Hashim Thaçi
Hashim Thaçi (Albanian pronunciation: [hä'ʃɪm 'θɑ:t͡ɕɪ] ⓘ; born 24 April 1968) is a Kosovar Albanian politician who was the president of Kosovo from April 2016 until his resignation on 5 November 2020 to face a war crimes tribunal. He was the first prime minister of Kosovo and the Foreign minister and deputy prime minister in the new cabinet led by Isa Mustafa, which assumed office on 12 December 2014.
Hashim Thaçi | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2016 | |
| President of Kosovo | |
| In office 7 April 2016 – 5 November 2020 | |
| Prime Minister | Isa Mustafa Ramush Haradinaj Albin Kurti Avdullah Hoti |
| Preceded by | Atifete Jahjaga |
| Succeeded by | Vjosa Osmani |
| Prime Minister of Kosovo | |
| In office 9 January 2008 – 9 December 2014 | |
| President | Fatmir Sejdiu Behgjet Pacolli Atifete Jahjaga |
| Deputy | Hajredin Kuçi Ramë Manaj Behgjet Pacolli Mimoza Kusari-Lila Bujar Bukoshi Edita Tahiri Slobodan Petrović |
| Preceded by | Agim Çeku |
| Succeeded by | Isa Mustafa |
| In office 2 April 1999 – 1 February 2000 In opposition to Bujar Bukoshi | |
| President | Ibrahim Rugova |
| Preceded by | Bujar Bukoshi |
| Succeeded by | Bajram Rexhepi |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 12 December 2014 – 7 April 2016 | |
| Prime Minister | Isa Mustafa |
| Preceded by | Enver Hoxhaj |
| Succeeded by | Enver Hoxhaj |
| Leader of the Democratic Party | |
| In office 27 October 1999 – 26 February 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Kadri Veseli |
| Political Director of KLA | |
| In office March 1999 – June 1999 | |
| Preceded by | Adem Demaçi |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 April 1968 Srbica, AP KiM, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia (now Skenderaj, Kosovo) |
| Political party | Democratic League (before 1993) Democratic Party (1999–2016) Independent (2016–present) |
| Spouse | Lumnije Thaçi |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | University of Pristina University of Zürich |
| Signature | |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Kosova |
| Branch/service | Kosovo Liberation Army |
| Years of service | 1993–1999 |
| Rank | Commander |
| Battles/wars | Insurgency in Kosovo Kosovo War |
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Political Director of KLA (1994–1999) Premiership
Elections President of Kosovo Elections |
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Thaçi is from the region of Drenica in Kosovo, which is where the KLA originated. He studied philosophy in Prishtina before moving to Switzerland, where he joined the Kosovo Liberation Army in 1993. He rose through the ranks of the KLA to become leader of the most powerful faction by 1999, during the Rambouillet negotiations. He then joined the interim Kosovo administration after the war.
Thaçi became leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), which won the largest share of the vote in the 2007 Kosovo elections. In 2008, Thaçi declared the independence of Kosovo and became its first prime minister. In 2016 he was elected President of Kosovo. Thaçi has pursued a pro-American policy while in office. There have been controversies regarding Thaçi's role in the KLA and allegations about him being involved in organized crime. In 2020, the Kosovo Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecutor's Office filed a ten-count Indictment, charging Hashim Thaçi and others for crimes against humanity and war crimes. Thaçi subsequently resigned from his position as president, in his words, in order to "protect the integrity of the presidency of Kosovo".
As of April 2023, he has pled not guilty to war crimes and his trial is ongoing at The Hague.