Bajram Begaj

His Excellency Major General Bajram Begaj
Begaj in 2023
8th President of Albania
Incumbent
Assumed office 24 July 2022
Prime Minister	Edi Rama
Preceded by	Ilir Meta
26th Chief of the General Staff (Albania)
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	Bajram Rushit Begaj (1967-03-20) 20 March 1967 Rrogozhinë, People's Socialist Republic of Albania
Party	Independent
Spouse	Armanda Begaj
Children	2
Alma mater	Faculty of Medicine
Profession	Military officer Physician
Military service
Allegiance	Albania
Branch/service	Albanian People's Army Albanian Armed Forces
Years of service	1988–2022
Rank	Major General

Bajram Rushit Begaj (born 20 March 1967) is an Albanian former military officer, physician and politician serving as President of Albania since 24 July 2022. Prior to his election as president, he served as the 26th Chief of the General Staff of the Albanian Armed Forces from July 2020 to June 2022.

Begaj was nominated by the governing Socialist Party of Albania as its candidate for the fourth round of the 2022 Albanian presidential election. He was elected by the Parliament of Albania on 4 June 2022 with 78 votes in favour, 4 against and 1 abstention, while most opposition MPs did not participate in the vote. He is the second president in post-communist Albania to come from a predominantly military background, after Alfred Moisiu.

Begaj's presidency has been associated with support for Albania's European Union integration, NATO commitments and relations with Kosovo and the Albanian diaspora. His tenure has also drawn criticism from opposition figures who have accused him of being too closely aligned with Prime Minister Edi Rama and the governing Socialist majority. In 2025, he was accused by opposition MPs of violating the Constitution after decreeing partial local elections in Tirana despite a pending appeal by mayor Erion Veliaj; the Constitutional Court of Albania later suspended and annulled the Tirana part of the decree. He also faced criticism from protesters and media during the 2026 Flamingo Revolution for his delayed and limited public response to the demonstrations against Rama's government.

Early life and education

Begaj was born on 20 March 1967 in Rrogozhinë. He completed medical studies at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Tirana in 1989 and later joined the ranks of the Albanian Armed Forces as a medical officer.

He completed a doctorate in medicine and holds the academic title of associate professor. During his professional and military career, he completed training in security and defence, advanced postgraduate medicine, gastrohepatology, hospital management, strategic medical leadership in the United States, and medical and health courses in Greece.

Military career

Begaj's military career was closely linked to the medical and health structures of the Albanian Armed Forces. He served in several posts, including Chief of the Military Medical Unit, Deputy Military Director of the University Hospital Centre "Mother Teresa", Director of the Military Hospital, and Director of the Health Inspectorate.

He later served as Commander of the Doctrine and Training Command of the Albanian Armed Forces. During this period, according to the Ministry of Defence, he contributed to the transformation of the Armed Forces Academy into a higher education institution in the field of security and defence.

On 29 July 2020, President Ilir Meta decreed Begaj's appointment as Chief of the General Staff of the Albanian Armed Forces, replacing Bardhyl Kollçaku. He took office on 30 July 2020 in a ceremony attended by Defence Minister Olta Xhaçka. Xhaçka described him as one of the most prepared officers in the Armed Forces and highlighted his combined military and medical background during the COVID-19 period.

As Chief of the General Staff, Begaj served during the modernisation of Albania's armed forces and continued participation in NATO-related missions and exercises. His term as Chief of the General Staff ended in June 2022 after his nomination for president. He was succeeded by Arben Kingji.

Presidency

Election

See also: 2022 Albanian presidential election

The process for electing a new president began in May 2022. The first three rounds failed because no formal candidates were submitted, reflecting the lack of consensus between the governing majority and the opposition.

On 3 June 2022, the governing Socialist Party announced Begaj as its candidate for the fourth round of voting. Before parliament voted, President Ilir Meta decreed Begaj's release from his post as Chief of the General Staff and from active military service.

