Kosovo vs. Montenegro
Government
| Kosovo | Montenegro | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Republic of Kosovo conventional short form: Kosovo local long form: Republika e Kosoves (Republika Kosovo) local short form: Kosove (Kosovo) etymology: name derives from the Serbian "kos" meaning "blackbird," an ellipsis (linguistic omission) for "kosove polje" or "field of the blackbirds" | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Montenegro local long form: none local short form: Crna Gora former: People's Republic of Montenegro, Socialist Republic of Montenegro, Republic of Montenegro etymology: the country's name locally as well as in most Western European languages means "black mountain" and refers to the dark coniferous forests on Mount Lovcen and the surrounding area |
| Government type | parliamentary republic | parliamentary republic |
| Capital | name: Pristina (Prishtine, Prishtina) geographic coordinates: 42 40 N, 21 10 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name may derive from a Proto-Slavic word reconstructed as "pryshchina," meaning "spring (of water)" | name: Podgorica; note - Cetinje retains the status of "Old Royal Capital" geographic coordinates: 42 26 N, 19 16 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1 hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October etymology: the name translates as "beneath Gorica"; the meaning of Gorica is "hillock"; the reference is to the small hill named Gorica that the city is built around |
| Administrative divisions | 38 municipalities (komunat, singular - komuna (Albanian); opstine, singular - opstina (Serbian)); Decan (Decani), Dragash (Dragas), Ferizaj (Urosevac), Fushe Kosove (Kosovo Polje), Gjakove (Dakovica), Gjilan (Gnjilane), Gllogovc (Glogovac), Gracanice (Gracanica), Hani i Elezit (Deneral Jankovic), Istog (Istok), Junik, Kacanik, Kamenice (Kamenica), Kline (Klina), Kllokot (Klokot), Leposaviq (Leposavic), Lipjan (Lipljan), Malisheve (Malisevo), Mamushe (Mamusa), Mitrovice e Jugut (Juzna Mitrovica) [South Mitrovica], Mitrovice e Veriut (Severna Mitrovica) [North Mitrovica], Novoberde (Novo Brdo), Obiliq (Obilic), Partesh (Partes), Peje (Pec), Podujeve (Podujevo), Prishtine (Pristina), Prizren, Rahovec (Orahovac), Ranillug (Ranilug), Shterpce (Strpce), Shtime (Stimlje), Skenderaj (Srbica), Suhareke (Suva Reka), Viti (Vitina), Vushtrri (Vucitrn), Zubin Potok, Zvecan | 24 municipalities (opstine, singular - opstina); Andrijevica, Bar, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Budva, Cetinje, Danilovgrad, Gusinje, Herceg Novi, Kolasin, Kotor, Mojkovac, Niksic, Petnijica, Plav, Pljevlja, Pluzine, Podgorica, Rozaje, Savnik, Tivat, Tuzi, Ulcinj, Zabljak |
| Independence | 17 February 2008 (from Serbia) | 3 June 2006 (from the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro); notable earlier dates: 13 March 1852 (Principality of Montenegro established); 13 July 1878 (Congress of Berlin recognizes Montenegrin independence); 28 August 1910 (Kingdom of Montenegro established) |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 17 February (2008) | Statehood Day, 13 July (1878, the day the Berlin Congress recognized Montenegro as the 27th independent state in the world, and 1941, the day the Montenegrins staged an uprising against fascist occupiers and sided with the partisan communist movement) |
| Constitution | history: previous 1974, 1990; latest (postindependence) draft finalized 2 April 2008, signed 7 April 2008, ratified 9 April 2008, entered into force 15 June 2008; note - amendment 24, passed by the Assembly in August 2015, established the Kosovo Relocated Specialist Institution, referred to as the Kosovo Specialist Chamber or "Specialist Court," to try war crimes allegedly committed by members of the Kosovo Liberation Army in the late 1990s amendments: proposed by the government, by the president of the republic, or by one fourth of Assembly deputies; passage requires two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly, including two-thirds majority vote of deputies representing non-majority communities, followed by a favorable Constitutional Court assessment; amended several times, last in 2020 | history: several previous; latest adopted 22 October 2007 amendments: proposed by the president of Montenegro, by the government, or by at least 25 members of the Assembly; passage of draft proposals requires two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly, followed by a public hearing; passage of draft amendments requires two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly; changes to certain constitutional articles, such as sovereignty, state symbols, citizenship, and constitutional change procedures, require three-fifths majority vote in a referendum; amended 2013 |
