Kosovo
Kosovo Political system
Kosovo was officially a province of Serbia until February 17, 2008. Since the
end of the war in Yugoslavia, however, Kosovo has been under the protection and
leadership of NATO. The interim administration of Kosovo, UNMIK, was established
by the Security Council on June 10, 1999 as a UN peacekeeping mission for the
restoration and reconstruction of Kosovo. It should prepare the province for
elections and ultimately for its autonomy. In cooperation with the people of
Kosovo, UNMIK performed the most important tasks of civil administration. At the
same time, the mission should monitor the development of provisional
institutions for democratic self-government in Kosovo and thus create the
conditions for a peaceful and normal life in Kosovo. The Albanian majority in
the country pushed for rapid independence, But what was prevented for a long
time mainly by the resistance of the Russians sympathizing with Serbia. The
north of Kosovo, inhabited by around 20,000 Serbs, had long since eluded the
UN's control and influence.
Fatmir Sejdiu (born 1951) has been President of Kosovo since
February 2006. Before that he was Professor of Legal History at the University
of Prishtina. He is a consistent advocate of a (non-violent) complete
independence of Kosovo. The country's prime minister has been Hashim
Thaçi Agim Çeku (born 1968) since 2007. He was previously a
co-founder and leader of the UÇK.
On February 17, 2008, the parliament declared the independence of Kosovo and
on June 15, 2008 the new constitution of the country was signed by the President
of the Republic of Kosovo Fatmir Sejdiu in Prishdina.
According to Digopaul.com,
the official name of the country is:
National anthem
The national anthem of a country is a piece of music that is usually
underlaid with a text and is intended to express the state, lifestyle and
national feeling of a country. It is played on special festive occasions, e.g.
on state visits, on special holidays or to honor politicians, business leaders,
etc. The national anthem of the respective winning country is also used at the
award ceremony on the occasion of international sporting events such as the
Olympic Games, the Tour de France or World and European Championships
Performance.
The introduction of the national anthems in most European countries goes back to
the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The numerous former colonies that had
become independent usually introduced their national anthems and also their
national flags after independence, i.e. in the second half of the 20th century.
On June 12, 2008, the parliament in Prishtina selected the anthem with the
title Europe as the new national anthem, composed by the music
professor at the University of Prishtina - Mehdi Mengjiqi - from 134
drafts. The hymn has no lyrics. It was officially presented to the public for
the first time on June 15 in Pristina.
On September 10, 2012, Kosovo finally became a fully sovereign state after its
independence.
National flag
Based on flag descriptions by
Countryaah.com, the flag of Kosovo shows - as can be clearly seen in the picture - six white
stars that extend in a slight arc over the gold-colored outline of Kosovo. The
blue background symbolizes the country's hope for integration in Europe, while
the six stars symbolize the six different ethnic groups of Kosovo: Albanians, Bosniaks, Roma, Serbs, Turks and other minorities.
Kosovo: People we know
Politicians and rulers
- Haxhi Zeka (1832-1904), one of the
leading representatives of the "League of Prizren".
- Abdyl Frasheri (1839-1892), one of
the leading representatives of the "League of Prizren".
- Pashko Vasas (1825 - 1892), one of the leading
representatives of the "League of Prizren".
- Fatmir Sejdiu (born 1951), President of Kosovo since
2006.
- Agim Çeku (born 1960), Prime Minister of Kosovo since
2006.
- Ramush Haradinaj (born 1968), Prime Minister of Kosovo
from 2004 to 2005.
- Bajram Kosumi (born 1960), Prime Minister of Kosovo
from 2005 to 2006.
- Bajram Rexhepi (born 1954), Prime Minister of Kosovo
from 2002 to 2004.
- Ibrahim Rugova (1944-2006),
President of Kosovo from 2002 to 2006. Rugova was seen abroad as the
political and moral leader of Kosovo.
- Hashim Thaçi (born 1968), chairman of the Democratic
Party of Kosovo and co-founder and leader of the UÇK guerrilla movement.
Writer, poet and musician
- Hivzi Sulejmani (1912-1975), writer.
- Esad Mekuli (1916 - 1993), poet and founder of
Yugoslavia's first Albanian-language literary magazine "Jeta".
- Enver Gjerqeku (born 1928) poet.
- Din Mehmeti (born 1932), poet.
- Azem Shkreli (1938-1997), poet and
novelist.
- Anton Pashku (1938-1995), writer. He
is considered the author of modern Kosovo literature.
- Nazmi Rrahmani (born 1941), writer.
- Ali Podrimja (born 1942), poet.
- Beqë Cufaj (born 1970), writer and journalist.
- Martin Camaj (1925-1992), poet and
linguist.
- Beqir Musliu (1945-1996), writer.
- Zejnullah Rrahmani (born 1952), writer.
- Dafina S. Zeqiri (born 1984), composer
- Mendi Mengjiqi (born), composer and music professor at
the University of Prishtina and composer of the new hymn of Kosovo called
"Europe"
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