Begaj was elected on 4 June 2022 with 78 votes in favour, 4 against and 1 abstention. The vote was held in the fourth round, when only an absolute majority of all MPs was required. Most Democratic Party MPs did not participate in the vote. Reuters and Balkan Insight described the election as occurring in a polarised political environment, while the governing Socialists presented Begaj as a non-party and institutional candidate.

Inauguration

Begaj was sworn in as President of Albania on 24 July 2022 for a five-year term. In his inaugural address, he called for political unity, respect for institutions and commitment to Albania's European path.

The Associated Press reported that Begaj urged Albania's political parties to cooperate on the country's European Union integration agenda and avoid political conflict. His inauguration followed the presidency of Ilir Meta, whose term had been marked by repeated conflicts with Prime Minister Edi Rama and the Socialist majority.

Foreign policy and diplomacy

Further information: List of international presidential trips made by Bajram Begaj

As president, Begaj has emphasised Albania's Euro-Atlantic orientation, support for NATO and the country's goal of joining the European Union. He has participated in diplomatic meetings with foreign heads of state, NATO representatives, Albanian diaspora communities and regional leaders.

Begaj has also repeatedly expressed support for Kosovo and for coordination between Albania and Kosovo. He has visited Kosovo and received honorary citizenship from several municipalities there, including Deçan and Drenas.

Armed forces and national security

Because of his military background, Begaj has remained publicly engaged with defence and security issues. In December 2022, he congratulated the Albanian Armed Forces on their 110th anniversary, describing them as a modern NATO force and a reliable ally. In 2025, he appointed Lieutenant General Arben Kingji as Chief of the General Staff of the Albanian Armed Forces.

2025 parliamentary election and Rama IV Government

After the 2025 Albanian parliamentary election, the Socialist Party secured a fourth consecutive governing mandate under Prime Minister Edi Rama. In September 2025, Begaj formally decreed Rama as prime minister for the new term.

The decree became controversial because it included a provision assigning Rama responsibility for the creation and functioning of the virtual artificial-intelligence "minister" Diella. Democratic Party parliamentary group leader Gazment Bardhi called the decree unconstitutional and argued that it contradicted constitutional provisions on the appointment of ministers. The Presidency replied that Begaj had decreed only the prime minister and not any ministers, and that the ministers would be decreed later.

2025 partial local elections decree

On 1 October 2025, Begaj decreed that partial local elections would be held on 9 November 2025 in Tirana, Vlorë, Berat, Mat, Tepelenë and Cërrik. The decree followed the Council of Ministers' decision to dismiss Tirana mayor Erion Veliaj, who had been in pre-trial detention after being arrested by SPAK in February 2025 on corruption and money-laundering allegations, which he denied.

The decree was immediately disputed because Veliaj had appealed his dismissal to the Constitutional Court. BIRN reported, through Politiko, that Begaj had decreed the elections despite the pending appeal and that his legal reasoning treated the case as an administrative matter rather than one protected by Article 115 of the Constitution. The Democratic Party denounced the decree as a serious violation of the Constitution. Gazment Bardhi argued that the jurisdiction over the dismissal of a constitutional local mandate was determined by the Constitution, not by the prime minister or the government, and accused Rama of having "taken Bajram Begaj hostage".

On 9 October 2025, the Constitutional Court suspended the legal effects of Begaj's decree for the part concerning Tirana, pending final review of Veliaj's case. On 3 November 2025, the Constitutional Court ruled in Veliaj's favour, declared the government's dismissal decision unconstitutional and annulled the part of Begaj's decree that called new elections in Tirana. The Court held that Article 115 of the Constitution gave it jurisdiction to review the dismissal of a directly elected local government official and that the law on local self-government could not override the Constitution.

Citizenship decree for Eric Adams

In April 2026, Begaj issued a decree granting Albanian citizenship to former New York City mayor Eric Adams.

Response to 2026 protests

In June 2026, Begaj faced criticism over his response to the Flamingo Revolution, a wave of protests that began over proposed coastal development projects linked to Jared Kushner and later expanded into broader anti-government demonstrations against Prime Minister Edi Rama. Albanian media noted that Begaj did not publicly address the demonstrations during their first three weeks. Politiko reported that, as the 23rd consecutive protest was taking place in Tirana and protesters were demanding Rama's resignation, Begaj had still made no public reaction and was on an official visit to Kyrgyzstan, away from the political developments dominating debate in Albania.

