Bajram Begaj will be the next President of Albania after 78 MPs voted for him on Saturday afternoon.
Four MPs voted against while one abstained.
Most opposition MPs abandoned the session after Democratic Party (PD) leader Sali Berisha argued that Begaj was not eligible for the Presidency as he had been part of the Albanian Armed Forces when nominated.
Earlier today, outgoing President Ilir Meta approved Begaj’s resignation as Chairman from Istanbul, where he is currently on a state visit.
During May, negotiations between the ruling PS and the opposition fell through. The Democratic Party (PD) made no proposals during the first three rounds of voting where a qualified majority was required to select the next President.
Who is Bajram Begaj?
Born in 1967 the southern city of municipality of Rrogozhinë, Begaj currently serves as Chairman of Albania’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest ranking and most senior military officer in the Albanian Armed Forces.
Begaj was appointed to his current post in 2020, after serving as Commander of Training and Doctrine Command of the Albanian Army.
During his 33-year military career, Begaj has held several leadership positions within the Albanian Army. He served as Chief of the Military Medical Unit, as well as Director of the Health Inspectorate and Chief Inspector and Advisor of the Health Inspectorate in General Staff of the Albanian Armed Forces.
Begaj has a degree in General Medicine from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Tirana, as is also Associate professor of Medicine.
In 2017, he was awarded the rank of Brigadier General, the first doctor to receive the honor.
He is married with two children.
When elected tomorrow, he will be Albania’s seventh President following the fall of Communism.
