Nikola Gruevski
Encyclopedia
Nikola Gruevski has been Prime Minister of the Republic of Macedonia
since 27 August 2006. He has led VMRO-DPMNE since May 2003. He was Minister of Finance in the VMRO-DPMNE government led by Ljubčo Georgievski until September 2002.
. After having graduated from the Faculty of Economics at St. Clement of Ohrid University of Bitola in 1994, he worked in the banking sector. In 1996 he also acquired some qualifications for the international capital market from a London Securities Institute. On 12 December 2006, he obtained a Master’s degree from the Faculty of Economics at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje. Gruevski founded the Brokerage Association of the Republic of Macedonia in 1998 as its president and made the first transaction at the Macedonian Stock Exchange
.
Gruevski divorced his first wife and married again in May 2007 to Borkica Gruevska with whom he has two daughters: Anastasija and Sofija.
Gruevski has family roots in Macedonia, Greece
. His paternal grandparents stem from Krousorati, renamed by Greek authorities to Achlada
in 1926 , a village in the Meliti municipality of the Florina Prefecture
, Greece, where his family had the Greek surname Grouios ("Γρούϊος"). His grandfather, Νικόλαος Γρούιος, (Nicholaos Grouios), joined the Greek Army during the Second World War and fought in the Greco-Italian War
where he lost his life in 1940 and his name is mentioned on the war memorial
in Achlada among the names of the locals who were killed during World War II. Some years later, during the Greek Civil War
, Gruevski's grandmother and father emigrated to the Socialist Republic of Macedonia
where they changed their original last name Grouios ("Γρούϊος") to the Slavic name "Gruevski" and gained citizenship.
and the OKTA oil refinery to Hellenic Petroleum. Gruevski also implemented financial reforms, including the value added tax
of 18%, requiring fiscal receipts for all Macedonian businesses, which was a program designed to fight tax evasion
.
, there was a period of infighting within the party. Gruevski emerged as the pro-EU leader, and was elected as a leader of the party, after Ljubčo Georgievski left the position. The former prime minister set up his own party (VMRO-People's Party), but VMRO-DPMNE retained most of the party's supporters.
The VMRO-DPMNE won the Macedonian parliamentary election, 2006
. On August 25 he constituted the new government. His government has many new faces, mostly in their 30s in key ministries and other positions. In the election Gruevski earned the distinction of becoming the first elected European head of government born in the 1970s. He remains the second youngest head of government in Europe, surpassed only by Montenegrin
prime minister Igor Lukšić
.
In June 2007 Gruevski attended a meeting in Tirana
, Albania along with U.S President George W. Bush
, President of the United States, Sali Berisha
, Prime Minister of Albania and Ivo Sanader
, Prime Minister of Croatia.
On 1 June 2008, the coalition led by his party VMRO-DPMNE won Macedonian parliamentary election, 2008
, their second electoral victory in a row, winning more than half of the seats in the parliament. The polling was marred by a number of violent incidents and allegations of fraud in some ethnic Albanian dominated municipalities. He created a government with the Democratic Union for Integration
.
On 5 June 2011, the coalition led by his party VMRO-DPMNE won the Macedonian parliamentary election, 2011
, their third electoral victory in a row, winning 56 out of the 123 seats in the parliament. Mr. Gruevski is expected to present the new government within 35 days, again in coalition with the Democratic Union for Integration
.
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
since 27 August 2006. He has led VMRO-DPMNE since May 2003. He was Minister of Finance in the VMRO-DPMNE government led by Ljubčo Georgievski until September 2002.
Personal life
Gruevski completed primary and secondary education in SkopjeSkopje
Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
. After having graduated from the Faculty of Economics at St. Clement of Ohrid University of Bitola in 1994, he worked in the banking sector. In 1996 he also acquired some qualifications for the international capital market from a London Securities Institute. On 12 December 2006, he obtained a Master’s degree from the Faculty of Economics at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje. Gruevski founded the Brokerage Association of the Republic of Macedonia in 1998 as its president and made the first transaction at the Macedonian Stock Exchange
Macedonian Stock Exchange
The Macedonian Stock Exchange is the principal stock exchange in the Republic of Macedonia. It is located in the capital city of Skopje and its name is abbreviated to MSE...
.
Gruevski divorced his first wife and married again in May 2007 to Borkica Gruevska with whom he has two daughters: Anastasija and Sofija.
Gruevski has family roots in Macedonia, Greece
Macedonia (Greece)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of Greece in Southern Europe. Macedonia is the largest and second most populous Greek region...
. His paternal grandparents stem from Krousorati, renamed by Greek authorities to Achlada
Achlada
Achlada is a village in the Florina peripheral unit, Greece. It was previously known as Κρουσοράτη or Κρουσουράτη until it was renamed by Greek authorities in 1926....
in 1926 , a village in the Meliti municipality of the Florina Prefecture
Florina Prefecture
Florina is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of West Macedonia. Its capital is the town of Florina.-Geography:Florina borders the regional units of Pella to the east, Kozani to the south and Kastoriá to the southwest...
, Greece, where his family had the Greek surname Grouios ("Γρούϊος"). His grandfather, Νικόλαος Γρούιος, (Nicholaos Grouios), joined the Greek Army during the Second World War and fought in the Greco-Italian War
Greco-Italian War
The Greco-Italian War was a conflict between Italy and Greece which lasted from 28 October 1940 to 23 April 1941. It marked the beginning of the Balkans Campaign of World War II...
where he lost his life in 1940 and his name is mentioned on the war memorial
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
in Achlada among the names of the locals who were killed during World War II. Some years later, during the Greek Civil War
Greek Civil War
The Greek Civil War was fought from 1946 to 1949 between the Greek governmental army, backed by the United Kingdom and United States, and the Democratic Army of Greece , the military branch of the Greek Communist Party , backed by Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Albania...
