Vjosa Osmani Explained

Honorific-Prefix:Her Excellency
Vjosa Osmani
Office:President of Kosovo
Term Start:4 April 2021
Primeminister:Albin Kurti
Predecessor:Glauk Konjufca (acting)
Term Label1:Acting
Term Start1:5 November 2020
Term End1:22 March 2021
Primeminister1:Avdullah Hoti
Predecessor1:Hashim Thaçi
Successor1:Glauk Konjufca (acting)
Office2:Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo
President2:Hashim Thaçi
Term Start2:3 February 2020
Term End2:22 March 2021
Predecessor2:Glauk Konjufca
Successor2:Glauk Konjufca
Birth Date:17 May 1982[1]
Birth Place:Mitrovica, SFR Yugoslavia
present Kosovo
Nationality:Albanian
Party:Independent (2021–present)
Otherparty:
Education:University of Pristina
University of Pittsburgh (LLM, SJD)[3]
Profession:Politician and legal academic
Spouse:[4]
Children:2
Signature:Vjosa Osmani (nënshkrim).svg

Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu (born 17 May 1982) is a Kosovo Albanian jurist and politician who is the current president of Kosovo since 2021.[5] [6] Osmani was born and raised in Titova Mitrovica, SFR Yugoslavia (present-day Kosovo) and studied law at the University of Pristina and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. She worked as an advisor to the president of Kosovo Fatmir Sejdiu before she was elected to the Assembly. Osmani held the position of Speaker of the Assembly of Kosovo from February 2020 to March 2021, and also served as acting president between November 2020 and March 2021 after the resignation of President Hashim Thaçi. Upon her election as president, Osmani became the second woman to hold the position, as well as the first person to have served as both acting president and president of Kosovo. Osmani successfully ran on an anti-corruption platform and has expressed a desire to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia. Since taking office, Osmani has returned the flag of Dardania as the official symbol of the presidency.

Life and career

Vjosa Osmani was born on in Titova Mitrovica, Kosovo, then a part of the Socialist Republic of Serbia, Yugoslavia to ethnic Albanian parents.[7] She grew up with four siblings, and completed her primary and secondary education in her hometown. Osmani was a teenager during the Kosovo War, and she once stated that she "can still feel" the barrel of an M70 rifle that a soldier forced into her mouth after her home in Mitrovica had been raided.

Osmani earned her bachelor's degree in law from the University of Prishtina.[8] She continued with graduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law (Pitt Law), earning a master's degree in law (LLM) in 2005 and a doctorate in juridical science (SJD) in 2015. Her doctoral dissertation addressed the applicability of the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) in Kosovo as Kosovo's legal status has evolved since 1988, when the CISG first entered into force.[9] Osmani has been a teaching assistant at the University of Pristina,[10] [11] a lecturer at RIT Kosovo, and a visiting professor at the University of Pittsburgh.[12]

Osmani's political career began in her teens, as an activist for the centre-right Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK). On 27 August 2009, she was elected chief of staff for then president Fatmir Sejdiu. Osmani had also served as legal counsel and foreign policy advisor to the president. She was a member of the Assembly of Kosovo for three terms, and once received the largest number of votes for a female politician in Kosovan parliamentary history. Osmani contributed to the independence of Kosovo, as the president's representative for the Constitution Commission, the body that prepared the Kosovan constitution. She represented Kosovo in a case at the International Court of Justice, where she defended the legality of Kosovo's independence.

As part of her parliamentary duties, Osmani served as the chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Diaspora and Strategic Investments and the Committee on European Integration. She also served as the vice-chair of the Committee on Constitutional Reforms in Kosovo. In 2014, Osmani clashed with LDK leadership, including party leader Isa Mustafa, when she criticized the LDK for forming a coalition government with its long-time rival party, the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), breaking a previously made pledge.[13] [14] Osmani also boycotted the presidential election in 2016, in which PDK leader Hashim Thaçi was elected president as part of the coalition agreement.[15]

Osmani was viewed as a possible prime minister of Kosovo by the LDK in the 2019 snap parliamentary election.[16] While campaigning for the election, she said the Kosovan people were ready for a female prime minister, and that she could fight corruption and make free market reforms for Kosovo.[17] [18] She lost the election to Albin Kurti, leader of the left-wing anti-establishment party Vetëvendosje, and had received 176,016 votes.[19]

On, Osmani was removed from her position as her party's deputy leader, after LDK leader Mustafa called for her dismissal due to her public opposition of decisions made by the party.[20] Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti replaced her as LDK deputy leader. Osmani later quit the LDK altogether on, stating that the party had left her no choice, but adding that she would return if the party were reformed.[21] [22]

2021–present: Presidency

See also: 2021 Kosovan presidential election.

In 2020, Osmani was appointed acting president of Kosovo after President Thaçi resigned following an indictment by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecutor's Office in The Hague.

In preparation for the 2021 Kosovan parliamentary election, Osmani announced the founding of her own political party, Guxo, on .[23] She also aligned with Kurti's Vetëvendosje party. Running on an anti-corruption platform, both parties scored landslide victories, and Osmani personally received more than 300,000 votes. The election also gave women a third of the 120-seat parliament and an unprecedented six positions out of fifteen in the cabinet.

In contrast, the LDK, Osmani's former party, did very poorly in the elections, as predicted by LDK members who had publicly criticized the earlier ouster of Osmani in 2020.[24] [25] The LDK lost roughly half of its seats in parliament, and party leader Mustafa resigned on .[26] [27] [28] [29]

On, the assembly elected Osmani as Kosovo's president during its third round of voting.[30] Although the vote was unattended by two opposition parties as well as a party representing the ethnic Serb minority in Kosovo, 82 members of the 120-seat parliament cast their votes during the second day of the extraordinary session.[31] She won 71 of the votes, while 11 votes were declared invalid, and was subsequently sworn in for a five-year term later that day, becoming Kosovo's second female president. Osmani said that she hoped to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia, while also calling for Belgrade to apologize for the war that led to Kosovo's declaration of independence and to prosecute those who had committed war crimes.

Before taking the oath of office, Osmani resigned from the leadership of Guxo.[32] [33] Newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs Donika Gërvalla replaced her as Guxo's head.[34]

Personal life

In 2012, Osmani married Prindon Sadriu, an employee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[4] They have twin daughters.[35] Osmani speaks Albanian, English, Serbian, Spanish, and Turkish.

Honours and accolades

During Osmani's master's studies at the University of Pittsburgh, the university presented her with the Excellence for the Future Award twice. In 2017, the University of Pittsburgh Center for International Studies awarded her the Sheth International Young Alumni Achievement Award for her contribution to democracy and human rights.[36]

On 28 February 2022, Osmani was awarded a Honoris Causa from Ankara University.[37]

On 21 August 2024, Osmani was honored with the M100 Media Award by M100 Sanssouci Colloquium.[38]

