1. Talat Xhaferi is a Macedonian politician who served as Prime Minister of North Macedonia from January to June 2024.
14 Facts About Talat Xhaferi
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Talat Xhaferi previously served as the President of the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia from 2017 to 2024 and as Minister of Defense from 2013 to 2014.
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Talat Xhaferi was the first ethnic Albanian to have served as prime minister since the independence and statehood of North Macedonia.
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Talat Xhaferi attended primary school in the nearby village of Cegrane and continued his secondary education at the Military High School in Belgrade.
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Talat Xhaferi studied at the Military Academy of the Land Army Infantry of the Yugoslav People's Army in Belgrade and Sarajevo.
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From 1985 to 1991, Talat Xhaferi was a JNA officer, and from 1992 to 2001 an officer of the Army of the Republic of Macedonia.
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Talat Xhaferi was later amnestied, in accordance with the 2001 Ohrid Agreement.
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Talat Xhaferi was first elected to the Macedonian parliament in 2002 for the Democratic Union for Integration, which was formed that year by members of the dissolved NLA.
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From 2004 to 2006 Talat Xhaferi was Deputy Minister of Defence.
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Talat Xhaferi blocked the draft at commission level by "reading poetry, citing foreign literature and reports on Macedonia, mumbling or simply remaining silent, waiting for the time to pass".
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In 2013, Talat Xhaferi was nominated by DUI for Minister of Defense in the Cabinet of Nikola Gruevski, after the resignation of Fatmir Besimi.
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The appointment of Talat Xhaferi triggered protests by Macedonian and Albanian citizens.
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Talat Xhaferi was part of a delegation of ethnically Albanian politicians from North Macedonia visiting the earthquake epicenter that expressed their condolences to Albanian president Ilir Meta.
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On 25 January 2024, Talat Xhaferi resigned following the resignations of the government of Dimitar Kovacevski, in preparation to be elected as the president of a technical government which, in accordance with the Przino Agreement, will lead the country in the 100 days prior to the parliamentary elections scheduled for 8 May.