| Legal system | civil law system; note - the European Union Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) retained limited executive powers within the Kosovo judiciary for complex cases from 2008 to 2018 | civil law |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Vjosa OSMANI (since 4 April 2021); note: President Hashim THACI (since 7 April 2016) resigned 5 November 2020 head of government: Prime Minister Albin KURTI (since 22 February 2021) cabinet: Cabinet elected by the Assembly elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly for a 5-year term; if a candidate does not attain a two-thirds threshold in the first two ballots, the candidate winning a simple majority vote in the third ballot is elected (eligible for a second term); election last held on 3-4 April 2021 (next to be held in 2026); prime minister indirectly elected by the Assembly election results: Vjosa OSMANI elected president in the third ballot; Assembly vote - Vjosa OSMANI (VV) 71 votes; Albin KURTI (VV) elected prime minister; Assembly vote - 67-30 | chief of state: President Milo DJUKANOVIC (since 20 May 2018) head of government: Prime Minister Zdravko KRIVOKAPIC (since 4 December 2020) cabinet: Ministers act as cabinet elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 15 April 2018 (next to be held in 2023); prime minister nominated by the president, approved by the Assembly election results: Milo DJUKANOVIC elected president in the first round; percent of vote - Milo DJUKANOVIC (DPS) 53.9%, Mladen BOJANIC (independent) 33.4%, Draginja VUKSANOVIC (SDP) 8.2%, Marko MILACIC (PRAVA) 2.8%, other 1.7% |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral Assembly or Kuvendi i Kosoves/Skupstina Kosova (120 seats; 100 members directly elected by open-list proportional representation vote with 20 seats reserved for ethnic minorities - 10 for Serbs and 10 for other ethnic minorities; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 14 February 2021 (next to be held in 2025) election results: percent of vote by party - VV 50%, PDK 16.9%, LDK 12.7%, AAK 7.1%, Serb List 5.1%, other 8.2%; seats by party - VV 58, PDK 19, LDK 15, Serb List 10, AAK 8, other 10; composition - NA | description: unicameral Assembly or Skupstina (81 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) elections: last held on 30 August 2020 (next to be held in 2024) election results: percent of vote by party/coalition - DPS 35.1%, ZBCG 32.6%, MNIM 12.5%, URA 5.5%, SD 4.1%, BS 3.9%, SDP 3.1%, AL 1.6%, AK 1.1%, other 0.4%; seats by party/coalition - DPS 30, ZBCG 27, MNIM 10, URA 4, BS 3, SD 3, SDP 2, AL 1, AK 1.; composition - men 57, women 24, percent of women 29.6% |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of the court president and 18 judges and organized into Appeals Panel of the Kosovo Property Agency and Special Chamber); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president, vice president, and 7 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges nominated by the Kosovo Judicial Council, a 13-member independent body staffed by judges and lay members, and also responsible for overall administration of Kosovo's judicial system; judges appointed by the president of the Republic of Kosovo; judges appointed until mandatory retirement age; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the Kosovo Assembly and appointed by the president of the republic to serve single, 9-year terms subordinate courts: Court of Appeals (organized into 4 departments: General, Serious Crime, Commercial Matters, and Administrative Matters); Basic Court (located in 7 municipalities, each with several branches) note: in August 2015, the Kosovo Assembly approved a constitutional amendment that establishes the Kosovo Relocated Specialist Judicial Institution, also referred to as the Kosovo Specialist Chambers or "Special Court"; the court, located at the Hague in the Netherlands, began operating in late 2016 and has jurisdiction to try crimes against humanity, war crimes, and other crimes under Kosovo law that occurred in the 1998-2000 period | highest courts: Supreme Court or Vrhovni Sud (consists of the court president, deputy president, and 15 judges); Constitutional Court or Ustavni Sud (consists of the court president and 7 judges) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court president proposed by general session of the Supreme Court and elected by the Judicial Council, a 9-member body consisting of judges, lawyers designated by the Assembly, and the minister of judicial affairs; Supreme Court president elected for a single renewable, 5-year term; other judges elected by the Judicial Council for life; Constitutional Court judges - 2 proposed by the president of Montenegro and 5 by the Assembly, and elected by the Assembly; court president elected from among the court members; court president elected for a 3-year term, other judges serve 9-year terms subordinate courts: Administrative Courts; Appellate Court; Commercial Courts; High Courts; basic courts |
