Kiro Gligorov
Киро Глигоров
Gligorov in 1993
1st President of Macedonia
In office
27 January 1991 – 19 November 1999
Prime MinisterNikola Kljusev
Branko Crvenkovski
Ljubčo Georgievski
Vice PresidentLjubčo Georgievski (1991)[1]
Preceded byVladimir Mitkov (as President of the SR Macedonia)
Succeeded byBoris Trajkovski
President of the Federal Assembly of Yugoslavia
In office
15 May 1974 – 15 May 1978
Preceded byMijalko Todorović
Succeeded byDragoslav Marković
Personal details
Born(1917-05-03)3 May 1917
Štip, Bulgarian-occupied Serbia
Died1 January 2012(2012-01-01) (aged 94)
Skopje, Macedonia
NationalityYugoslav/Macedonian
Political partyLCY/LCM/SDSM/Independent[2]
Spouse
Nada Misheva
​
​
(m. 1943; died 2009)​
Children3, including Vladimir
Signature

Kiro Gligorov (Macedonian: Киро Глигоров, pronounced [kiˈrɔ ɡliˈɡɔrɔf] ⓘ; 3 May 1917 – 1 January 2012) was a Macedonian politician who served as the first President of the Republic of Macedonia (now North Macedonia) from 1991 to 1999. He was born and raised in Štip, where he was also educated. He continued his education in Skopje and Belgrade, where he graduated in law. After World War II, he served in various important positions in Yugoslavia. Gligorov later played a pivotal role in Macedonia's peaceful secession from Yugoslavia and its international recognition. In 1995, he survived an assassination attempt, which has remained unresolved. For his role in its independence and political development, he has been regarded as the father of the Macedonian state.[3][4][5]

Early life

Kiro Gligorov[lower-alpha 1] was born in Štip on 3 May 1917,[9][10] in the Bulgarian occupation zone of Serbia (now North Macedonia) during World War I,[11] where he received his initial education. Gligorov completed his secondary education in Skopje and later graduated from the University of Belgrade's Law School.[12][13] Before World War II, he participated in the Macedonian communist student movement.[10] When he was twenty, he was arrested by the Royal Yugoslav authorities for his political opposition to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, but was released afterwards.[14] After the defeat of Yugoslavia in 1941, he returned to Skopje (annexed by Bulgaria), where Gligorov worked as a lawyer until 1943. In 1942, Gligorov was arrested by the Bulgarian police on the accusation that he was a pro-Serbian communist. He was released on the orders of Skopje Mayor Spiro Kitinchev, who guaranteed that he was a trustworthy Bulgarian.[15][16][6] During World War II in Yugoslav Macedonia, he joined the partisans and participated in the resistance.[8][17][18] Afterwards he became a member of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia (LCY), Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Yugoslavia (AVNOJ) and Antifascist Assembly of the National Liberation of Macedonia (ASNOM).[3][13][17] In ASNOM, he served as a secretary of the Initiative committee for its organisation and a finance commissioner in its Presidium.[19][3] Along with some other communist activists, he saw the solution of the Macedonian Question through a "federation of the Balkan peoples".[20] On 2 August 1944, he took part in the first session of ASNOM as a delegate.[10]

Politics

After World War II, he moved to Belgrade.[14] Between 1945 and 1947, he held the office of Assistant Secretary General of the Presidency of the Government of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia. He then served as Assistant Minister of Finance from 1947 to 1952.[21] After this year, he held several positions: Assistant Chairman of the Economic Council of the Government of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia (1952–1953), Deputy Director of the Federal Bureau of Economic Planning (1953–1955), Secretary of Economy - Coordinator in the Federal Government (1956). In the 1960s, he had the reputation of being a liberal economist and politician who wanted to implement market-oriented reforms.[22][23] Gligorov was the Finance Minister of Yugoslavia from 1962 to 1967. In 1965, he was the co-creator of a marketisation program which was never implemented.[3] He held various other high 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 (for the 9th and 10th electoral terms), as well as President of the Assembly of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 15 May 1974 to 15 May 1978.[9] In the late 1980s, he was an adviser for Ante Marković's economic reform plan.[24][25]