References

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: Vjosa Osmani is elected President of Kosovo . Class (Albania) . 5 April 2021 . 25 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210425065757/https://www.classlifestyle.com/news/48463/vjosa-osmani-zgjidhet-presidente-e-kosoves/eng/ . live .
  2. News: A po largohet Vjosa Osmani nga LDK-ja? Kjo është deklarata e saj. Is Vjosa Osmani leaving the LDK? This is her statement. Albanian. Kanal10. 7 September 2020. 8 November 2020. 29 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201129145334/https://kanal10.live/lajme/a-po-largohet-vjosa-osmani-nga-ldk-ja-kjo-eshte-deklarata-e-saj. dead.
  3. Web site: Pitt Law Alumna Vjosa Osmani Nominated by LDK as candidate for prime minister of Kosovo School of Law University of Pittsburgh. https://archive.today/20210408031852/https://www.law.pitt.edu/news/pitt-law-alumna-vjosa-osmani-nominated-ldk-candidate-prime-minister-kosovo. dead. www.law.pitt.edu. 8 April 2021. 8 April 2021.
  4. News: Prindon Sadriu: Në MPJ jam punësuar para se të martohesha me Vjosa Osmanin . Prindon Sadriu: I was employed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before I married Vjosa Osmani . 5 April 2021 . Gazeta Express . 27 November 2018 . Albanian . 15 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210415130350/https://www.gazetaexpress.com/prindon-sadriu-ne-mpj-jam-punesuar-para-se-te-martohesha-me-vjosa-osmanin/ . live .
  5. News: Kurti kandidat i VV-së për kryeministër, Osmani për presidente. Albanian. Koha Ditore. 14 January 2021. 14 January 2021. 8 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210208063152/https://www.koha.net/arberi/254116/iniciativa-e-osmanit-ne-liste-te-perbashket-me-vv-ne/. live.
  6. News: Kosovo MPs elect lawyer Vjosa Osmani as president . 5 April 2021 . . 4 April 2021 . 6 April 2021 . https://archive.today/20210406065442/https://www.dw.com/en/kosovo-mps-elect-lawyer-vjosa-osmani-as-president/a-57099573 . live .
  7. News: Callaghan . Louise . Shaped by Kosovo's war, Vjosa Osmani won't blink in her battle to cut out the rot . 5 April 2021 . The Times . 9 January 2021 . 31 March 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210331014748/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/shaped-by-kosovos-war-vjosa-osmani-wont-blink-in-her-battle-to-cut-out-the-rot-k9rcdkvq9 . live .
  8. News: Sulaj . Agim . Abdula . Furkan . Kosovo's parliament elects Vjosa Osmani as president . 5 April 2021 . Anadolu . 4 April 2021 . 4 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210404222142/https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/kosovo-s-parliament-elects-vjosa-osmani-as-president-/2198051 . live .
  9. Web site: TREATY APPLICATION IN KOSOVO THROUGH RULES OF SUCCESSION AND AS DOMESTIC LAW: THE EXAMPLE OF THE CISG . 2015 . d-scholarship.pitt.edu . 10 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191006132737if_/http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/25029/1/osmani-sadriuv_etd2015_5-27_2.pdf . 6 October 2019 . dead.
  10. Web site: CV . juridiku.uni-pr.edu . PDF . 10 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190328142259if_/https://juridiku.uni-pr.edu/getattachment/Personeli/Personeli-akademik/Mr-sc-Vjosa-Osmani/CV---Vjosa-Osmani.pdf.aspx . 28 March 2019 . dead.
  11. Web site: 2021-04-08. Universiteti i Prishtinës. 2021-04-10. archive.ph. 8 April 2021. https://archive.today/20210408035737/https://juridiku.uni-pr.edu/page.aspx?id=1,14. live.
  12. Web site: Vjosa Osmani University Center for International Studies. 5 April 2021. www.ucis.pitt.edu. 5 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210405174746/https://www.ucis.pitt.edu/main/awardee-bio/Vjosa-Osmani. live.