| Political parties and leaders | Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Ramush HARADINAJ] Alternativa [Mimoza KUSARI-LILA] Ashkali Party for Integration or PAI Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK [Kadri VESELI] Independent Liberal Party or SLS [Slobodan PETROVIC] Initiative for Kosovo or NISMA [Fatmir LIMAJ] Movement for Self-Determination (Vetevendosje) or VV [Albin KURTI] New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo New Democratic Party New Kosovo Alliance or AKR [Behgjet PACOLLI] Romani Initiative Serb List [Goran RAKIC] Social Democratic Party of Kosovo or PSD [Shpend AHMETI] Turkish Democratic Party of Kosovo or KDTP [Mahir YAGCILAR] Unique Gorani Party [Adem HODZA] Vakat Coalition or VAKAT [Rasim DEMIRI] | Albanian Alternative or AA [Nik DJELOSAJ] Albanian Coalition (includes DP, DSCG, DUA) Albanian Coalition Perspective or AKP Albanian List (coalition includes AA, Forca, AKP, DSA) Bosniak Party or BS [Rafet HUSOVIC] Croatian Civic Initiative or HGI [Marija VUCINOVIC] Croatian Reform Party [Marija VUCINOVIC] Democratic Alliance or DEMOS [Miodrag LEKIC] Democratic Front or DF [collective leadership] (coalition includes NOVA, PZP, DNP, RP) Democratic League in Montenegro or DSCG [Mehmet BARDHI] Democratic League of Albanians or DSA Democratic Montenegro or DCG [Alexsa BECIC] Democratic Party or DP [Fatmir GJEKA] Democratic Party of Socialists or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC] Democratic Party of Unity or DSJ [Nebojsa JUSKOVIC] Democratic People's Party or DNP [Milan KNEZEVIC] Democratic Serb Party or DSS [Dragica PEROVIC] Democratic Union of Albanians or DUA [Mehmet ZENKA] For the Future of Montenegro or ZBCG [Zdravko KRIVOKAPIC] (electoral coalition includes SNP and 2 alliances - DF, NP) Liberal Party or LP [Andrija POPOVIC] Movement for Change or PZP [Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC] New Democratic Power or FORCA [Nazif CUNGU] New Serb Democracy or NOVA [Andrija MANDIC] Party of Pensioners, Disabled, and Restitution or PUPI [Momir JOKSIMOVIC] Peace is Our Nation or MNIM [Alexa BECIC] (coalition includes Democrats, DEMOS, New Left, PUPI) Popular Movement or NP [Miodrag DAVIDOVIC] (coalition includes DEMOS, RP, UCG, and several minor parties) Social Democratic Party or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC] Social Democrats or SD [Ivan BRAJOVIC] Socialist People's Party or SNP [Vladimir JOKOVIC] True Montenegro or PRAVA [Marko MILACIC] United Montenegro or UCG [Goran DANILOVIC] (split from DEMOS) United Reform Action or URA [Dritan ABAZOVIC] Workers' Party or RP [Janko VUCINIC] |
| International organization participation | IBRD, IDA, IFC, IMF, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OIF (observer) | CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OAS (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, SELEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Valdet SADIKU (since 9 March 2021) chancery: 2175 K Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 450-2130 FAX: [1] (202) 735-0609 email address and website: https://www.ambasada-ks.net/us/?page=2,1 consulate(s) general: New York consulate(s): Des Moines (IA) | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Marija STJEPCEVIC (since 4 February 2021) chancery: 1610 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-6108 FAX: [1] (202) 234-6109 email address and website: usa@mfa.gov.me consulate(s) general: New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Philip KOSNETT (since 3 December 2018) embassy: Arberia/Dragodan, Rr. 4 KORRIKU Nr. 25, Pristina mailing address: 9520 Pristina Place, Washington DC 20521-9520 telephone: [383] 38-59-59-3000 FAX: [383] 38-604-890 email address and website: PristinaACS@state.gov https://xk.usembassy.gov/ | chief of mission: Ambassador Judy Rising REINKE (since 20 December 2018) embassy: Dzona Dzeksona 2, 81000 Podgorica mailing address: 5570 Podgorica Place, Washington DC 20521-5570 telephone: +382 (0)20-410-500 FAX: [382] (0)20-241-358 email address and website: PodgoricaACS@state.gov https://me.usembassy.gov/ |
| Flag description | centered on a dark blue field is a gold-colored silhouette of Kosovo surmounted by six white, five-pointed stars arrayed in a slight arc; each star represents one of the major ethnic groups of Kosovo: Albanians, Serbs, Turks, Gorani, Roma, and Bosniaks note: one of only two national flags that uses a map as a design element; the flag of Cyprus is the other | a red field bordered by a narrow golden-yellow stripe with the Montenegrin coat of arms centered; the arms consist of a double-headed golden eagle - symbolizing the unity of church and state - surmounted by a crown; the eagle holds a golden scepter in its right claw and a blue orb in its left; the breast shield over the eagle shows a golden lion passant on a green field in front of a blue sky; the lion is a symbol of episcopal authority and harkens back to the three and a half centuries when Montenegro was ruled as a theocracy |
| National anthem | name: Europe lyrics/music: no lyrics/Mendi MENGJIQI note: adopted 2008; Kosovo chose to exclude lyrics in its anthem so as not to offend the country's minority ethnic groups | name: "Oj, svijetla majska zoro" (Oh, Bright Dawn of May) lyrics/music: Sekula DRLJEVIC/unknown, arranged by Zarko MIKOVIC note: adopted 2004; music based on a Montenegrin folk song |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| National symbol(s) | six, five-pointed, white stars; national colors: blue, gold, white | double-headed eagle; national colors: red, gold |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Kosovo dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Montenegro dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years |
Source: CIA Factbook
