Albert Krasniqi

Vjosa Osmani became Kosovo's fifth head of state in 13 years since the country declared its independence from Serbia on Sunday night when MPs in the Kosovo Assembly voted to appoint her as president.

Osmani, a 38-year-old lawyer, also became the second woman to hold the post, after Atifete Jahjaga, who was president from 2011 to 2016.

The resignation offered by one Kosovo minister and possible dismissal of two more, all considered close to President Hashim Thaci, has fuelled speculation about serious rifts in the ruling Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, and its relations with Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj.

The EU rule-of-law mission to Kosovo, EULEX, said Elmi Kastrati and Besnik Kastrati had been convicted for having “facilitated the prostitution of a number of Serbian women and compelled the prostitution of one Albanian woman”.

EULEX said that the events that took place in Hotel Troja, Pristina, between February and April 2012.