  13. Web site: Winners and losers as new era of Kosovar politics dawns - Kosovo 2.0Kosovo 2.0. https://archive.today/20201128162340/https://kosovotwopointzero.com/en/winners-and-losers-as-new-era-of-kosovar-politics-dawns/. dead. 8 October 2019. Kosovo 2.0. 28 November 2020. 8 April 2021.
  14. Web site: LDK remove Vjosa Osmani from party leadership. https://archive.today/20210203094054/https://prishtinainsight.com/ldk-remove-vjosa-osmani-from-party-leadership/. dead. 20 June 2020. 3 February 2021. 8 April 2021.
  15. Web site: 2016-02-27. Hashim Thaci elected Kosovo's new president amid tear gas - BBC News. https://archive.today/20160227093519/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35674917. dead. 2016-02-27. 2021-04-10. archive.ph.
  16. Web site: Vjosa Osmani, the woman taking on Kosovo's 'nasty' politics to be PM. www.msn.com. 5 October 2019. 5 October 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191005193556/https://www.msn.com/en-xl/europe/top-stories/vjosa-osmani-the-woman-taking-on-kosovos-nasty-politics-to-be-pm/ar-AAI9TMg. live.
  17. Web site: 1 October 2019. Kosovo to Elect New Parliament Amid Anger Over Graft, Unemployment. 6 October 2019. Voice of America. Reuters. 2 October 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191002020005/https://www.voanews.com/europe/kosovo-elect-new-parliament-amid-anger-over-graft-unemployment. live.
  18. Web site: Zivanovic. Maja. Isufi. Perparim. 7 October 2019. Opposition Vetevendosje Party Triumphs in Kosovo Election. 7 October 2019. Balkan Insight. 7 October 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191007164944/https://balkaninsight.com/2019/10/07/opposition-vetevendosje-party-triumphs-in-kosovo-election/. live.
  19. Web site: 6 October 2019. Këto janë subjektet politike që mund t'i votoni më 6 tetor - Gazeta Express - www.gazetaexpress.com. 5 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20191006131711/https://www.gazetaexpress.com/keto-jane-subjektet-politike-qe-mund-ti-votoni-me-6-tetor/. 6 October 2019.
  20. Web site: 2020-07-20. UPDATE: Kosovo's Ruling Party Votes to Remove Speaker of Parliament V.... https://archive.today/20200720171743/https://exit.al/en/2020/06/20/kosovos-ruling-party-to-vote-on-removing-speaker-of-parliament-vjosa-osmani-from-its-leadership/. dead. 2020-07-20. 2021-04-10. archive.ph.
  21. Web site: 2021-04-09. Osmani përfundimisht ndan rrugët me LDK-në: Bashkëpunimin me LVV-në .... https://archive.today/20210409063534/https://indeksonline.net/%E2%80%8Bosmani-perfundimisht-ndan-rruget-me-ldk-ne-bashkepunimin-me-lvv-ne-do-ta-konkretizoj-me-vone/. 2021-04-09. live. 2021-04-10. archive.ph.
  22. Web site: 2021-04-09. Vjosa Osmani: Në LDK do të kthehesha nëse reformohet - Indeksonline.n.... https://archive.today/20210409061734/https://indeksonline.net/vjosa-osmani-ne-ldk-do-te-kthehesha-nese-reformohet1/. dead. 2021-04-09. 2021-04-10. archive.ph.
  23. News: 2021-04-08. Albanian Daily News. https://archive.today/20210408152324/https://albaniandailynews.com/news/acting-president-vjosa-osmani-presents-new-initiative. dead. 2021-04-08. 2021-04-10. archive.ph.
  24. Web site: 2021-03-05. LDK leader Isa Mustafa steps down following electoral defeat. https://archive.today/20210305105009/https://euronews.al/en/kosovo/2021/02/15/ldk-leader-isa-mustafa-steps-down-following-electoral-defeat. dead. 2021-03-05. 2021-04-10. archive.ph.
  25. Web site: 2020-08-03. Deputeti i LDK-së thotë se ka votuar kundër shkarkimit të Vjosa Osman.... https://archive.today/20200803091155/https://kallxo.com/lajm/deputeti-i-ldk-se-thote-se-ka-votuar-kunder-shkarkimit-te-vjosa-osmanit-nga-pozitat-ne-parti/. dead. 2020-08-03. 2021-04-10. archive.ph.
