Bajram Begaj | |
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![]() Begaj in 2023 | |
President of Albania | |
Assumed office 24 July 2022 | |
Prime Minister | Edi Rama |
Preceded by | Ilir Meta |
26th Chief of General Staff of Albanian Armed Forces | |
In office 29 July 2020 – 4 June 2022 | |
President | Ilir Meta |
Minister | Olta Xhaçka Niko Peleshi |
Preceded by | Bardhyl Kollçaku |
Succeeded by | Arben Kingji |
Personal details | |
Born | Rrogozhinë, Albania | 20 March 1967
Political party | Independent |
Spouse | Armanda Begaj |
Children | 2 |
Alma mater | Faculty of Medicine |
Profession | Military officer |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() ![]() |
Branch/service | Albanian People's Army Albanian Armed Forces |
Years of service | 1988–2022 |
Rank | ![]() |
Bajram Begaj (born 20 March 1967) is an Albanian politician and retired military officer, who is currently serving as the president of Albania since 24 July 2022.[1] Having had a long career in the Albanian army, he served as the 26th Chief of General Staff of the Albanian Armed Forces from July 2020 to June 2022.[2][3][4]
Although politically independent, on 3 June 2022, Begaj was officially nominated by the governing Socialist Party as the candidate to the fourth round of the 2022 presidential election. Begaj is the fifth president in the history of Albania to have a military background, after Ahmet Zogu, Ramiz Alia, Alfred Moisiu and Bujar Nishani.[5]