Hashim Thaçi

Infobox Prime Minister
name = Hashim Thaçi


imagesize = 163px
order = Prime Minister of Kosovo
president = Fatmir Sejdiu
deputy = Hajredin Kuçi
Ramë Manaj
term_start = 9 January 2008
term_end =
predecessor = Agim Çeku
successor =
president2 = Ibrahim Rugova
term_start2 = 02 April 1999
term_end2 = 01 February 2000
predecessor2 = Bujar Bukoshi
successor2 = Nexhat Daci
party = PDK
religion = Islam
birth_date = birth date and age|1968|04|24|df=y
birth_place = Srbica, SAP Kosovo, Socialist Republic of Serbia, Yugoslavia

Hashim Thaçi (Albanian: Hashim Thaçi; Serbo-Croat: "Hašim Tači", Хашим Тачи; Audio|Hashim Thaçi.ogg|listen born 24 April, 1968 in Drenica, Socialist Autonomous Province of Kosovo, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia). Thaçi is the Prime Minister of Kosovo, the President of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), and former political leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).

Early life and education

Thaçi was born in Drenica in the municipality of Skënderaj / SrbicaFact|date=March 2008.

He studied philosophy and history at the University of Pristina. During his university years, he was an Albanian student leader and the first student president of the parallel Albanian University of Pristina that broke off in 1989 (and organized in the early 1990s) from the official University due to Kosovar Albanians' protest of Slobodan Milošević's new imposed status of Kosovo and Metohija.

By 1993, Thaçi joined the Albanian political emigration group in Switzerland, where he also pursued postgraduate studies at the University of Zurich in the history and international relations departments. There he became one of the founders of the People's Movement of Kosovo (LPK), a Marxist-Leninist [ [http://www.janes.com/defence/news/kosovo/misc990301_03_n.shtml Kosovo: Background to crisis] , "Jane's" (March 1999)] [Mark Almond, [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_14_50/ai_55103654 Our Gang - Kosovo Liberation Army] , "National Review", July 26, 1999] political party devoted to Albanian popular nationalism.

Role in KLA

In 1993, Thaçi became a member of the inner circle of the KLA. Thaçi ("nom de guerre" "Gjarpëri" ["The Snake"] ) was responsible for securing financial means, training and armament of recruits, teaching them in Albania under the auspices of its government, to be dispatched to Kosovo.Fact|date=February 2008 In 1997, Thaçi was tried in absentia and convicted by the Serbian authorities in Pristina for acts of terrorism associated with his activities in the KLA. [ [http://www.axisglobe.com/article.asp?article=561 Hashim Thaci or When the Little Red-Cap’s Wolf is Tamed ] ] March 1999, Thaçi participated in the Rambouillet negotiations as the leader of the Kosovar Albanian team. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F04EFD81338F930A35751C0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all Ethnic Albanian Guerrillas Will Attend Talks on Kosovo - New York Times ] ] Thaçi was perceived by western diplomats during the negotiations as the "voice of reason" within the KLA: his attendance at the negotiations demonstrated a willingness to accept autonomy for Kosovo within Serbia at a time when other rebel leaders rejected any solution short of full national independence. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F04EFD81338F930A35751C0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all Ethnic Albanian Guerrillas Will Attend Talks on Kosovo - New York Times ] ] Thaçi emerged from the final diplomatic settlement as the leader of the strongest faction within a KLA rife with factionalism. He moved quickly to consolidate power, unilaterally naming himself prime minister within a provisional government and allegedly ordering the assassination of the leaders of rival armed factions. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C02E1DD1539F935A35755C0A96F958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all CRISIS IN THE BALKANS: THE GUERRILLAS; Kosovo Rebel Force Will Be Serbian Province's New Power Broker - New York Times ] ] [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F07E2DF153AF936A15755C0A96F958260 CRISIS IN THE BALKANS: THE SEPARATISTS; Leaders of Kosovo Rebels Tied to Deadly Power Play - New York Times ] ]

Alleged Criminal Activities

Thaçi is alleged to have extensive criminal links. During the period of time when Thaçi was head of the Kosovo Liberation Army, it was reported by the Washington Times to be financing its activities by trafficking heroin and cocaine into western Europe. ["KLA finances fight with heroin sales Terror group is linked to crime network"; Jerry Seper. Washington Times. Washington, D.C.: May 3, 1999. pg. A.1] While the KLA was officially disbanded at the end of armed conflict in Kosovo in 1999, the new Kosovo Protection Force was composed primarily of former KLA fighters and the Democratic Party of Kosovo was formed largely from the political leadership of the KLA. A near monopoly on the means of force based on the absorption of the KLA into the KPF allowed the Democratic Party of Kosovo to seize near complete control of the machinery of government at the municipal level. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/699175.stm BBC News | EUROPE | Kosovo gripped by racketeers ] ] The Democratic Party of Kosovo has regularly employed violence and intimidation of political rivals to maintain local political control and protect criminal enterprises which depend upon cooperation from friendly local authorities. [ [http://www.csmonitor.com/2000/0815/p9s1.html Political violence in run-up to Kosovo vote | csmonitor.com ] ] Thaçi in particular is seen as being central to the criminal activities of the Kosovo Protection Force, who were reportedly extorting money from businessmen under the guise of "taxes" for Thaçi's self appointed government. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/699175.stm BBC News | EUROPE | Kosovo gripped by racketeers ] ] The fact that the Democratic Party of Kosovo was seen as both corrupt and criminal lead directly to the electoral defeat of the DPK in the first free elections in the province in 2001. The BBC stated at the time, " The tumbling reputation of the former KLA was to have a disastrous effect on the PDK because of the perceived overlap between its political leadership and post-KLA organised crime." [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/999166.stm BBC News | EUROPE | Analysis: Kosovo chooses normality ] ]

