Albanian parliament elects Bajram Begaj new president

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - Bajram Begaj was elected Saturday as the new leader of Albania in a plenary session in the Assembly.

Begaj was elected in the fourth round by a 78 - 4 vote, with 1 abstention, in the 140-seat Assembly.

The main opposition Democratic Party did not participate.

Begay was the candidate of the Socialist Party (PS), which is in power under Prime Minister Edi Rama.

He was the only candidate nominated for the five-year term.

Begaj announced that he resigned as Chief of the General staff before the parliamentary session.

The Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs, Public Administration, and Human Rights announced that President Ilir Meta signed a decree ending Begaj active duty in the Albanian General Staff and the armed forces.

Meta at the time was having meetings in Turkey and signed the decree in Istanbul.

No one was nominated in the first three rounds, in which a three-fifths majority of deputies in parliament were sought to determine the president.

In the fourth round, it is sufficient to receive the support of 71 deputies for a presidential candidate to be elected.

The first round was held May16, the second May 23 and the third May 30.

Meta's term will expire July 24 and Begaj will take control of the presidency. He took office April 28, 2017.

Born in Rrogozhina on March 20, 1967, Begaj graduated from the Medical Faculty of the University of Tirana.

He served in senior positions in the Albanian Armed Forces and was last appointed Chief of the Albanian General Staff in July 2020.

Begaj is married and has two children.