Thaçi, a guerrilla leader during Kosovo's war for independence from Serbia, announced he was resigning at a press conference in the capital Pristina on Thursday.

He stated said that he didn’t want to appear before court as the president of the Republic of Kosovo.

“Therefore, I resign from the position of president of the Republic of Kosovo in order to protect the integrity of the office of the president and the country, as well as the dignity of the citizens,” Thaçi said.

In 1993, Thaçi became a member of the inner circle of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). The charisma of leaders such as Thaçi helped the KLA gain support from Kosovo Albanians.

Thaçi (nom de guerre "Gjarpëri" - The Snake) was responsible for securing financial means and armaments, and training recruits in Albania to be dispatched to Kosovo.

On 11 July 1997, Thaçi was tried in absentia and convicted by the District Court in Pristina for terrorism associated with his activities in the KLA, sentenced to 10 years in prison.

In March 1999, Thaçi participated in the Rambouillet negotiations as the leader of the Kosovar Albanian team.

Thaçi was perceived by western diplomats during the negotiations as the "voice of reason" within the KLA: his attendance at the negotiations demonstrated a willingness to accept autonomy for Kosovo within Serbia at a time when other rebel leaders rejected any solution short of full national independence.

Thaçi emerged from the final diplomatic settlement as the leader of the strongest faction within a KLA rife with factionalism. He moved quickly to consolidate power, unilaterally naming himself prime minister within a provisional government.

He was the first Prime Minister of Kosovo and the Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister in the new cabinet led by Isa Mustafa, which assumed office on 12 December 2014. (ILKHA)