27 Facts About Kiro Gligorov

Kiro Gligorov was born and raised in Stip, where he was educated.

Kiro Gligorov continued his education in Skopje and graduated in law in Belgrade.

Kiro Gligorov later played a pivotal role in Macedonia's peaceful secession from Yugoslavia and its international recognition.

Kiro Gligorov was born in Stip on 3 May 1917, in the Bulgarian occupation zone of Serbia during World War I, where he received his initial education.

Kiro Gligorov completed his secondary education in Skopje and later graduated from the University of Belgrade's Law School.

In 1942, Kiro Gligorov was arrested by Bulgarian police on the accusation that he was a pro-Serbian communist.

Kiro Gligorov then served as Assistant Minister of Finance from 1947 to 1952.

Kiro Gligorov supervised the shift from a centrally planned economy to the enduring Yugoslav worker's councils.

Kiro Gligorov hoped that the shift to a market system would temporarily reduce consumption of wage goods to a sustainable level, while stimulating investment into their production.

Kiro Gligorov thought that republican control over federal policy making was necessary.

Kiro Gligorov was the Finance Minister of Yugoslavia from 1962 to 1967.

Kiro Gligorov held various other high-ranking positions in the political establishment of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, including as a member of both the Yugoslav state presidency and the party presidency, as well as President of the Assembly of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 15 May 1974 to 15 May 1978.

Kiro Gligorov actively participated in the work of this forum, along with Vladimir Kiro Gligorov, which discussed the status of the Yugoslav Federation and the Socialist Republic of Macedonia.

Kiro Gligorov dedicated himself to the realisation of a three-point plan: Yugoslavia's preservation through a peaceful resolution of the crisis; the creation of a parliamentary democracy with the adoption of a new constitution and the promotion of national minorities' rights.

Kiro Gligorov tried to balance the exclusionary demands of the nationalists with the inclusionary demands of the ethnic Albanian parties.

Kiro Gligorov was of the opinion that Albanians, a substantial ethnic group in the country, would always have a share in the governing of Macedonia and he firmly supported power-sharing with them.

Kiro Gligorov then gave the mandate to Branko Crvenkovski, who formed a coalition government, which included two ethnic Albanian parties such as the Party for Democratic Prosperity and National Democratic Party.

The election for Kiro Gligorov's successor took place only a few days before the end of his term.

Kiro Gligorov served as the president until 19 November 1999 and was succeeded by Boris Trajkovski.

On 3 October 1995, Kiro Gligorov was the target of a car bomb assassination attempt in Skopje.

Kiro Gligorov was seriously injured and was immediately transported to the hospital.

Kiro Gligorov became permanently blind in one eye and was facially scarred as a result of the attack.

In October 1943, Kiro Gligorov married Nada Misheva, who died in 2009.

Kiro Gligorov supported a military solution to the insurgency in Macedonia.

Kiro Gligorov died at the age of 94 on 1 January 2012 in Skopje, in his sleep.

Kiro Gligorov won numerous international awards and recognitions for his successful, constructive management and regulation of the international relations of the Macedonian state.

Kiro Gligorov was awarded the Mediterranean Peace Prize on 5 January 1998 in Naples.