Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu was sworn in as post-war Kosovo's second Female President and seventh overall on April 4, 2021. She was sworn in for a five-year term period.
Osmani-Sadriu, the former parliamentary speaker of the Balkan nation, took the oath after she received support from 71 lawmakers in the 120-seat parliament in the third round of voting during the two-day extraordinary session of the Parliament.
While 11 votes were declared invalid, two opposition parties and the ethnic Serb minority party decided to boycott the voting.
The Assembly of Kosovo has elected today H.E. Mrs. Vjosa Osmani- Sadriu, President of the Republic of Kosovo.
— Embassy of Kosovo CA (@KosovoinCanada) April 4, 2021
She is the second female President of Kosovo and will serve as President for a 5-year mandate.
Congratulations @VjosaOsmaniMP ! pic.twitter.com/dCYrYKgeRO
Key Details
•Osmani-Sadriu was elected as the seventh President of post-war Kosovo with the support of the left-wing Self-Determination Movement, which had recorded a landslide victory in Kosovo's Early Elections held on February 14, 2021.
•The party now holds all three top posts including that of the President, Prime Minister and the Speaking of the Parliament.
•The 38-year-old will largely have a ceremonial role as the head of state. However, she will also have a leading position in foreign policy and will be the commander of the armed forces.
•Currently, the key priority for the Kosovo government would be normalising talks with Serbia, a former war foe.
When did Kosovo become independent?
Kosovo unilaterally declared its independence from Serbia in February 2008. The country, which is a partially recognised state, has gained diplomatic recognition as a sovereign state by 98 UN member states including NATO members. However, it is not recognised by Serbia or its allies like China and Russia.
Kosovo is a landlocked country located in the centre of Balkans. Its neighbouring nations include Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro. It is a member of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
Kosovo's History |
| •The Ottoman Empire ruled the area from the 14th century after the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 till the 20th Century when it ceded Kosovo to Serbia and Montenegro after defeat in the Balkan Wars. •Both the nations had joined Yugoslavia after World War I and post-World War II Yugoslav constitution established the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within the Yugoslav constituent republic of Serbia. •However, tensions simmered between Kosovo's Albanian and Serb communities throughout the 20th century, culminating in the Kosovo War of 1998 and 1999, which resulted in the withdrawal of the Yugoslav army and establishment of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo. This was followed by Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence in 2008. •Though Serbia accepts the governing authority of the Kosovo institutions as a part of the 2013 Brussels Agreement, it continues to claim it as its constituent Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija. |
Background
Osmani-Sadriu had temporarily replaced former President Hashim Thaci in November 2020 following his resignation from the post after facing charges for war crimes and crimes against humanity at a special court based in The Hague. Hashim Thaci was a guerrilla leader during Kosovo’s war for independence from Serbia in late 1990s.
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