KOSOVA
— Officially: Republika e Kosovės; Република Косово « Republika Kosovo ».
— English: Kosovo.
— Seat of government: Prishtina.
— Status: Democratic.
— Structure: Government is led by a prime minister chosen by an elected assembly, one-sixth of whose seats are reserved for minorities. The president is also chosen by the assembly.
— Chief governing party: Koalicioni PANA (Partia Demokratike e Kosovės; Aleanca pėr Ardhmėrinė e Kosovės; Nisma pėr Kosovėn; Aleanca Kosova e Re).
— Heads of government: Ramush Haradinaj, AAK, prime minister (2004-5, and since 2017); Hashim Thaēi, president (since 2016); فرید ظریف « Farīd Šarīf », international administrator.
— Other parliamentary parties: Lėvizja Vetėvendosje; Koalicioni LA (Lidhja Demokratike e Kosovės; Alternativa); Јединствена Српска Листа « Jedinstvena Srpska Lista »; Kosova Demokratik Türk Partisi; Koalicija Vakat; Nova Demokratska Stranka; Самостална Либерална Странка; Partia Demokratike e Ashkanlive tė Kosovės; Partia Liberale Egjiptiane; Jedinstvena Goranska Partija; Partia Ashkalinjėve pėr Integrim; Partia Rome e Bashkuar e Kosovės.
— Assessment: An autonomous, democratic NATO/UN/EU protectorate, with dwindling international involvement and increasing international recognition. In 1992, the assembly, then under Jugoslovenski control, declared independence, and elected Ibrahim Rugova, leader of the LDK, as president. The emergence of the Ushtria Ēlirimtare e Kosovės in 1995 in a guerrilla war, and NATO and Republika e Shqipėrisė intervention in 1999, led to independence from Србија « Srbija », achieved in 1998-9 but not recognized internationally. In 2007 UN mediator Martti Ahtisaari proposed a supervised, limited independence, when Kosova and Србија « Srbija » failed to reach an agreement; a (second) declaration of independence was made in 2008, after the elected government agreed to limitations on its actions to gain the support of other states. Elections twice (2001, 2004) led to a pro-independence coalition between moderates and radicals, chiefly the LDK and the AAK. AAK leader Ramush Haradinaj, prime minister for a time (2004-5), was indicted by the special International Criminal Tribunal in Den Haag, and resigned to face charges (acquitted in 2008 and 2012). Rugova died in office in 2006, and was succeeded by Fatmir Sejdiu (2006-10), also of the LDK. Following parliamentary elections in 2007, a coalition was formed between the PDK and the LDK, shortly before independence was declared; the PDK formed a different coalition after finishing first in 2010-1. Prime ministers have included the UĒK’s political head (Hashim Thaēi, 2008-14) and military head (Agim Ēeku, 2006-8), as well as a senior commander (Haradinaj). In 2014 elections, PDK finished with a plurality, but far short of a majority, and two coalition members lost representation in parliament; eventually PDK agreed to a coalition led by LDK. A portion of the recognized territory in the north, Северно Косово « Severno Kosovo », inhabited by Срби « Srbi », was effectively out of the state’s control for most of independence, though that has been changing since a 2013 agreement.
 

Северно Косово « Severno Kosovo »
— Officially: Скупштина Заједнице Општина Аутономне Покрајине Косово и Метохија « Skupština Zajednice Opština Autonomne Pokrajine Kosovo i Metoxija ».
— English: North Kosovo.
— Seat of government: Северна Косовска Митровица « Severna Kosovska Mitrovica ».
— Status: Democratic.
— Structure: Largely self-governing municipalities under the law of Србија « Srbija ».
— Parliamentary parties: Српска Радикална Странка « Srpska Radikalna Stranka »; Демократска Странка Србије « Demokratska Stranka Srbije »; Социјалистичка Партија Србије « Socijalistička Partija Srbije »; Демократска Странка « Demokratska Stranka »; Г17 Плус « G17 Plus »; Građanska Inicijativa Gore.
— Heads of government: Радован Ничић « Radovan Ničić », president; فرید ظریف « Farīd Šarīf », international administrator.
— Assessment: Independent of Prishtina for years, and only separated from Србија « Srbija » by the presence of NATO. Full reintegration, if it happens, will be slow. A weaker, Prishtina-recognized Заједница Српских Општина « Zajednica Srpskix Opština » was agreed between Prishtina and Београд « Beograd » in 2013, but not established.

— FH: 6-5, not free. (For Kosova as a whole.)
— Updated: 2014 December 27.
 

O.T. FORD