Bajram Rexhepi

Bajram Rexhepi, Kosovo's former prime minister and interior minister, has died in a hospital in Turkey following a stroke. He was 63.

Prime Minister Isa Mustafa said in a statement that Rexhepi, a surgeon by profession, passed away in the early hours on Aug. 21 following months of battling a grave illness. He was taken to Turkey after a stroke in April.

Bajram Rexhepi, the first elected Prime Minister of Kosovo following the 1999 war of independence, died on Monday at the age of 63 in a hospital in Turkey, where he had been receiving treatment for months following a stroke in April this year.

News of the death of Rexhepi was confirmed by his Kosovo Democratic Party, PDK.

Former Kosovo Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi died early on Monday in Istanbul, Turkey, Pristina-based media have reported, according to RTS.

Rexhepi suffered a stroke several months ago. He underwent surgery in a Pristina hospital, and then fell into a coma.

Monastery wants barbed wire for protection after incident

BELGRADE -- Visoki Dečani monastery's Archdeacon Sava Janjić has rejected claims that the threatening graffiti on the monastery facilities was the work of "several minors."

Kosovo authorities commemorated the death of Zymberi and inaugurated a new building at the headquarters of the Kosovo Police in Pristina in honour of the police officer who was killed in the north of the country three years ago.

Bajram Rexhepi, outgoing Minister of interior, said “Enver Zymberi symbolizes the actions and the bravery of the Kosovo Police which has done a great job”.

The Kosovo government is still consulting with European Union officials on the powers that the European rule-of-law mission will have after its mandate expires on June 14.