He returned to Skopje in 1989.[7] In February 1990, he joined the Macedonian Forum for Preparation of a Macedonian National Program.[21] Gligorov actively participated in the work of this forum, along with his son Vladimir Gligorov,[26] which discussed the status of the Yugoslav Federation and the Socialist Republic of Macedonia. Following the promulgation of the Declaration of Sovereignty of the State on 25 January 1991 and an initiative by a group of prominent liberal politicians and intellectuals called "Young Lions",[27] Gligorov was elected as the president of SR Macedonia by a large majority in the Macedonian Assembly on 27 January, succeeding Vladimir Mitkov.[28][29][24] He 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.[30] On 7 March, he entrusted the mandate to Nikola Kljusev to form the first government. In the same year, Gligorov along with Alija Izetbegović put forward the idea of a "Yugoslav confederation" (which was strongly supported by the international community),[31] but it was rejected by the other states of Yugoslavia.[32][8] When it became clear that Yugoslavia was being torn apart, Gligorov and the other leaders decided to initiate a referendum for independence on 8 September 1991.[1] Many citizens ended up opting for independence. Under his rule, Macedonia became the only state which seceded from Yugoslavia peacefully.[33] After independence, he became the first President of the independent and sovereign Republic of Macedonia.[34] Afterwards, Gligorov worked towards gaining international recognition of Macedonia.[35][36] Domestically, Gligorov faced the challenge of finding a balance between two opposing political forces - the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization – Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO-DPMNE) and the Party for Democratic Prosperity (PDP).[37] Gligorov was of the opinion that Albanians would always have a share in the governing of Macedonia.[38]

In response to Macedonian political and diaspora organizations' claims of direct descent to Alexander the Great,[7] Gligorov stated several times that the ethnic Macedonians are unrelated to the ancient Macedonians, as well as that they are a South Slavic people.[39] In an interview with the Toronto Star on 15 March 1992, he said: "We are Macedonians but we are Slav Macedonians. That's who we are! We have no connection to Alexander the Great and his Macedonia. The ancient Macedonians no longer exist, they had disappeared from history long time ago. Our ancestors came here in the 5th and 6th century (AD)."[40][27] In the same year, he successfully negotiated the withdrawal of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) from Macedonian soil.[8] Due to concerns of the Yugoslav Wars spilling over into Macedonia, he requested the presence of UN peacekeepers, which were deployed later.[29]

As a result of the Macedonia naming dispute, the Republic of Macedonia was admitted into the United Nations under the reference "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia". Gligorov delivered his first speech before the General Assembly of the United Nations on 7 April 1993.[21] In the general election, he was re-elected President of the Republic by a majority of votes, on 16 October 1994.[41] On 12 September 1995, he signed the Interim Accord for the normalization of relations with Greece at the United Nations Headquarters.[28] On 2 October, in Belgrade, he signed a recognition agreement with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. On 29 May 1996, in Helsinki, a solemn statement by Gligorov confirmed the accession of the Republic of Macedonia to the CSCE Final Document. The election for Gligorov's successor took place only a few days before the end of his term. He served as the president until November 1999 and was succeeded by Boris Trajkovski.[42] Following his presidency, he retired from politics.[17] In 2001, he dismissed the Albanian demands for greater rights and supported a military solution to the insurgency in Macedonia.[43]

Assassination attempt

Gligorov's presidential car after the assassination attempt

On 3 October 1995, Gligorov was the target of a car bomb assassination attempt in Skopje. Disobeying instructions from his security advisers to sit in the back seat of his presidential car, he sat next to his driver.[44] While en route from his residence to his office, the car was blown up by an explosion from a parked vehicle, killing his driver and a passer-by, as well as injuring several other passers-by and his security officer. Gligorov was seriously injured and was immediately transported to the hospital.[45][46][47] The parked car contained an explosive which was activated remotely.[48] Two persons in their mid-twenties were arrested immediately after the incident.[49]

An investigation into the assassination attempt was initiated and police experienced in terrorism investigations from Britain, United States, Greece and Germany also came to Macedonia to participate.[44] There have been no suspects determined and no progress has been made in the investigation.[50] However, there have been short-lived speculations as to who could be the culprits. Shortly after the bombing, the Minister of Internal Affairs Ljubomir Frčkovski publicly claimed that "a powerful multinational company from a neighbouring country" was behind the assassination attempt,[51] with the Macedonian media pointing at the Bulgarian Multigroup and the Serbian Secret Service as possible suspects.[51][52] During a meeting between Multigroup head Iliya Pavlov and Gligorov in Ohrid, Pavlov assured Gligorov that his organisation was not involved.[51]

Gligorov was incapacitated until 17 November 1995. He became permanently blind in one eye and was facially scarred as a result.[53] Stojan Andov was acting president during Gligorov's recuperation.[3] After several months of treatment, on 10 January 1996, Gligorov returned to his presidency.

Personal life and death

Gligorov's grave at the Butel cemetery in Skopje.

