Kosovo leaders mark the 2nd anniversary of Rugova's death

On Monday heads of institutions and groups of citizens visited the cemetery where the pacifist leader is buried. A commemorative meeting to honour Rugova’s life and work was organised by his successor, Fatmir Sejdiu, in Pristina.

“President Rugova was the father of the modern state of Kosovo,” Sejdiu told the meeting, attended by officials and foreign diplomats.  Hashim Thaci, Kosovo’s Prime Minister, also paid tribute to his one-time political rival.  “We appreciate the legacy of President Rugova, and we are committed to continuing the fulfilment of our commitments”, Thaci said after he placed a wreath at Rugova’s tomb.
 
Rugova established the Democratic League of Kosovo, LDK as a broad movement which led Kosovo's “parallel” institutions in 1990s, after Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic had abolished Kosovo’s autonomous status. While Belgrade imposed its own institutions of direct rule, the former LDK leader was unofficially elected as Kosovo’s president for two terms. He was then formally elected president by the Assembly of Kosovo, after the UN administration was installed in the disputed province in 1999.  In early September 2005, the former president announced that he was suffering from lung cancer. After a lengthy illness, Rugova died on January 21, 2006.
 
For many Kosovars he remains the symbol of independence, which is expected to be declared by Kosovo’s Assembly in the near future.

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed