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conventional long form: Republic of Kosovo
conventional short form:
Kosovo
local long form:
Republika e Kosoves (Republika Kosovo)
local short form:
Kosova (Kosovo)
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republic
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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
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30 municipalities (komunat, singular - komuna in Albanian; opstine, singular - opstina in Serbian); Decan (Decani), Dragash (Dragas), Ferizaj (Urosevac), Fushe Kosove (Kosovo Polje), Gjakove (Dakovica), Gjilan (Gnjilane), Gllogovc/Drenas (Glogovac), Istog (Istok), Kacanik, Kamenice/Dardana (Kamenica), Kline (Klina), Leposaviq (Leposavic), Lipjan (Lipljan), Malisheve (Malisevo), Mitrovice (Mitrovica), Novoberde (Novo Brdo), Obiliq (Obilic), Peje (Pec), Podujeve (Podujevo), Prishtine (Pristina), Prizren, Rahovec (Orahovac), Shterpce (Strpce), Shtime (Stimlje), Skenderaj (Srbica), Suhareke (Suva Reka), Viti (Vitina), Vushtrri (Vucitrn), Zubin Potok, Zvecan
note - the Government of Kosovo has announced the establishment of eight additional municipalities in accordance with UN Special Envoy AHTISAARI's mandated decentralization process; the boundaries of several municipalities are pending final approval; the municipalities are: Gracanice (Gracanica), Hani i Elezit (Dzeneral Jankovic), Junik, Kllokot-Verboc (Klokot-Vrbovac), Mamushe (Mamusa), Partes, and Ranillug (Ranilug); in addition, the current Mitrovice (Mitrovica) municipality is to be split into Mitrovice (Mitrovica) North and Mitrovice (Mitrovica) South
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17 February 2008 (from Serbia)
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Independence Day, 17 February (2008)
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adopted by the Kosovo Assembly on 9 April 2008; effective 15 June 2008
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evolving legal system based on terms of former UN Special Envoy Martti AHTISAARI's Plan for Kosovo's supervised independence; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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18 years of age; universal
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chief of state: President Fatmir SEJDIU (since 10 February 2006)
head of government:
Prime Minister Hashim THACI (since 9 January 2008)
cabinet:
ministers; elected by the Kosovo Assembly
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections:
the president elected for a five-year term by the Kosovo Assembly; election last held on 9 January 2008 (next to be held by in 2013); the prime minister elected by the Kosovo Assembly
election results:
Fatmir SEJDIU reelected president after three rounds; Hashim THACI elected prime minister by the Assembly
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unicameral national Assembly (120 seats; 100 seats directly elected, 10 seats guaranteed for ethnic Serbs, 10 seats guaranteed for other ethnic minorities; members to serve four-year terms)
elections:
last held on 17 November 2007 (next expected to be held in 2011)
election results:
percent of vote by party - PDK 34.3%, LDK 22.6%, AKR 12.3%, LDD 10.0%, AAK 9.6%, other 11.2%; seats by party - PDK 37, LDK 25, AKR 13, LDD 11, AAK 10, other 4
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Supreme Court; district courts; municipal courts
note:
the Kosovo Constitution dictates that the Supreme Court of Kosovo is the highest judicial authority, and provides for a Kosovo Judicial Council (KJC) that proposes to the president candidates for appointment or reappointment as judges and prosecutors; the KJC is also responsible for decisions on the promotion and transfer of judges and disciplinary proceedings against judges; at least 15 percent of Supreme Court and district court judges shall be from non-majority communities
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Albanian Christian Democratic Party of Kosovo or PShDK [Ton MARKU]; Alliance for a New Kosovo or AKR [Behgjet PACOLLI]; Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Ramush HARADINAJ]; Alliance of Independent Social Democrats of Kosovo and Metohija or SDSKIM [Ljubisa ZIVIC]; Bosniak Vakat Coalition or DSV [Sadik IDRIZI]; Citizens' Initiative of Gora or GIG [Murselj HALJILJI]; Democratic Action Party or SDA [Numan BALIC]; Democratic League of Dardania or LDD [Nexhat DACI]; Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Fatmir SEJDIU]; Democratic Party of Ashkali of Kosovo or PDAK [Berat QERIMI]; Democratic Party of Bosniaks [Dzezair MURATI]; Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK [Hashim THACI]; Independent Liberal Party or SLS [Slobadan PETROVIC]; Kosovo Democratic Turkish Party of KDTP [Mahir YAGCILAR]; New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo or IRDK [Xhevdet NEZIRAJ]; New Democratic Party or ND [Predrag JOVIC]; New Kosovo Alliance or AKR [Behxhet PACOLLI]; Reform Party Ora [Teuta SAHATCIA]; Serb National Party or SNS [Mihailo SCEPANOVIC]; Serbian Democratic Party of Kosovo and Metohija or SDS KiM [Slavisa PETKOVIC]; Serbian Kosovo and Metohija Party or SKMS [Dragisa MIRIC]; Serbian National Council of Northern Kosovo and Metohija or SNV [Milan IVANOVIC]; Social Democratic Party of Kosovo or PSDK [Agim CEKU]; Socialist Party of Kosovo or PSK [Emrush XHEMAJLI]; United Roma Party of Kosovo or PREBK [Haxhi Zylfi MERXHA]
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Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedom (human rights); Humanitarian Law Centre (human rights); Movement for Self-Determination; Serb National Council (SNV)
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IBRD, IDA, IFC, IMF, ITUC, MIGA, WFTU
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chief of mission: Ambassador Avni SPAHIU
chancery:
1101 30th Street NW, Suites 330/340, Washington, DC 20007
telephone:
202-380-3581
FAX:
202-380-3628
consulate(s) general:
New York
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chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher William DELL
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
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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
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