Gligorov has won numerous international awards and recognitions for his successful, constructive management and regulation of the international relations of the Macedonian state. Following a speech at the University of Pittsburgh in the United States, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University on 21 September 1997. He was awarded the Mediterranean Peace Prize on 5 January 1998 in Naples.[21] In 2005, he became the first person to be awarded with Republic of Macedonia's highest honour - Order of the Republic of Macedonia.[54] In 2011, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the United Macedonian Diaspora.[55] After his retirement from politics, he authored several memoirs and founded the Kiro Gligorov Foundation.[54][56]

In October 1943, Gligorov married Nada Misheva, who died in 2009.[57][58] They had one son and two daughters. His son, Vladimir Gligorov, was one of the founders of the Democratic Party in Serbia.[8]

Kiro Gligorov was the oldest Macedonian political official.[56] On 17 November 1999, when his second presidential term ended, he was 82 years old, and in 2000, the Guinness Book of World Records listed Gligorov as the world's oldest president.

Gligorov died at the age of 94 in the early hours of 1 January 2012, in his sleep.[59] At his own request, the funeral was private with only his closest family in attendance.[60] Some politicians and academics came to pay their respects beforehand.[61] He was buried in Butel Municipality, Skopje.[62] In 2017, he was posthumously honoured with the Order "Saint Nicholas" (St. Nikola) by the Municipality of Štip.[63][64]

Memoirs

  • Македонија е сè што имаме (Makedonija e se što imame; English: Macedonia is all we have; 2000)
  • Атентат - ден потоа (Atentat - den potoa; English: Assassination - the day after; 2002)
  • Виорни времиња, Република Македонија – реалност на Балканот (Viorni vreminja, Republika Makedonija – realnost na Balkanot; English: Stormy times, Republic of Macedonia – a reality in the Balkans; 2004)
  • Сите југословенски (стопански) реформи (Site jugoslovenski (stopanski) reformi; English: All Yugoslav (economic) reforms; 2006)

Honours

Notes

  1. ↑ According to the news sources Novinite and The Independent, his birth surname was Panchev.[6][7] During the Serbian rule of Vardar Macedonia, his surname was allegedly Grigorović or Gligorović. Later his surname was changed to Gligorov or Grigorov, but during the Bulgarian rule of Vardar Macedonia in World War II, he was known as Kiril Blagoev Grigorov.[8]

References

  1. 1 2 Robert Bideleux; Ian Jeffries (24 January 2007). The Balkans: A Post-Communist History. Routledge. p. 412. ISBN 9781134583287.
  2. ↑ Sabrina P. Ramet et al., Building Democracy in the Yugoslav Successor States: Accomplishments, Setbacks, and Challenges since 1990, Cambridge University Press, 2017, ISBN 1107180740, p. 290. Archived 2023-04-05 at the Wayback Machine
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Dawisha, Karen; Parrott, Bruce, eds. (1997). Politics, Power and the Struggle for Democracy in South-East Europe. Cambridge University Press. pp. 246–247. ISBN 9780521597333.
  4. ↑ "Ден на жалост - Македонија ќе се прости од претседателот Глигоров". Deutsche Welle (in Macedonian). 3 January 2012. Archived from the original on 9 January 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  5. ↑ P. H. Liotta (2001). Dismembering the State: The Death of Yugoslavia and why it Matters. Lexington Books. p. 207. ISBN 9780739102121.
  6. 1 2 Late Macedonian President Gligorov Was 'Certified' Bulgarian, Novinite.com; January 3, 2012 Archived June 24, 2021, at the Wayback Machine.
  7. 1 2 3 Constantine Buhayer (9 January 2012). "Kiro Gligorov: President of Macedonia throughout the Nineties". The Independent. Archived from the original on 29 January 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Dimitar Bechev (2019). Historical Dictionary of North Macedonia (2nd ed.). Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 128–129. ISBN 9781538119624.
  9. 1 2 Lentz, Harris, ed. (2014). Heads of States and Governments Since 1945. Routledge. p. 527. ISBN 9781134264902.
  10. 1 2 3 Andrew Rossos (2013). Macedonia and the Macedonians: A History. Hoover Press. p. 264. ISBN 9780817948832.
  11. ↑ The European powers in the First World War: an encyclopedia, Spencer Tucker, Laura Matysek Wood, Taylor & Francis, 1996, ISBN 0-8153-0399-8, p. 150.
  12. ↑ "Kiro Gligorov, former Macedonian president, dies". The Washington Post. 9 January 2012. Archived from the original on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  13. 1 2 Bernard A. Cook (2014). Europe Since 1945: An Encyclopedia. Routledge. p. 512. ISBN 9781135179328.
  14. 1 2 Sabrina P. Ramet (2010). Central and Southeast European Politics since 1989. Cambridge University Press. p. 349. ISBN 9780521716161.
  15. ↑ Проф. Яни Милчаков за политическата роля на Киро Глигоров. Българско национално радио, Радио Шумен, 04.01.2012. Archived 2021-06-24 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ↑ Цочо Билярски, Киро Глигоров, превъплащенията на един хамелеон. Сите българи заедно. 11 юли 2011 Archived 2021-06-24 at the Wayback Machine.
  17. 1 2 3 Matjaž Klemenčič; Mitja Zagar (2004). The Former Yugoslavia's Diverse Peoples: A Reference Sourcebook. ABC-CLIO. p. 378. ISBN 9781576072943.
  18. ↑ John Phillips (2004). Macedonia: Warlords and Rebels in the Balkans. Yale University Press. p. 47. ISBN 9781860648410.
  19. ↑ "АСНОМ го определи нашето државно и национално битие". Utrinski vesnik (in Macedonian). 16 October 2006. Archived from the original on 30 May 2011.
  20. ↑ Daskalov, Roumen; Mishkova, Diana, eds. (2013). Entangled Histories of the Balkans - Volume Two: Transfers of Political Ideologies and Institutions. BRILL. p. 539. ISBN 9789004261914.
  21. 1 2 3 4 Makedonska enciklopedija: A-LJ. MANU. 2009. pp. 365–366. ISBN 9786082030234.
  22. ↑ Dennison Rusinow (1978). The Yugoslav Experiment 1948-1974. University of California Press. p. 136. ISBN 0520037308.
  23. ↑ Alexander J. Motyl (2000). Encyclopedia of Nationalism, Two-Volume Set. Academic Press. p. 192. ISBN 9780122272301.
  24. 1 2 Viktor Meier (2005). Yugoslavia: A History of its Demise. Routledge. pp. 105, 176. ISBN 9781134665105.
  25. ↑ John R. Lampe (2000). Yugoslavia as History: Twice There Was a Country. Cambridge University Press. p. 391. ISBN 9780521774017.
  26. ↑ Pălășan, Corina; Vasile, Cristian, eds. (2011). History of Communism in Europe vol. 2 / 2011: Avatars of Intellectuals under Communism. Zeta Books. p. 252. ISBN 9786068266145.
  27. 1 2 Alexis Heraclides (2021). The Macedonian Question and the Macedonians: A History. Routledge. p. 113; 180. ISBN 9780429266362.
  28. 1 2 Wojciech Roszkowski; Jan Kofman (2016). Biographical Dictionary of Central and Eastern Europe in the Twentieth Century. Routledge. p. 297. ISBN 9781317475941.
  29. 1 2 Alice Ackermann (2000). Making Peace Prevail: Preventing Violent Conflict in Macedonia. Syracuse University Press. pp. 58, 83–85. ISBN 9780815628125.
  30. ↑ Zhidas Daskalovski (1999). "Democratisation in Macedonia and Slovenia". SEER-South-East Europe Review for Labour and Social Affairs. 2 (3): 37.
  31. ↑ Zielonka, Jan; Pravda, Alex, eds. (2001). Democratic Consolidation in Eastern Europe: Volume 2: International and Transnational Factors. OUP Oxford. p. 422. ISBN 9780191529191.
  32. ↑ Dejan Djokić (2003). Yugoslavism: Histories of a Failed Idea, 1918-1992. C. Hurst & Co. Publishers. p. 123. ISBN 9781850656630.
  33. ↑ David A. Dyker; Ivan Vejvoda (2014). Yugoslavia and After: A Study in Fragmentation, Despair and Rebirth. Routledge. p. 257. ISBN 9781317891352.
  34. ↑ Fruhstorfer, Anna; Hein, Michael, eds. (2016). Constitutional Politics in Central and Eastern Europe: From Post-Socialist Transition to the Reform of Political Systems. Springer. p. 311. ISBN 9783658137625.
  35. ↑ Nikolaos Zahariadis (2005). Essence of Political Manipulation: Emotion, Institutions, & Greek Foreign Policy. Peter Lang. p. 88. ISBN 9780820479033.
