Justina Shiroka-Pula was sworn in as Kosovo's president on Wednesday, just hours after the parliament elected her in a vote that averted the possibility of snap elections.
Shiroka-Pula received 81 of the 83 votes cast in Tuesday's late-night session, allowing the 120-seat parliament to avoid a dissolution that could have triggered an early election.
In her address after the inauguration, Shiroka-Pula said she accepted the new role with honor and a sense of responsibility, emphasizing that she will serve as president for all citizens of Kosovo.
Prime Minister Albin Kurti welcomed her election, describing it as a sign of institutional stability.
“The Republic has a new president, Professor Justina Shiroka-Pula, Kosovo has stable institutions,” Kurti said on US social media, Facebook.
Her election drew congratulations from Kosovo's international partners, including the EU and UK.
EU representative in Kosovo Dirk Schuebel said he looked forward to working with the new president and Kosovo's institutions to move the country closer to the EU.
British Ambassador to Kosovo Jonathan Hargreaves said he expected to work with Shiroka-Pula and Kosovo's institutions to deepen the UK's partnership with the country.
Shiroka-Pula, 73, is an economist and has headed the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Kosovo since December 2025. She also served as the minister of energy and mining from 2008 to 2011.
She is the third woman to serve as Kosovo's president, after Atifete Jahjaga and Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu.