Fatmir Sejdiu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fatmir Sejdiu
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Official portrait, 2008
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| 2nd President of Kosovo | |
| In office 10 February 2006 – 27 September 2010 |
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| Prime Minister | Bajram Kosumi Agim Çeku Hashim Thaçi |
| Preceded by | Nexhat Daci (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Jakup Krasniqi (Acting) |
| Leader of the Democratic League | |
| In office 9 December 2006 – 7 November 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Ibrahim Rugova |
| Succeeded by | Isa Mustafa |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 October 1951 Pakashticë, Podujevo, FPR Yugoslavia (now Kosovo) |
| Political party | Democratic League |
| Spouse | Nezafete Sejdiu |
| Alma mater | University of Pristina |
| Signature | .svg){kind=small} |
Fatmir Sejdiu, born on October 23, 1951, is a well-known politician from Kosovo. He was once the leader of a political party called the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK). He also served as the first President of the Republic of Kosovo after it declared its independence.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Fatmir Sejdiu was born in a small village called Pakashticë, near Podujevo, which was then part of FPR Yugoslavia. He was the first child of his parents, Nexhmi and Miradije Sejdiu.
He completed his primary and high school education in Podujevë. Later, he studied at the University of Pristina, where he earned his law degree in 1974. He continued his studies there and received his PhD.
Mr. Sejdiu also studied in other countries. He went to France to learn about the history of law and political ideas. He also had short study visits to universities in the United States. He has written many papers on legal and historical topics. Since 1975, he has been a professor at the Faculty of Law at the University of Pristina. He also teaches at the Faculty of Political Sciences.
He is skilled in several languages, including Albanian, English, French, Serbian, and Macedonian.
Political Journey
Before the Kosovo War, Fatmir Sejdiu was an early supporter of freedom against the strict rule in Yugoslavia. He helped create groups that worked for Kosovo's independence. For example, he was part of the group that organized the vote for Kosovo's independence in September 1991.
From 1992 to 2001, he was elected as a member of the Parliament of the Republic of Kosovo. During this time, he served as the Secretary General of Parliament. He also led the group that wrote the country's constitution. People admired him for being honest and fair in his political work.
Becoming President of Kosovo
The Kosovo War started in 1998 due to conflicts between the Kosovo Liberation Army and Yugoslav forces. After the war ended in 1999, Kosovo was placed under the protection of the United Nations. Ibrahim Rugova became the president of the area.
Fatmir Sejdiu was one of the people who helped start the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) political party. He held important roles within the party, including serving as its Secretary General twice. He also helped write the rules for Kosovo's temporary self-government in 2001.
After President Rugova passed away in early 2006, Fatmir Sejdiu was elected President of Kosovo on February 10, 2006. He received strong support from the members of the Kosovo Assembly. As president, he worked hard to make sure Kosovo had good governance and that all ethnic groups could live together peacefully. World leaders praised him for these efforts.
Leading Kosovo to Independence
As President, Mr. Sejdiu led Kosovo's team in important talks about its future. These talks happened in Vienna and were helped by international groups. He also led the Kosovo team in 120 more days of discussions with the Serbian team. These talks were guided by representatives from the US, EU, and Russia.
After these negotiations, Kosovo officially declared its independence on February 17, 2008. Fatmir Sejdiu helped write the Declaration of Independence and was the first person to sign it.
In January 2008, he briefly stepped down as President to run again in the elections held that same day. This allowed him to start a new term without any limits. He was re-elected as President, showing continued support from the parliament.
Resignation and Later Career
On September 27, 2010, Fatmir Sejdiu resigned from his position as President of Kosovo. This happened because the Constitutional Court of Kosovo ruled that he could not be both the President of the country and the leader of a political party (the LDK) at the same time. This was against the Constitution of Kosovo.
In November 2010, he lost the election for the leadership of the LDK party to Isa Mustafa.
Awards and Recognitions
Fatmir Sejdiu has received several honors for his work:
- He was given the Skanderbeg's Order by the President of Albania.
- He received an honorary doctorate degree from the University of Tirana.
- The Arizona State University gave him the "Distinguished Global Leadership" award.
- He also received an honorary doctorate from Sakarya University in Turkey.
- He was named an "Honorary Citizen" in several towns in Albania, including Shkodër, Shëngjin, Bajram Curri (town), and Margegaj in Tropojë.
See also
In Spanish: Fatmir Sejdiu para niños