  36. ↑ Michael Palairet (2016). Macedonia: A Voyage through History (Vol. 2, From the Fifteenth Century to the Present), Volume 2. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. p. 319. ISBN 9781443888493.
  37. ↑ Loring M. Danforth (1997). The Macedonian Conflict: Ethnic Nationalism in a Transnational World. Princeton University Press. pp. 144–145. ISBN 9780691043562.
  38. ↑ Ciment, James; Hill, Kenneth, eds. (2012). Encyclopedia of Conflicts since World War II, Volume 1. Routledge. p. 958. ISBN 9781136596148.
  39. ↑ LeBow, Richard; Dobos, Corina; Kansteiner, Wulf; Fogu, Claudio, eds. (December 2011). Politics of Memory in Post-Communist Europe. Zeta Books. p. 189. ISBN 9789731997865.
  40. ↑ Ridvan Peshkopia (2015). Conditioning Democratization: Institutional Reforms and EU Membership Conditionality in Albania and Macedonia. Anthem Press. pp. 183, 277. ISBN 9781783084227.
  41. ↑ Sabrina P. Ramet (2002). Balkan Babel: The Disintegration Of Yugoslavia From The Death Of Tito To The Fall Of Milosevic. Westview Press. p. 193. ISBN 9780813339054.
  42. ↑ Ramet, Sabrina; Hassenstab, Christine, eds. (2019). Central and Southeast European Politics Since 1989. Cambridge University Press. pp. 363, 387. ISBN 9781108499910.
  43. ↑ Victor Roudometof (2002). Collective Memory, National Identity, and Ethnic Conflict: Greece, Bulgaria, and the Macedonian Question. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 216. ISBN 9780275976484.
  44. 1 2 John Shea (2008). Macedonia and Greece: The Struggle to Define a New Balkan Nation. McFarland & Company. pp. 371–374. ISBN 9780786437672.
  45. ↑ "Kiro Gligorov turns ninety". Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso. 22 May 2007. Archived from the original on 2 December 2008.
  46. ↑ Chris Hedges (4 October 1995). "Macedonian President Gravely Wounded in Car-Bomb Attack". New York Times. Archived from the original on 22 August 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  47. ↑ "Kiro Gligorov, Macedonian independence leader dead". BBC News. 2 January 2012. Archived from the original on 6 January 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  48. ↑ "Twenty Years from President Gligorov's Assassination Attempt". Independent.mk. 3 October 2015. Archived from the original on 8 February 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  49. ↑ Sasa Pesev (3 October 1995). "Bomb blast injures Macedonian President". The Independent. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 22 August 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  50. ↑ "Kiro Gligorov, first elected president of Macedonia, dies at age 94". Toronto Star. Associated Press. 2 January 2012. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  51. 1 2 3 "11th anniversary of assassination attempt on Gligorov, perpetrators unknown". MRT. 3 October 2006. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 22 October 2006.
  52. ↑ "Secret Police 'Tried to Kill' Macedonia Leader". Balkan Insight (BIRN). 21 October 2008. Archived from the original on 22 August 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
  53. ↑ "Kiro Gligorov, Macedonian independence leader dead". BBC News. 2 January 2012. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  54. 1 2 3 Sinisa Jakov Marusic (2 January 2012). "Macedonia's First President Gligorov Dies". Balkan Insight (BIRN). Archived from the original on 14 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  55. ↑ "UMD presents Life Achievement award to first Macedonia". IDIVIDI. Archived from the original on 18 August 2021. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  56. 1 2 "Eleven years since the death of President Kiro Gligorov". Sloboden Pečat. January 2023. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  57. ↑ "Почина Нада Глигорова | Вечер". Archived from the original on 11 October 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  58. ↑ "Kiro Gligorov (Obituary)". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 14 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  59. ↑ "Kiro Gligorov, Ex-Leader of Macedonia, Dies at 94". The New York Times. 3 January 2012. Archived from the original on 11 October 2017. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  60. ↑ "Последна почит за првиот претседател". Радио Слободна Европа (in Macedonian). 3 January 2012. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  61. ↑ "Последна почит за првиот претседател. Владата не дојде на погребoт на Глигоров" (in Macedonian). 3 January 2012. Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  62. ↑ "Погребан претседателот Глигоров" (in Macedonian). 3 January 2012. Archived from the original on 15 June 2012. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  63. ↑ "Орден "Свети Никола" на Општина Штип за првиот претседател Киро Глигоров". A1on (in Macedonian). 15 December 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  64. ↑ "Орден "Свети Никола" за првиот претседател на Р. Македонија - Киро Глигоров". Sitel (in Macedonian). 19 December 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  65. ↑ "ДОСИЕ Киро Глигоров: државник кој преживеа атентат, љубовна афера и замина како голем човек!". Faktor.mk (in Macedonian). 3 October 2014. Archived from the original on 14 August 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  66. ↑ "Anfragebeantwortung" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 November 2017.
  67. ↑ "Македонија - Руски орден за Киро Глигоров". www.vest.mk (in Macedonian). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
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