, Gruevski's grandmother and father emigrated to the Socialist Republic of Macedonia
Socialist Republic of Macedonia
The Socialist Republic of Macedonia was a socialist state that was a constituent country of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
where they changed their original last name Grouios ("Γρούϊος") to the Slavic name "Gruevski" and gained citizenship.
Minister of Finance
The government under Ljubčo Georgievski sold the Macedonian Telecom to Hungarian MatávMagyar Telekom
Magyar Telekom Nyrt. is Hungary's largest telecommunications company. The former monopolist is now a fully consolidated subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom....
and the OKTA oil refinery to Hellenic Petroleum. Gruevski also implemented financial reforms, including the value added tax
Value added tax
A value added tax or value-added tax is a form of consumption tax. From the perspective of the buyer, it is a tax on the purchase price. From that of the seller, it is a tax only on the "value added" to a product, material or service, from an accounting point of view, by this stage of its...
of 18%, requiring fiscal receipts for all Macedonian businesses, which was a program designed to fight tax evasion
Tax avoidance and tax evasion
Tax noncompliance describes a range of activities that are unfavorable to a state's tax system. These include tax avoidance, which refers to reducing taxes by legal means, and tax evasion which refers to the criminal non-payment of tax liabilities....
.
Party leader
Gruevski is the leader of conservative party VMRO-DPMNE. After VMRO-DPMNE was defeated in the Macedonian parliamentary election, 2002Macedonian parliamentary election, 2002
The parliamentary election, 2002 in the Republic of Macedonia were held on 15 September 2002. The winner was the coalition "For Macedonia Together" led by the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia.-Results:...
, there was a period of infighting within the party. Gruevski emerged as the pro-EU leader, and was elected as a leader of the party, after Ljubčo Georgievski left the position. The former prime minister set up his own party (VMRO-People's Party), but VMRO-DPMNE retained most of the party's supporters.
Macedonian parliamentary election, 2006
Parliamentary elections were in the Republic of Macedonia on 5 July 2006. The winner was the coalition led by the centre-right VMRO-DPMNE.- Campaign :...
. On August 25 he constituted the new government. His government has many new faces, mostly in their 30s in key ministries and other positions. In the election Gruevski earned the distinction of becoming the first elected European head of government born in the 1970s. He remains the second youngest head of government in Europe, surpassed only by Montenegrin
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
prime minister Igor Lukšić
Igor Lukšic
Igor Lukšić is the Prime Minister in the Government of Montenegro. His family roots trace back to Crmnica...
.
In June 2007 Gruevski attended a meeting in Tirana
Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
, Albania along with U.S President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, President of the United States, Sali Berisha
Sali Berisha
Sali Ram Berisha is an Albanian politician and cardiologist, currently the Prime Minister of Albania and the leader of Democratic Party of Albania ....
, Prime Minister of Albania and Ivo Sanader
Ivo Sanader
Ivo Sanader |Split]]) is a Croatian politician who served as the Prime Minister of Croatia from 2003 to 2009.Sanader obtained his education in comparative literature in Austria, where he also later worked in the 1980s. He worked as a journalist, in marketing, publishing and also as a private...
, Prime Minister of Croatia.
On 1 June 2008, the coalition led by his party VMRO-DPMNE won Macedonian parliamentary election, 2008
Macedonian parliamentary election, 2008
Early parliamentary elections were held in the Republic of Macedonia on 1 June 2008 after the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia voted to dissolve itself on 12 April 2008...
, their second electoral victory in a row, winning more than half of the seats in the parliament. The polling was marred by a number of violent incidents and allegations of fraud in some ethnic Albanian dominated municipalities. He created a government with the Democratic Union for Integration
Democratic Union for Integration
The Democratic Union for Integration is the largest Albanian political party in the Republic of Macedonia, and the third largest political party in all of Macedonia...
.
On 5 June 2011, the coalition led by his party VMRO-DPMNE won the Macedonian parliamentary election, 2011
Macedonian parliamentary election, 2011
An early parliamentary election was held in the Republic of Macedonia on 5 June 2011, a year earlier than necessary. All 123 parliamentary seats of the Sobranie were due for election, including the 3 seats provided for the first time for representatives of the Macedonian citizens living abroad: 1...
, their third electoral victory in a row, winning 56 out of the 123 seats in the parliament. Mr. Gruevski is expected to present the new government within 35 days, again in coalition with the Democratic Union for Integration
Democratic Union for Integration
The Democratic Union for Integration is the largest Albanian political party in the Republic of Macedonia, and the third largest political party in all of Macedonia...
.
Books
- Gruevski, Nikola and Vaknin, SamSam VakninShmuel Ben David "Sam" Vaknin is an Israeli writer. He is the author and publisher of Malignant Self Love: Narcissism Revisited , editor-in-chief of the website Global Politician, and runs a website about narcissistic personality disorder .Race, Tim. , The New York Times, July 29, 2002, p...
Macedonian Economy on a Crossroads, Skopje, NIP Noval Literatura, 1998. ISBN 9989-610-01-0
- Gruevski, Nikola The Way Out