The President's Role on National Security Policies - the Case of Kosovo

The institution of the President in the Republic of Kosovo represents a new political and constitutional institution, as is the Republic itself. As such, he is still untested against constitutional responsibilities with which he is charged by the country's constitutions. Moreover, the President has not yet been tested on the security crisis management, as in reality he still cannot exercise all of his powers as Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, as these competencies for now are being exercised by the political and military structures of the North Atlantic Treaty (NATO). However, in a constitutional and legal sense, the President of Kosovo enjoys all the powers for the realization of his constitutional role as a "representative of the unity of the people and guarantor of the democratic functioning of the institutions of the country'' and also as Commander of the Armed Forces with executive powers. Once the competences of the President in the authority of foreign policy are added then he appears to be one of the most powerful presidents, as compared with the presidents of parliamentary republics. It is exactly the powers of the President on national security issues that will be the topic of treatment in this paper, through an analysis not only the issues that are completely of the defense and security character, but also authorities dealing with other issues that can be used on behalf or in the name of national security.