Kosovo’s Assembly has been operating without a permanently appointed Secretary-General for more than three years, with the institution relying on a succession of acting officials to oversee its administrative operations.
Since the retirement of former Secretary-General Ismet Krasniqi in June 2023, the position has been held exclusively on an interim basis, despite its central role in ensuring the effective functioning of the country’s legislature.
Following Krasniqi’s departure, Deputy Secretary-General Arben Loshi assumed the role in an acting capacity. He remained in office until early March 2026, when he was dismissed shortly after Albulena Haxhiu was elected Speaker of the Assembly.
Loshi was succeeded by Xheladin Hoxha, who served as acting Secretary-General for less than five months. The position is currently held by Feride Podvorica, who continues to serve in an interim capacity.
In an effort to fill the vacancy permanently, the Assembly opened a public competition on July 3, 2026, seeking candidates for a four-year mandate as Secretary-General.
The recruitment process comes as Kosovo’s new Assembly has yet to be fully constituted following the parliamentary elections. Under the constitutional deadline, lawmakers have until August 7 to complete the formation of the legislature.
The Secretary-General is the Assembly’s highest-ranking administrative official and is responsible for overseeing the institution’s day-to-day operations, supporting parliamentary work and ensuring the professional functioning of the legislative administration.
Although the position carries no political decision-making authority, it plays a critical role in coordinating the work of lawmakers, parliamentary committees and the Assembly’s leadership.
The Secretary-General also advises the Speaker and the Presidency of the Assembly on institutional policies and strategic planning, supervises the implementation of work programs, manages human resources and oversees the legislature’s budget and internal financial controls.
In addition, the office is responsible for implementing decisions adopted by the Assembly Presidency and representing the parliamentary administration in domestic and international forums.
Ismet Krasniqi remains the last Secretary-General to have served a full mandate, holding the position from 2006 until his retirement on June 9, 2023.
