Kadri Veseli

Kadri Veseli (born 31 May 1966) is a Kosovar politician, former Chairman of the Assembly of Kosovo and Kosovo Intelligence Service. He is the leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, the largest party of the Government of Kosovo. Veseli was one of the founders and leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army. He also was the chief of the Kosovo Intelligence Service, a post-war state intelligence organisation.[1]

Kadri Veseli
Veseli in May 2017
Leader of the Opposition
In office
3 February 2020 – 3 June 2020
Succeeded byAlbin Kurti
Leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo
Assumed office
9 March 2016
Preceded byHashim Thaçi
Chairman of the Assembly of Kosovo
In office
8 December 2014 – 22 August 2019
Preceded byJakup Krasniqi
Succeeded byGlauk Konjufca
Personal details
Born (1967-05-31) 31 May 1967
Kosovska Mitrovica, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
(now Kosovo)
NationalityKosovar
Political partyDemocratic Party of Kosovo
Spouse(s)Violeta Veseli
Children4
OccupationPolitician, jurist
Known forFounder and Leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army and Chairman of the Assembly of Kosovo and leader of Democratic Party of Kosovo
Signature

Veseli began his higher education studies in 1990 at the University of Pristina Faculty of Agriculture and the Higher Pedagogical School in Albanian Language and Literature Department. Due to political circumstances, he was forced to complete the remainder of his studies in Albania. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of Kamëz, Albania, an MBA in General Management from the Sheffield University – International Faculty in Thessaloniki, Greece, and currently is preparing the PhD thesis in the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia. Veseli speaks English, German, and Serbian languages. With his wife, Violeta, he is the parents to four children.[2][3]

In May 2016, Veseli became President of the PDK by acclamation. He was elected with no votes against and no abstentions.[4] In 2020, the Kosovo Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecutor's Office filed a ten-count Indictment, charging Veseli and others for crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Career

Veseli was one of the young leaders of the Kosovar students’ movement during the years 1988–1990, which engaged in the fight for human and political rights of Kosovo Albanians, including the right for independence.[5]

During the Kosovo War, he was appointed commander of the Counter Intelligence Service (G-2) of the KLA, until the end of the war when it transformed into Kosovo Intelligence Service or SHIK, a post-war intelligence organisation until 2008 when it announced its disbandment. At the end of 2012, Kadri Veseli formally joined the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), whereas on January 27, 2013 he became deputy head of the party.[6] Veseli was voted Chairman of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo on 8 December 2014. He is slated to become head of the party after the resignation of Hashim Thaçi who vacated the post due to constitutional obligations in order to take the post of the President of the Republic of Kosovo.

Following the 2017 Kosovan parliamentary election, PDK joined the PANA coalition that won the majority with 245.627 votes (33,74%). Veseli took the most votes out of other candidates in that coalition with 129,947 votes[7]. Following those results, Veseli was re-elected as Chairman of the Assembly on 7 September 2017. In the October 6th Election 2019 election, Veseli was the PDK's nominee for PM of Kosovo, his party took the third (3rd) place with 178.637 votes (21,234%) and he as a candidate took 145 881 votes.[8]

War crime charges

On 24 June 2020, the Kosovo Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecutor's Office located in The Hague filed a ten-count Indictment for the Court’s consideration, charging Kadri Veseli, Hashim Thaçi, and others for crimes against humanity and war crimes, including murder, enforced disappearance of persons, persecution, and torture.[9][10] The indictment charges the suspects with approximately 100 murders of Kosovo Albanians, Serbs, Roma, and political opponents.[9] According to the press release, the Specialist Prosecutor stated that it was necessary to make the issue public due to repeated efforts by Thaçi and Veseli to obstruct and undermine the work of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers.[10]

References
  1. Artan Mustafa and Parim Olluri (20 June 2012). "Fakte në Lidhje me Kadri Veselin dhe SHIK-un". Kallxo. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  2. "President of the Assembly". Assembly of Kosovo. Assembly of Kosovo. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  3. "Ja kush është Kadri Veseli, kryetari i Kuvendit të Kosovës". telegrafi.com. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  4. Matoshi, Albatrit (7 May 2016). "Kadri Velseli kryetar i ri i PDK-së". Zëri. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  5. "President of the Assembly". Assembly of Kosovo. Assembly of Kosovo. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  6. "Ja kush është Kadri Veseli, kryetari i Kuvendit të Kosovës". telegrafi.com. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  7. 2017
  8. October 2019
  9. "Kosovo Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecutor's Office: Press statement". Kosovo Specialist Chambers and Specialist Prosecutor's Office. 2020-06-24. Retrieved 2020-06-24.
  10. "Kosovo Specialist Prosecutor Charges Thaci with War Crimes". Balkan Insight. 2020-06-24. Retrieved 2020-06-24.
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