12 Facts About Boris Trajkovski

Boris Trajkovski was a Macedonian politician who served as the President of Macedonia from 1999 until his death in 2004 in a plane crash.

Boris Trajkovski subsequently specialized in commercial and employment law and made several visits to the United States, where he studied theology to become a Methodist lay minister.

Boris Trajkovski served as Methodist youth secretary in the former Yugoslavia for over 12 years.

Boris Trajkovski became active in politics following the Republic of Macedonia's declaration of independence from Yugoslavia in November 1991, when he joined the VMRO-DPMNE party.

Boris Trajkovski played an important role in developing the party's relations with other European political parties and was appointed Chairman of the party's Foreign Relations Commission.

Boris Trajkovski was appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs on 21 December 1998 but served in this post for less than a year.

Largely because of his reputation as a moderate reformist, Boris Trajkovski was selected as VMRO-DPMNE's candidate for president in the November 1999 election held to replace the outgoing president, Kiro Gligorov.

Boris Trajkovski's term was marked by tensions between ethnic Macedonians and the republic's large ethnic Albanian minority.

Boris Trajkovski was seen as a moderate in the ethnic dialogue, arguing for greater inclusion of ethnic Albanians, and has been credited with being a key figure in resolving the conflict.

Boris Trajkovski died on 26 February 2004 in a plane crash en route to an economic conference in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Boris Trajkovski is the only President of North Macedonia to die in office.

Boris Trajkovski's family continue his legacy through the Boris Trajkovski Foundation.