under Kosovo law that occurred in the 1998-2000 period
Regions or States:	38 municipalities (komunat, singular - komuna (Albanian); opstine, singular - opstina (Serbian)); Decan (Decani), Dragash (Dragas), Ferizaj (Urosevac), Fushe Kosove (Kosovo Polje), Gjakove (Dakovica), Gjilan (Gnjilane), Gllogovc (Glogovac), Gracanice (Gracanica), Hani i Elezit (Deneral Jankovic), Istog (Istok), Junik, Kacanik, Kamenice (Kamenica), Kline (Klina), Kllokot (Klokot), Leposaviq (Leposavic), Lipjan (Lipljan), Malisheve (Malisevo), Mamushe (Mamusa), Mitrovice e Jugut (Juzna Mitrovica) [South Mitrovica], Mitrovice e Veriut (Severna Mitrovica) [North Mitrovica], Novoberde (Novo Brdo), Obiliq (Obilic), Partesh (Partes), Peje (Pec), Podujeve (Podujevo), Prishtine (Pristina), Prizren, Rahovec (Orahovac), Ranillug (Ranilug), Shterpce (Strpce), Shtime (Stimlje), Skenderaj (Srbica), Suhareke (Suva Reka), Viti (Vitina), Vushtrri (Vucitrn), Zubin Potok, Zvecan
Political Parties and Leaders:	Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Ramush HARADINAJ] Ashkali Party for Integration or PAI [Bekim ARIFI] Civic Initiative for Freedom, Justice, and Survival [Milan DABIC] Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Lumir ABDIXHIKU] Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK [Memli KRASNIQI] New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo or IRDK [Elbert KRASNIQI] New Democratic Party or NDS [Emilja REDZEPI] Progressive Movement of Kosovar Roma or LPRK [Erxhan GALJUSI] Romani Initiative [Gazmend SALIJEVCI] Self-Determination Movement (Lëvizja Vetevendosje or Vetevendosie) or LVV or VV [Albin KURTI] Serb List or SL [Goran RAKIC] Social Democratic Union or SDU [Duda BALJE] Turkish Democratic Party of Kosovo or KDTP [Fikrim DAMKA] Unique Gorani Party or JGP [Adem HODZA] Vakat Coalition or VAKAT [Bahrim SABANI]
International Law Organization Participation:	has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
International Organization Participation:	IBRD, IDA, IFC, IMF, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OIF (observer)
Diplomatic Representation in the US:	chief of mission: Ambassador Ilir DUGOLLI (since 13 January 2022) chancery: 3612 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 450-2130 FAX: [1] (202) 735-0609 email address and website: embassy.usa@rks-gov.net U.S. Embassies of the Republic of Kosovo (ambasadat.net) consulate(s) general: New York consulate(s): Des Moines (IA)
Diplomatic Representation from US:	chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey M. HOVENIER (since 10 January 2022) embassy: Arberia/Dragodan, Rr. 4 KORRIKU Nr. 25, Pristina mailing address: 9520 Pristina Place, Washington DC 20521-9520 telephone: [383] 38-59-59-3000 FAX: [383] 38-604-890 email address and website: PristinaACS@state.gov https://xk.usembassy.gov/

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