  26. Web site: REZULTATET PËRFUNDIMTARE KONAČNI REZULTATI. https://web.archive.org/web/20210125045159if_/https://www.kqz-ks.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/3.Ndarja-e-ul%C3%ABseve-n%C3%AB-Kuvend-Subjektet-dhe-kandidat%C3%ABt-e-zgjedhur-1.pdf . dead . 2021-01-25 . www.kqz-ks.org. 2021-04-10.
  27. Web site: 2021-04-09. Kosovo Center for Strategic and International Studies. https://archive.today/20210409075315/https://www.csis.org/programs/european-election-watch/kosovo-0. dead. 2021-04-09. 2021-04-10. archive.ph.
  28. Web site: 2021-02-15. Isa Mustafa resigns as LDK leader - Prishtina Insight. https://archive.today/20210215140355/https://prishtinainsight.com/isa-mustafa-resigns-as-ldk-leader/. dead. 2021-02-15. 2021-04-10. archive.ph.
  29. Web site: 2021-03-14. Kosovo Opposition LDK Elects Lumir Abdixhiku as Party President - Exi.... https://archive.today/20210314185846/https://exit.al/en/2021/03/14/kosovo-opposition-ldk-elects-lumir-abdixhiku-as-party-president/. dead. 2021-03-14. 2021-04-10. archive.ph.
  30. News: Kosovo MPs elect lawyer Vjosa Osmani as president . https://archive.today/20210406065442/https://www.dw.com/en/kosovo-mps-elect-lawyer-vjosa-osmani-as-president/a-57099573 . 6 April 2021 . 4 April 2021 . Deutsche Welle . 5 April 2021 . live .
  31. News: Kosovo parliament elects Vjosa Osmani as new president . https://archive.today/20210406065411/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/4/kosovo-parliament-elects-vjosa-osmani-as-new-president . 6 April 2021 . Al Jazeera . 6 April 2021 . live .
  32. Web site: 2021-04-06. Para se të jepte betimin si presidente, Vjosa Osmani dha dorëheqje ng.... 2021-04-10. archive.ph. 6 April 2021. https://archive.today/20210406093242/https://kallxo.com/lajm/para-se-te-jepte-betimin-si-presidente-vjosa-osmani-dha-doreheqje-nga-posti-i-deputetes-dhe-postet-partiake/. live.
  33. Web site: 2021-04-06. Pas dorëheqjes së Vjosa Osmanit, Donika Gërvalla e drejton iniciativë.... 2021-04-10. archive.ph. 6 April 2021. https://archive.today/20210406093213/https://reporteri.net/lajme/pas-doreheqjes-se-vjosa-osmanit-donika-gervalla-e-drejton-iniciativen-guxo/. live.
  34. Web site: 2021-04-06. Donika Gervalla: 'We are not an experiment, we are a sovereign state..... 2021-04-10. archive.ph. 6 April 2021. https://archive.today/20210406095443/https://prishtinainsight.com/donika-gervalla-we-are-not-an-experiment-we-are-a-sovereign-state/. live.
  35. Web site: 4 April 2021. Kosovo parliament elects reformist lawyer Osmani as president. 5 April 2021. Daily Sabah. 4 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210404230607/https://www.dailysabah.com/world/europe/kosovo-parliament-elects-reformist-lawyer-osmani-as-president. live.
  36. Web site: 25 August 2019 . Vjosa Osmani, femra e parë si kandidate për kryeministre, e diplomuar në SHBA . Vlora News . sq . 5 October 2019 . 5 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191005192611/https://vloranews.al/lajme/vjosa-osmani-femra-e-pare-si-kandidate-per-kryeministre-e-diplomuar-ne-shba/ . live .
  37. Web site: 28 February 2022 . President Osmani was honoured with the "Doctor Honoris Causa" award by the prestigious Ankara University . 28 February 2022 . President of the Republic of Kosovo . 1 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220301235904/https://president-ksgov.net/en/news/president-osmani-was-honoured-with-the-doctor-honoris-causa-award-by-the-prestigious-ankara-university . live .
  38. VM100 Media Award to Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu and Donald Tusk . 21 August 2024 . Potsdam Media International . M100 Sanssouci Colloquium . 13 September 2024 . 3 September 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240903214451/https://www.m100potsdam.org/en/m100-media-award-2024/ . live .

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