Victory in 2007 election and declaration of Kosovar independence

Kosovo elections were held on 17 November 2007. After early results based on 90 per cent of the votes, Hashim Thaçi who was on course to gain 34 per cent, claimed victory for PDK, the Albanian Democratic Party. He stated his intention to declare independence without delay on 10 December, the date set by the United Nations for the end of negotiations with Serbia. At 45 per cent, the turnout at the election was particularly low with most Serbs refusing to vote. [ [http://www.euronews.net/index.php?page=info&article=454473&lng=1 EuroNews: Ex-guerrilla chief claims victory in Kosovo election] .Retrieved 20 November 2007.]

However, on 19 November 2007, several EU foreign ministers warned Thaçi and his Albanian allies not to go ahead with their declaration of independence without consultations. Luxembourg's Jean Asselborn and Sweden's Carl Bildt urged the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) not to make any hasty moves while EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana stressed the importance of proper preparations prior to formal independence. After EU talks on Kosovo in London on 19 November 2007, the UK's Europe minister, Jim Murphy, said independence without foreign support could isolate the breakaway province. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7101366.stm Kosovo warned over independence: BBC News, 19 November 2007] .]

Hashim Thaçi was designated as the next leader of Kosovo's government on December 11, 2007 by Kosovar President Fatmir Sejdiu and told to form a government "as soon as possible". His Democratic Party of Kosovo began coalition talks with the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) as well as the Alliance for New Kosovo. Those parties together control 75 seats of 120 in the assembly. [cite news|url=http://news.monstersandcritics.com/europe/news/article_1380249.php/Thaci_designated_to_head_Kosovo_government|title=Thaci designated to head Kosovo government|publisher=Monsters and Critics|date=2007-12-11|access date=2007-12-11] On January 9 2008, Thaçi was elected as Prime Minister by parliament, with 85 votes in favor and 22 against. On this occasion he stated his intention to achieve independence for Kosovo in the first half of 2008. [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22575375/ "Ex-rebel becomes Kosovo’s prime minister"] , Associated Press (MSNBC), January 9, 2008.] On February 16, 2008, Thaçi announced that the next day, February 17, would be key for "implementing the will of the citizens of Kosovo", strongly implying the province would declare independence from Serbia. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7249034.stm|title=Kosovo gears up for independence|publisher=BBC|date=2008-02-16|accessdate=2008-02-17] On February 17, 2008, Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia. Thaçi became Prime Minister of the newly independent state.

Armed attack

Mr. Thaçi was not at his house in the Arberia district in the capital Pristina on June 6, 2008, but his wife and son were present but unhurt, in the armed second floor balcony attack, when security guards exchanged fire with intruders who fled, and at least one was wounded. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7441584.stm news.bbc.co.uk, Armed attack at Kosovo PM's home] ] President Fatmir Sejdiu condemned the attack: "This is an attack not only against Thaci and his family but against the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo." Sejdiu's predecessor, the late Ibrahim Rugova, escaped 2 attacks on him after the war, including a bomb attack on his convoy in 2005. [ [http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news/international/Guards_prevent_attack_on_house_of_Kosovo_PM.html?siteSect=143&sid=9185818&cKey=1212837788000&ty=ti swissinfo.ch,Guards prevent "attack" on house of Kosovo PM] ] [ [http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i4oeRbhXKeQJDW1fuLWG4vQRG2Bg afp.google.com/article, Firefight as intruders target Kosovo PM's home] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.pdk-ks.org/ PDK] Partia Demokratike e Kosovës "(in Albanian)"
* [http://www.pdk-ks.org/site/?id=5,49,0,50,a,1467ttp Kryetari Thaçi: Populli i Kosovës dhe UÇK-ja ishin një] A Thaçi interview by "Kosova Sot" daily "(in Albanian)"
* [http://www.axisglobe.com/article.asp?article=561 Hashim Thaci or When the Little Red-Cap’s Wolf is Tamed] Article about Hashim Thaçi from "Axis Globe" by Can Karpat, AIA Balkanian Section (04/01/2006)
* [http://www.usip.org/events/2006/0112_kosovo.html Thaçi comments on the future of Kosovo at United States Institute of Peace]