Bujar Nishani, former President of Albania, died at the age of 55. He was hospitalized in Germany following a serious illness.
Four Democratic Party deputies verified the news to A2 CNN, as did Edith Harxhi, who has recently maintained contact with the former President’s family.
Who was Bujar Nishani, Albania’s sixth President?
Nishani was admitted to the Sanatorium one month ago after contracting coronavirus. His condition deteriorated two days after he was admitted to the hospital, and he was sent to Germany, where he passed.
Bujar Nishani was born on September 29, 1966, assumed the presidency on July 24, 2012, and left office on July 24, 2017.
Bujar Nishani graduated from the Military Academy “Sknderbej” in Tirana in 1988. In 1996, he graduated with a master’s degree in “Defense Resources Management” from the University of California, which is located in the United States of America. He studied Jurisprudence at the University of Tirana’s Faculty of Law, where he graduated as a lawyer in 2004. In 2005, he received the title “Master” in European Studies from the University of Tirana’s School of European Studies.
In 1988, he began his professional career as a lecturer at the Military Academy “Sknderbej.” Then, in 1993, he worked in the Ministry of Defense’s Directorate of Foreign Relations, continuing in 1994 in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Directorate of NATO Relations, and in 1996 in the Minister of Defense’s Cabinet. He returned in 1997 as Chairman of the Euro-Atlantic Military Forum.
Mr. Bujar Nishani’s political career has evolved as follows: in 1991, he joined the Democratic Party; in 2001, he was elected Secretary of the Democratic Party Branch for Tirana; in 2003, he was elected to the Municipal Council of the Municipality of Tirana from the Democratic Party list; and in 2005, he was elected to the Democratic Party’s National Council and later to the party’s Central Presidency.
Mr. Nishani was elected to the position of Member of Parliament (MP) in constituency 34 in Tirana in July 2005 as a representative of the Democratic Party.
From March 2007 to September 2009, he served as Minister of the Interior; from September 2009 to April 2011, he was Minister of Justice; and from April 2011 to June 2012, he served as Minister of the Interior until the Albanian Parliament elected him Head of State.
The Assembly elected him President of the Republic of Albania in the fourth round on June 11, 2012, with 73 votes in favor and 1 vote against. Bujar Nishani was sworn in as President of the Republic in the Albanian Parliament on July 24, 2012.
During his time in office, Nishani focused on the process of the country’s integration into the European Union as well as on the global concerns that impact Albania, such as the fight against Islamic extremism and radicalism and the crisis involving immigrants. He was elected in 2012, which marked the 100th anniversary of Albania’s independence and was a one-year celebration.
Nishani spent the majority of his official travels overseas focusing on establishing excellent neighborly relations, emphasizing her support for Kosovo’s involvement in all multilateral regional and international initiatives.