Begaj reacted publicly for the first time after the protests had entered their fourth week. He said that freedom of expression and participation in public life were rights protected by the Constitution and should be exercised peacefully and with respect for institutions. However, he did not take a position on the protesters' specific demands, which by then included Rama's resignation and early elections.

Protesters later criticised Begaj directly during marches in Tirana. BalkanWeb reported that demonstrators chanted slogans including "President i lodhur" ("tired president") and had earlier accused him of failing to defend citizens' rights. The same report stated that the protests had brought together Albanians in the country and the diaspora in support of the demand for Rama's resignation.

Criticism and controversies

Perceived closeness to Edi Rama and the Socialist majority

Begaj's election and presidency have been criticised by opposition figures who argue that he lacks independence from Prime Minister Edi Rama and the Socialist majority. Balkan Insight reported after his election that the opposition was "crying foul", arguing that Begaj would be "nothing more than Rama's extended arm".

The criticism intensified during later constitutional disputes. After Begaj decreed the 2025 partial local elections in Tirana, Democratic Party MP Agron Gjekmarkaj described him as a "notary of the majority" and accused him of abandoning the constitutional role of the president as a symbol of national unity. Gjekmarkaj also described the decree as a "black page in the chronicle of state capture" and argued that it reflected the capture of the presidential institution by the governing majority.

Supporters of Begaj and government officials have rejected the view that his lower-conflict style represents subordination to the government. In January 2024, Rama said that the period in which the president led "imaginary revolutions" against the government was over, a reference to his conflicts with former president Ilir Meta.

During the Flamingo Revolution in 2026, criticism of Begaj's perceived closeness to the government broadened beyond opposition politicians. Albanian media reported that protesters criticised him for not defending citizens' rights and mocked him with slogans such as "President i lodhur" after he initially remained silent during weeks of demonstrations against Rama's government.

2025 Tirana election decree

The 2025 partial local election decree became the most significant constitutional controversy of Begaj's presidency. The opposition argued that Begaj had failed to uphold the Constitution by calling elections in Tirana before the Constitutional Court had reviewed Veliaj's appeal against his dismissal.

The Presidency defended the decree by arguing that the government's dismissal decision was based on provisions of the law on local self-government concerning failure to appear at work for three uninterrupted months, and that Begaj had verified the existence of appeals or suspension decisions in the administrative jurisdiction. Critics argued that this reasoning bypassed Article 115 of the Constitution, which provides for Constitutional Court review of the dismissal of elected local government officials and suspends the dismissal pending review.

The Constitutional Court first suspended the Tirana part of the decree and later annulled it after ruling that Veliaj's dismissal had been unconstitutional. The rest of the decree, concerning other municipalities, was not affected in the same way by the Veliaj case.

Academic plagiarism allegation

In August 2024, researcher Taulant Muka accused Begaj of academic plagiarism in relation to a 2014 article co-authored by Begaj. Muka claimed that the article copied material from North American Society of Obstetrical Medicine lecture materials and used data from the United States as if they referred to Albania.

The Presidency rejected the allegation. A presidential spokesperson told BIRN that the data had been referenced according to academic methodology and that the article had been published in a journal with standards and review procedures. Civil-society activist Aranita Brahaj Xhemollari disputed that response and described the material as "100 percent plagiarism".

Personal life

Begaj is married to Armanda Begaj, with whom he has two sons, Dorian and Klajdi.

Honours and accolades

• Italy – Honorary Citizen of Pallagorio
• Italy – Honorary Citizen of Rossano
• Kosovo – Honorary Citizen of Deçan
• Kosovo – Honorary Citizen of Drenas

See also

• President of Albania
• 2022 Albanian presidential election
• Chief of the General Staff (Albania)
• Rama III Government
• Rama IV Government
• 2025 Tirana mayoral election controversy