Stevo Pendarovski, President of North Macedonia (Elected on May 5 with 53.6% of the vote)

Pendarovski graduated with a Bachelor of Laws from Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje in 1987. He later earned his MA and PhD degrees in Political Science in the same university.

Since 2008 he has been the Assistant Professor in International Security, Foreign Policy and Globalization at the University American College Skopje.

Stevo Pendarovski kicked off his government career as Assistant-Minister for Public Relations in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and as head of the Analytical and Research Department of the ministry from 1998–2001. He was the National Security and Chief Foreign Policy Adviser to President Boris Trajkovski from 2001 until Trajkovski’s death in 2004. After leading the State Election Commission in 2004–2005 he went on to serve again as National Security and Chief Foreign Policy Adviser to the next President, Branko Crvenkovski, from 2005 to 2009.

On 4 March 2014 he was elected by the main opposition Social Democratic Union of Macedonia as its candidate for the April 2014 presidential election.

He also became a presidential candidate of Social Democratic Union of Macedonia and Democratic Union for Integration for the 2019 election.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevo_Pendarovski

Gjorge Ivanov, Former President of North Macedonia

President Gjorge Ivanov was born on 2 May 1960 in Valandovo, a town in the Republic of Macedonia. After completing his elementary and high school education in Valandovo, he commenced studies in Law at the University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje. While at university Ivanov became politically active in liberal and reformist-oriented youth organizations.

In 1988, Ivanov began a career with the national broadcaster “Macedonian Television” where he was ultimately promoted to the position of Editor. He was also active in the movement to reform the political system, which aimed to promote ideas such as political plurality and the free market economy.

In 1995, Ivanov returned the University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius, earning a Master’s Degree in Political Science with a thesis entitled: “Civil Society – New Contradictions of an Old Debate.” During his PhD research he focused on building democracies in divided societies and successfully defended his PhD thesis entitled “Democracy in Divided Societies: the case of Macedonia.”At the Law Faculty, a long-time centre of Macedonian political life, Ivanov taught political theory and political philosophy to his students and introduced new teaching methods which helped open Macedonian academia to Western universities through contemporary literature and magazines. In 1999 he was a Visiting Professor to the South-East Europe Programme at the University of Athens, Greece. Knowing that opening the Republic of Macedonia to the West will require the efforts of upcoming generations, he also became active in EU’s TEMPUS Programme for the Republic of Macedonia, introducing a reformed curricula and English language Master Programmes.

Dr. Ivanov is a leading expert on civil society, being the first to introduce its systematic research in Macedonian academia. He has been a consultant to leading think-tanks and researchers. Ivanov is the co-founder of the first Macedonian political science journal “Political Opinion”, and the founder and Honorary President of the Macedonian Political Science Association. He is also one of the principal founders of the Institute for Democracy, a leading Macedonian think-tank which has helped shape the political landscape in Macedonia. While never a party member, he became active in helping fashion the policy of the reformist VMRO-DPMNE party and eventually received its presidential nomination in 2009. He won the elections with a distinctive majority.

President Ivanov is married and has one child.

Branko Crvenkovski, Former President of Macedonia

Branko Crvenkovski, Former President of Macedonia

* Born on12th of October 1962 in Sarajevo
* Married to Jasmina Crvenkovska. Father of two children: Ljupco and Marija

Education

* 1980 – 1985

“Faculty of Electrical Engineering”, Skopje – Information technology and automation

Political career

* 1990 – 1992

Member of the Macedonian Assembly elected at the first multiparty elections

As member of the first Assembly, he signed the initiative for referendum for independence of the Republic of Macedonia

Branko Crvenkovski was the first President of the Assembly’s Foreign Affairs Committee

* 1991

Elected as President of Social Democratic Union in April, 1991, at the first Congress of the Party.

* 1992 – 1994

Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia
He started his first mandate as Prime Minister in 1992. With only 29 years of age, he was the youngest Government leader in Europe. As Prime Minister and politician, Branko Crvenkovski was the first who promoted the idea of the participation of Albanian parties in the Government of the Republic of Macedonia. Branko Crvenkovski managed to form a broad coalition with the Liberal Party, the Socialist Party and the Party for Democratic Prosperity.

Immediately after the proclamation of the independence, the country was faced with a difficult economic and political situation, with high inflation rates and considerable social pressure. The wider international support was also missing. The coalition Government managed to stabilize the economy and embark in the process of privatization.

* 1994 – 1998

Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia

In 1994 Branko Crvenkovski was reelect Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia after the outstanding victory of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia at the parliamentary elections by winning 59 out of the 120 seats. This was the second mandate of the coalition with the LP, PDP and SP.

During this period the Republic of Macedonia managed to become a member of the UN, OSCE and the Council of Europe, signed agreements with the IMF and the World Bank, promoted democracy, implemented profound economic reforms and initiated foreign investments. The first steps towards the Euro-Atlantic integration of the Republic of Macedonia were also made during this period: Macedonia became a member of the Partnership for Peace. The SOFA agreement and the Agreement for Economic and Trade Cooperation with the EU were also signed.

* 1998 – 2002

Member of the Macedonian Assembly (Member of the Assembly from the proportional list of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia)

Leader of the largest opposition parliamentary group in the Macedonian Assembly

* may 2001

The Social Democratic Union of Macedonia joined the “Broad Government Coalition” in order to stop the crisis in the country

Branko Crvenkovski signed the Framework Agreement

* 2002 – 2004

Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia

At the Parliamentary elections in 2002, the Coalition “For Macedonia-together” won an outstanding victory by winning 60 out of the 120 seats.

* 22 March 2004

As Prime Minister he submitted the application for membership of the Republic of Macedonia in the European Union

* 28 may 2004

President of the Republic of Macedonia

Party background

* 1990 – 1991

Member of the Presidency of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia

Head of the Campaigning Team of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia at the Parliamentary Elections in 1990

* 1991 – 2004

President of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia, elected at the party Congress in 1991 and reelected in 1995,1999 and 2003

In compliance with the Constitution, by becoming President of the Republic of Macedonia, Branko Crvenkovski is no longer leader of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia