The Government of Kosovo exercises the executive power in accordance with the Constitution and with law. The Government of Kosovo is composed by the Prime minister, vice-prime ministers and ministers.The Government implements the laws and acts ratified by the Assembly of Kosovo, and carries out other activities within the responsibilities defined by the Constitution and law. The Government takes decisions in accordance with the Constitution and laws, and proposes draft laws and amendments of existing laws and other acts, and may give opinion about the draft laws that were not proposed by the Government.
The Government reports to the Assembly of Kosovo for its work. The Prime minister, vice-prime ministers and ministers share the responsibility for the decisions taken by the Government, and take the individual responsibility for the decisions taken in the scope of their responsibilities.
The competencies of the Government are:
- Proposes and implements the internal and external policy of the country
- Enables the economic development of the country
- Proposes draft laws and other acts to the Assembly
- Takes decisions and prepares legal acts and regulations necessary for the implementation of the laws
- Proposes the Budget of the Republic of Kosovo
- Instructs and oversees the work of the administration
- Instructs about the activity and development of public services
- Proposes to the President of the Republic of Kosovo the appointments and dismissals of chiefs of diplomatic missions of Kosovo
- Proposes the amendment of the Constitution
- May refer constitutional matters to the Constitutional Court
- Exercises other executive functions, which are not assigned to other central or national institutions.
The competencies of the Prime minister are:
- Represents and directs the Government
- Ensures that all Ministries are acting in accordance with governmental policies
- Ensures the implementation of laws and policies defined by the Government
- Replaces the members of the Government without the consent of the Assembly
- Heads the Security Council of Kosovo
- Appoints the General Director of Kosovo Police
- Consults with the President of the Republic of Kosovo on intelligence matters
- Together with the President, appoints the Director, Deputy Director, and General Inspector of Kosovo Intelligence Agency
- Consults with the President on the implementation of foreign policy of the country
- Carries out other duties provided for by the Constitution and law.
After the elections, the President of the Republic of Kosovo proposes to the Assembly the candidate for the Prime minister, in consultation with the political party or coalition that won the majority required in the Assembly for forming the Government. The candidate for Prime minister, not later than fifteen (15) days after the appointment, presents the structure of the Government before the Assembly of Kosovo and request for its approval by the Assembly.
The Government is considered elected if it gets the majority of the votes of all deputies of the Assembly of Kosovo.
If the structure proposed by the Government does not get the majority of the necessary votes, the President of the Republic of Kosovo, within (10) days appoints the other candidate based on the same procedure. If the Government is not elected for the second time, then the President of the Republic of Kosovo announces elections, which have to be held not later than forty (40) days from their announcement.
The ministries and other executive bodies are established as necessary, for carrying out the functions within the competencies of the Government. In the Government there will be at least one (1) Minister of Serbian community and one (1) Minister from other non-majority communities in Kosovo. if there are more than twelve ministers, the Government will have a third minister, who will represent one of the non-majority communities in Kosovo
The Prime minister, vice-prime ministers and the ministers of the Government can be chosen by the deputies of the Assembly of Kosovo or by other qualified persons, who are not deputies of the Assembly.
The Office of the Prime minister
Mr. Hashim Thaqi is the first Prime minister of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo. He was elected the Prime minister of the Government of Kosovo on 9 January 2008 and on 17 February 2008 in the Assembly of Kosovo he declared Kosovo independent, sovereign, and democratic state. He was decorated with the international award Ambassador of Peace” by the Universal Federation of Peace.
Vice Prime ministers:
- Hajredin Kuçi
- Ramë Manaj
There is a considerable number of offices under the office of the Prime minister that play an important role in his functioning:
- Coordinating Secretary of Government
- Office for public security
- Office for the Services of Legal Assistance
- Office for public communication
- Administrative Office
- Office for the Management and Administration of the Official Gazette
- Office for Good Governing
- Office for Budget and Finance
- Procurement Office
- Office for Coordination of International Cooperation and Regional Dialogue (OCICRD)
- Archive office of ZKM
Former Prime ministers of Kosovo
- Bajram Rexhepi
- Ramush Haradinaj
- Bajram Kosumi
- Agim Çeku
For more information about the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, please visit the official webpage of the government.