| GEOGRAPHIC NAMES | GEOLOGY | USA STATS | CHINA STATS | COUNTRY CODES | AIRPORTS | RELIGION | JOBS |

Kosovo Government 2016
https://theodora.com/wfbcurrent/kosovo/kosovo_government.html
SOURCE: 2016 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK AND OTHER SOURCES
GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES Spanish Simplified Chinese French German Russian Hindi Arabic Portuguese
Kosovo Government 2016
SOURCE: 2016 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK AND OTHER SOURCES

Page last updated on February 11, 2016

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Kosovo
conventional short form: Kosovo
local long form: Republika e Kosoves (Republika Kosovo)
local short form: Kosova (Kosovo)
etymology: name derives from the Serbian "kos" meaning "blackbird, "an ellipsis for "kosove polje" or "field of the blackbirds"

Government type:
republic

Capital:
name: Pristina (Prishtine, Prishtina)
geographic coordinates: 42 40 N, 21 10 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions:
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 Jug (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

Independence:
17 February 2008 (from Serbia)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 17 February (2008)

Constitution:
previous 1974, 1990; latest (postindependence) draft finalized 2 April 2008, signed 7 April 2008, ratified 8 April 2008, entered into force 15 June 2008; amended 2012, 2013 (2015)

Legal system:
civil law system; note- the European Union Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) retains limited executive powers related to the investigation of such issues as war crimes

International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship:
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

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
[see also: Suffrage country ranks ]

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Atifete JAHJAGA (since 7 April 2011);
head of government: Prime Minister Isa MUSTAFA (since 9 December 2014)
cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Assembly
elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly for a 5-year term; if a candidate does not receive a two-third majority in the first two ballots, the candidate receiving a simple majority of votes in the third ballot is elected (eligible for a second term); election last held on 7 April 2011 (next to be held in 2016); prime minister indirectly elected by the Assembly
election results: Atifete JAHJAGA elected president; Assembly vote - Atifete JAHJAGA (independent) 80, Suzana NOVOBERDALIU (AKR) 10; Isa MUSTAFA (LDK) selected prime minister by the President in consultation with the LDK/PDK/PD/LB/PSHDK/PK coalition

Legislative branch:
description: unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi i Kosoves/Skupstina Kosova (120 seats; 100 members directly elected by 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 8 June 2014 (next expected to be held in June 2018)
election results: percent of vote by party/coalition - PDK/PD/LB/PSHDK/PK 30.4%, LDK 25.2%, VV 13.6%, AAK 9.5%, Serb List 5.2%, NISMA 5.2%, KDTP 1.0%, other 9.9%; seats by party/coalition - PDK/PD/LB/PSHDK/PK 37, LDK 30, VV 16, AAK 11, Serb List 9, NISMA 6, KDTP 2, VAKAT 2, other 7

Judicial branch:
highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the court president and at least 15 percent of judges to reflect Kosovo's territorial ethnic composition); 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, an 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: Kosovo initiated a new judicial system in January 2013

Political parties and leaders:
Albanian Christian Democratic Party of Kosovo or PSHDK [Uke BERISHA] Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Ramush HARADINAJ] Civic Initiative for Kosovo or NISMA [Fatmir LIMAJ] Conservative Party of Kosovo or PK [Munir BASHA] Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Isa MUSTAFA] Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK [Hashim THACI] Justice Party of Kosovo or PD [Ferid AGANI] Movement for Self-Determination (Vetevendosje) or VV [Visar YMERI] Movement for Unification or LB [Avni KLINAKU] Serb List [Slavko SIMIC] Turkish Democratic Party of Kosovo or KDTP [Mahir YAGCILAR] Vakat Coalition or VAKAT [Rasim DEMIRI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
CiviKos Platform [Valdete IDRIZI] Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedom (human rights) Group for Political and Legal Studies [Fisnik KORENICA] KLA Veterans [Xhevdet QERIQI] Kosova Women's Network [Igballe RUGOVA] Kosovar Civil Society Foundation [Venera HAJRULLAHU] Kosovo Democratic Institute [Ismet KRYEZIU] Organization for Democracy, Anti-Corruption and Dignity Rise! [Avni ZOGIANI] Serb National Council (SNV) Speak Up [Ramadan ILAZI, executive director]

International organization participation:
IBRD, IDA, IFC, IMF, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OIF (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Vlora CITAKU (since 17 September 2015)
chancery: 2175 K Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20037
telephone: 202-450-2130
FAX: 202-735-0609
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Gregory T. DELAWIE (since 21 August 2015)
embassy: Arberia/Dragodan, Nazim Hikmet 30, Pristina, Kosovo
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [381] 38 59 59 3000
FAX: [381] 38 549 890

Flag description:
centered on a dark blue field is the geographical shape of Kosovo in a gold color surmounted by six white, five-pointed stars arrayed in a slight arc; each star represents one of the major ethnic groups of Kosovo: Albanians, Serbs, Turks, Gorani, Roma, and Bosniaks

National symbol(s):
six, five-pointed, white stars; national colors: blue, gold, white

National anthem:
name: "Europe"
lyrics/music: no lyrics/Mendi MENGJIQI
note: adopted 2008; Kosovo chose to exclude lyrics in its anthem so as not to offend the country's minority ethnic groups

NOTE: The information regarding Kosovo on this page is re-published from the 2016 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Kosovo Government 2016 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Kosovo Government 2016 should be addressed to the CIA.


- Please bookmark this page (add it to your favorites).
- If you wish to link to this page, you can do so by referring to the URL address below this line.
https://theodora.com/wfbcurrent/kosovo/kosovo_government.html

This page was last modified 27-Apr-16
Copyright © 1995-2024 , ITA all rights reserved.