Who is Who - Uke Rugova: the son of the "Balkan Gandhi," a weapon enthusiast and visa trader

Uke Rugova, primarily known for being the son of the former Kosovo leader Ibrahim Rugova, has also gained attention for his involvement in organized crime allegations. Weapons found in his house were described by him as "cultural heritage" from the era of his father, Ibrahim Rugova.

At a recent event held in Podujevo to unveil a statue of Ibrahim Rugova, Uke Rugova notably ignored Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti in his speech, mentioning only Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani.

“Dear citizens of Podujevo and the entire Republic of Kosovo, esteemed President of the Republic of Kosovo, Mrs. Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, honored guests, I would like to thank you...," Uke stated during his address.

This apparent snub likely did not sit well with Kurti, who has been criticized by many in Kosovo for having little in common with Rugova and for dismantling the alliances that the former Albanian leader had built. However, Uke clearly remembered who Kosovo's partners and allies are.

"May God bless the Republic of Kosovo along with our friends in the USA and the EU," he added in his speech.

Uke Rugova's Acquittal and EULEX's Failure

In March last year, Uke Rugova was acquitted of organized crime charges after a lengthy trial but was convicted of illegal possession of weapons. Along with former Minister of Culture Astrit Haraki and several other individuals, Uke had been accused of being involved in a scam involving Italian visas. They were charged with unlawfully providing Schengen visas from the Italian Embassy in Pristina in exchange for personal gain as part of a criminal group.

The case was initially handled by the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), but after its mandate expired, it was handed over to local authorities.

Ehat Miftaraj, a researcher at the Kosovo Institute of Justice (IKD), commented several years ago that the Uke Rugova case was "one of the biggest failures of the EULEX mission."

"Undoubtedly, this case is one of the many failures of this mission, which seriously questions the integrity, professionalism, and independence of the mission in handling high-level cases in Kosovo," Miftaraj stated.

At the first hearing on August 30, 2016, Uke Rugova and the others pleaded not guilty to the charges. The final outcome was a €6,000 fine for possession of unlicensed weapons.

As assessed by the Telegrafi portal, Uke Rugova has seemingly benefited from the absence of visa liberalization for Kosovo.

Excellent 5+

One of the more intriguing details that emerged during the investigation was Uke Rugova's effort to help improve a friend's son's geography grade.

Regarding the large amount of weapons found in his home, the home of the "Balkan Gandhi," Ibrahim Rugova, Uke explained that there had always been weapons in the house because they were used by his father's security detail.

He further elaborated, saying, "In 1999, the security services had an agreement with the president's office, and KFOR was not responsible for supplying weapons to the security services. They told us, 'buy weapons and we won't ask about the origin,' but on the condition that the purchased weapons were not involved in any incriminating activities."

Uke Rugova also remarked that these weapons are "part of the cultural heritage" from the time when his father was president of Kosovo.

An American-Educated Politician

Uke Rugova was born on June 3, 1980, in Pristina. He studied at the Faculty of Economics at the University of Pristina and pursued a degree in Business Administration in Los Angeles.

He has served as a member of the Kosovo Assembly, was part of the Commission for the Oversight of the Kosovo Intelligence Agency, and is also the owner of several businesses.

Since November of last year, Uke has been a member of the General Council of the Democratic League of Kosovo, the party founded by his father.

Two years ago, he obtained an Albanian passport, further solidifying his political and personal connections in the region.