Dr Sali Ram BOLJA (help· info)(born October 15, 1944) is the Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania. He was also the president of Albania from 1992 to 1997. Image File history File linksMetadata Sali_Berisha. ... List of Prime Ministers of Albania Ismail Qemali (1912-1913) Myfit Libohova (1913-1914) Turhan Pasha Përmeti (1914) Esat Pashë Toptani (1914) Abdullah Rushdi (1914-1918) Turhan Pasha Përmeti (1918-1920) Sulejman Bej Delvina (1920) Ilias Bej Vrioni (1920-1921) Pandeli Evangjeli (1921) Hasan Bej Prishtina (1921) Omer... Open seat redirects here. ... is the 254th day of the year (255th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Bamir Myrteza Topi (born April 24, 1957 in Tirana) is the President of the Republic of Albania, a post he took on July 24, 2007. ... Fatos Thanas Nano (born September 16, 1952 in Tirana) is a Member of the Albanian Parliament, representing Sarandë constituency. ... List of Presidents of Albania Ahmet Zogu (1925-1928) Ramiz Alia (1991-1992) Sali Berisha (1992-1997) Rexhep Meidani (1997-2002) Alfred Moisiu (2002-Present) See also Albania Kings of Albania Prime Ministers of Albania Princes of Albania External links Presidency of Albania (official site) Categories: Lists of office-holders... April 9 is the 99th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (100th in leap years). ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 205th day of the year (206th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ... Vilson Ahmeti (born 1951) is an Albanian political figure. ... Aleksander Gabriel Meksi (born 1939) was the prime minister of Albania from April 13, 1992 to March 11, 1997. ... Bashkim Fino is a previous Prime Minister of Albania. ... Ramiz Alia (born October 18, 1925) was the leader of Albania from 1985 to 1992. ... Rexhep Qemal Meidani (born on August 17, 1944, in Tirana, Albania) is an Albanian politician. ... is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... The Democratic Party of Albania (Albanian: Partia Demokratike e Shqipërisë) is a center-right political party in Albania and the leading party in the governing coalition since the 2005 parliamentary elections. ... Cardiac Surgeon is a surgeon who performs operative procedure on the Heart and also on Great vessels of the body. ... Image File history File links Sq-Sali_Berisha. ... is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... List of Prime Ministers of Albania Ismail Qemali (1912-1913) Myfit Libohova (1913-1914) Turhan Pasha Përmeti (1914) Esat Pashë Toptani (1914) Abdullah Rushdi (1914-1918) Turhan Pasha Përmeti (1918-1920) Sulejman Bej Delvina (1920) Ilias Bej Vrioni (1920-1921) Pandeli Evangjeli (1921) Hasan Bej Prishtina (1921) Omer... List of Presidents of Albania Ahmet Zogu (1925-1928) Ramiz Alia (1991-1992) Sali Berisha (1992-1997) Rexhep Meidani (1997-2002) Alfred Moisiu (2002-Present) See also Albania Kings of Albania Prime Ministers of Albania Princes of Albania External links Presidency of Albania (official site) Categories: Lists of office-holders...

Early life and career

Berisha was born in Vicidol, a village near the Kosovo border, in Albania's mountainous northeastern Tropojë region. He studied medicine at the University of Tirana, graduating in 1967. After advanced studies in Paris in the 1980s, he conducted a research program on hemodynamics. In 1968 he was elected member of the European Committee for Research on Medical Sciences. A member of Albania's communist Albanian Party of Labor, he had run the party organisation at the hospital's Cardiology Clinic. Berisha also taught medicine at the University of Tirana (1980 – 1990), published study books, textbooks and articles on cardiology, inside and internationally. He holds the scientific title Professor Doctor. He has worked as a heart surgeon and as a professor at the Cardiology Clinic in Tirana. For other uses, see Kosovo (disambiguation). ... The District of Tropojë (Albanian: Rrethi i Tropojës) is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania. ... University of Tirana (Universiteti i Tiranës) is located in Tirana, Albania. ... This article is about the capital of France. ... Hemodynamics is concerned with the forces generated by the heart and the motion of blood through the cardiovascular system. ... The Albanian Party of Labour (Partia e Punës e Shqipërisë, PPSh) was the sole legal political party in Albania during communist rule (1946-1991). ... Cardiac Surgeon is a surgeon who performs operative procedure on the Heart and also on Great vessels of the body. ... Nickname: Coordinates: , Country Albania Founded 1614 Elevation 295 ft (90 m) Population (2005 est)[1]  - City 585,756  - Metro 700,000 Tirana (Albanian: Tiranë or Tirana) is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Albania. ...

Fall of communism

Dr. Berisha's political career kicked off in 1989 when he demanded that the government slacken political control and allow dissent in articles he wrote in the local press. Sali Berisha was a member of the Labour (communist) Party of Albania [PPSH]. When he realized that communism was about to end in Albania, he switched sides.

Berisha first condemned then supported a student strike in December 1990 at the University of Tirana which, within days, turned political and pressured the government to allow the creation of new parties in Albania. The Democratic Party of Albania was founded by students and intellectuals the 13th of the same month, and in 1991, Berisha was elected its chair, controlling it until now. The first Chair of the Democratic Party was Azem Hajdari, first friend then foe of Berisha. He has been elected member of Albania's parliament in 1991, 1992, 1997, 2001 from the pro-Democratic Party constituency of Kavaje. Kavajë (Albanian: Kavajë or Kavaja) is a city in western Albania (41. ...

President (1992-1997)

After the first free elections of Albania, Berisha was elected President of the Republic on April 9, 1992. His administration, under Prime Minister Aleksander Meksi embraced free market policies including trade liberalization and privatization of state property, but also allowed the budding of Ponzi saving schemes. In the political field, he was seen as increasingly oppressive, urging the arrest and sentencing of opposition leader Fatos Nano. His loss of political support became clear in November 1994, when Berisha lost a constitutional referendum amidst fears the revisions he supported would have given him even more powers. is the 99th day of the year (100th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Aleksander Gabriel Meksi (born 1939) was the prime minister of Albania from April 13, 1992 to March 11, 1997. ... A free market is an idealized market, where all economic decisions and actions by individuals regarding transfer of money, goods, and services are voluntary, and are therefore devoid of coercion and theft (some definitions of coercion are inclusive of theft). Colloquially and loosely, a free market economy is an economy... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment operation that involves paying abnormally high returns (profits) to investors out of the money paid in by subsequent investors, rather than from net revenues generated by any real business. ... Fatos Thanas Nano (born September 16, 1952 in Tirana) is a Member of the Albanian Parliament, representing Sarandë constituency. ...

Despite many reforms, the administration was marred by corruption and abuses. Progress was stalled in 1995 and it resulted in declining public confidence on government institutions. Berisha's Democratic Party won a general election in May 26, 1996, which was marred by accusations of intimidation, manipulation and violent squelching of a peaceful opposition protests discrediting them. The country plunged into a political crisis, as Berisha and his Democratic Party bullheadedly refused to annul the elections – they had won four-fifths of the seats in parliament – and the opposition Socialists abandoned the institutions. is the 146th day of the year (147th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ...

The collapse of the Ponzi schemes towards the end of 1996, where it is alleged that Albanians invested $1 billion worth of life savings since 1994, recapped the crisis. The schemes, which were naively portrayed as Albania's success story, lavishly supported the Democratic Party elections in May and November. Albanians, looking to the government for hints on the schemes, perceived a soothing message when Berisha said: "Albanians' money is the most dirt free in the world". The widespread rumor at the time was that the schemes were surviving because of widespread laundering of European criminal money by the schemes. To make an idea of what these schemes stand for in Albania, Albanian total population at that time was less than 3 million, and some 850 thousand people (many to multiple "saving" agents) invested money there. Coupled with the poverty of Albania the 1 billion $ sum is even more impressive.

The schemes failed, one by one, from December 1996, and demonstrators took to the streets to accuse the government of having stolen the money. Again, those demonstrations, which were now taken over by the opposition, were squelched. By March, military depots around the country were looted and for a time it looked like civil war would erupt between the government and demonstrators. Initially, Berisha refused opposition demands to step down. However, early elections were held in June 1997 and they led to the victory of a socialist-led coalition of parties. He resigned from the president's tenure one month after the loss of the elections of the DP and the victory of the left coalition. Since then he has been chair of the DP, the biggest opposition party. In July 1997, Berisha was replaced by the socialist Rexhep Meidani. Combatants Albania Ad hoc local Albanian militias Commanders Sali Berisha Various independent militia leaders, Discontented Communist party members Casualties 2,000 deaths [1] The 1997 unrest in Albania or the Albanian Civil War was an uprising sparked by pyramid schemes failures. ... Rexhep Qemal Meidani (born on August 17, 1944, in Tirana, Albania) is an Albanian politician. ...

Sali Berisha is an Honorary Member of The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation

Opposition (1997-2005) and Prime Minister (2005-)

Berisha's peevish record was maintained during the opposition, when he lost two elections, in 1997 and 2001, but refused to accept loss, alleging irregularities; he led continuous demonstrations demanding fresh elections, which, at times would turn violent. But a more moderate image in public, widespread discontent with rampant corruption and sumptuous arrogance of the Socialist Party, and a complex election bill ushered Berisha back to power in the general election of 3 July 2005. On September 3, 2005, after marathon sessions of Berlusconi-style challenges by ruling Socialists on election results, and negotiations with smaller parties, Berisha became Prime Minister. A general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are up for election. ... is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...   (born September 29, 1936) is an Italian politician, entrepreneur, and media proprietor. ... A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ...

On June 10, 2007, Sali Berisha met with U.S. President George W. Bush in Tirana. Bush became the first U.S. president to visit Albania and repeated his staunch support for the independence of neighbouring Kosovo from Serbia: "At some point in time, sooner rather than later, you've got to say, Enough is enough. Kosovo is independent." ^[1] is the 161st day of the year (162nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the forty-third and current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... For other uses, see Kosovo (disambiguation). ... Not to be confused with Republika Srpska. ...

Sali Berisha with U.S. President George W. Bush in Tirana.

Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ...

See also

• History of Albania
• List of Presidents of Albania

This article briefly outlines each period in the history of Albania; details are presented in separate articles (see the links in the box and below). ... // 1. ...

References

External links

• Official Website

v • d • e Heads of State of Albania
State/Principality of Albania (1912-1920)	Qemali · Alizoti · Prince William · Toptani · none (1916-1918) · Përmeti
State of Albania (1920-1925)	Delvina · High Council of Regency · Noli*
Albanian Republic (1925-1928), President	Zogu
Albanian Kingdom (1928-1939), King	Zog I
Italian Occupation (1939-1943)	Victor Emmanuel III
German Occupation (1943-1944)	Biçaku · Frashëri
Communist Albania (1944-1991)	Nishani  · Lleshi  · Alia
Republic of Albania (since 1991), Presidents	Alia · Berisha · Meidani · Moisiu · Topi
* acting for High Council

v • d • e Prime Ministers of Albania
State/Principality of Albania (1912-1920)	Qemali · Alizoti · Përmeti · Toptani · none · Përmeti
State of Albania (1920-1925)	Delvina · Vrioni · Evangjeli · Koculi* · Prishtina · Kosturi* · Ypi · Zogu · Verlaci · Vrioni · Noli · Vrioni · Zogu
Albanian Republic (1925-1928)	none; de facto Zogu
Albanian Kingdom (1928-1939)	Kota · Evangjeli · Frashëri · Kota
Italian Occupation (1939-1943)	Verlaci · Merlika-Kruja · Libohova · Bushati · Libohova
German Occupation (1943-1944)	Biçaku · Frashëri · Mitrovica · Dine
Communist Albania (1944-1991)	Hoxha  · Shehu  · Çarçani
Republic of Albania (since 1991)	Nano · Bufi · Ahmeti · Meksi · Fino · Nano · Majko · Meta · Majko · Nano · Berisha
* acting