Riza Sapunxhiu

Riza Sapunxhiu
6th Prime Minister of Kosovo
In office
May 1980  May 1982
Preceded by Bahri Orući
Succeeded by Imer Pula
Personal details
Born (1925-03-15)15 March 1925
Peć, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (present day Kosovo[a])
Died 6 September 2008(2008-09-06) (aged 83)
Peć, Kosovo[a]
Nationality Yugoslav of Albanian ethnicity
Political party League of Communists of Kosovo

Riza Sapunxhiu (Serbian: Риза Сапунџију, Riza Sapundžiju) (15 March 1925 6 September 2008) was a Kosovo Albanian communist politician and economist of the former Yugoslavia. He was born in Peć, at the time in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. He served as Deputy Prime Minister and Prime Minister of Kosovo prior to becoming its representative in the Yugoslav Presidency.

From 1980 to 1982, Sapunxhiu served as Prime Minister of Kosovo.[1] In 1981, he headed the Kosovar delegation in a historical visit to Albania. This visit paved the way for closer relations between Albania and the Albanian community in Kosovo and the Albanian community in the Former Yugoslavia.[2]

As a successful economist, in 1982, Sapunxhiu became an official at the World Bank.[3]

When the Yugoslav crisis began, he opposed the idea of a civil war and did not effectually vote, though he was registered as voting pro. Nevertheless, the civil war was not declared due to opposition by other members of the presidency.[4]

Had the Yugoslav state continued, Sapunxhiu was set to take over chairman of the presidency.

Notes and references

a.   ^ Kosovo is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Kosovo and the Republic of Serbia. The Republic of Kosovo unilaterally declared independence on 17 February 2008, but Serbia continues to claim it as part of its own sovereign territory. The two governments began to normalise relations in 2013, as part of the Brussels Agreement. Kosovo has been recognised as an independent state by 108 out of 193 United Nations member states.
Preceded by
Sinan Hasani
Kosovar member of the Yugoslav Presidency
15 May 1989 20 March 1991
Succeeded by
Sejdo Bajramović
Preceded by
Bahri Oruçi
Prime Minister of Kosovo
1980–1982
Succeeded by
Imer Pula
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