Fatmir Besimi
Encyclopedia
Fatmir Besimi is a Macedonian
politician and economist of Albanian nationality. He served twice as Minister of Economy of Macedonia (December 2004 - June 2006 and August 2008 - July 2011), while currently he serves as the country's Minister of Defence. In 2010 he was selected as one of the top European Ministers in the group of Young Global Leaders by World Economic Forum
.
, Macedonia
. He attended school in Tetovo and studied Economics at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje. He obtained a Ph.D from Staffordshire University
in 2007. His research thesis was on the subject “Monetary and Exchange Rate
Policy in the Republic of Macedonia
during the Process of Accession to the European Union
".
During his studies he was a scholar of the Fund for talented students of the Ministry of Education of Republic of Macedonia, as well as user of the joint scholarship of Staffordshire University
, Great Britain
and Open Society Institute
, Hungary
. Upon completing his PhD studies, Besimi attends executive programmes for global leadership and sustainable development at the University of Cambridge
, the United Kingdom in 2008 and the JFK School, University of Harvard, the USA in 2010.
Office in Kosovo in 2007. In 2008 he received a second mandate as Minister of Economy. After the early parliamentary elections in 2011 he become the Minister of Defence in the Government of the Republic of Macedonia.
Fatmir Besimi has an active university engagement through lectures in the field of economics and global development in the post-graduate studies in the University of South-Eastern Europe in Tetovo from 2008, upon which he previously held lectures in the University Riinvest in Pristina in 2007 and the State University in Tetovo from 1999 to 2008. Besimi is the author of two books in the English language and several professional and academic articles in the field of economics and politics published in English, Albanian and Macedonian in journals in the Republic of Macedonia and abroad.
In the framework of his public and state functions, Besimi was leading several governmental projects and activities, such as: Business Environment Reform and Institutional Strengthening, project by the World Bank (2005-2010); Membership of the Republic of Macedonia in CEFTA (2006); Reforms in the energy sector, restructuring of the electricity company and privatization of the electricity distribution company (2004-2006); Founding of the International Renewable Energy Agency (2009); Chairing the Energy Community of South-Eastern Europe (2010) and other strategies, projects and activities, as well as signing over ten international agreements and protocols.
, (2009-).
• Head of the Secretariat of Economic DUI, political party of Albanians in RM, (2009-)
• Team leader for the preparation of the Party Program of DUI in the Parliamentarian elections of 2011 in the Republic of Macedonia
• Team leader for the Economic Program of DUI, (2004-2006)
• Head of the Economic Council of DUI, (2002-2006)
• Organizing and active participation in hundreds of international activities and initiatives, conferences, seminars and workshops on policy debates for economic issues in the last since 1990s.
• As Minister of Economy, member of high country delegation headed by Prime Minister of the RM and President of the RM participating in bilateral official meetings with Heads of States (United States, Turkye, Albania, Kosovo, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Ausitria, Bulgaira, Bosnia and Herzegovina etc.) and International Institutions (World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organizations, World Economic Forum, UN, UNDP, UNCTAD, etc)
• Head of delegation as Minister of Economy in bilateral official meetings with Ministers of Economy, Energy, Industry and Trade of the following countries: Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Kosovo, Libya, Qatar, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia and Turkey.
, on the basis of professional achievements, exceptional leadership capabilities and dedication to the society thus far, on 12 March 2010 Fatmir Besimi was selected as a member in the elite company of 197 best “young global leaders” from 72 countries, out of a total of 5,000 candidates, first from the Republic of Macedonia and one of three European Ministers for 2010.
• ‘Barriers for Trade, Growth, Investments and Competition, Chesapeak Associates’, (co-author), Washington DC, (Sep 2001)
Competitive and integrated economy with equal chances’, International Conference, The Ohrid Framework Agreement: Towards Macedonia’s Membership in the European Union and NATO, Skopje (21 Jun 2011)
• ‘Global Economic Crisis and the Challenges Facing the Republic of Macedonia, Crossroads: The Macedonian Foreign Policy Journal, Vol.2, No.1, Skopje, RM, (Jun-Oct 2009)
• ‘The Monetary Transmission Mechanism in Macedonia: Implications for Monetary Policy’, Besimi F., Pugh G. and N. Adnett, Working Paper 02-2006, Centre for Research on Emerging Economies, IESR, Staffordshire University, UK, (Jan 2006)
• ‘The Role of Exchange Rate Stability in a Small and Open Economy: the Case of the Republic of Macedonia’, Conference on Economic challenges and perspectives for the R. Macedonia, Macedonian Academy of Science and Arts, Skopje, RM, (Sep 2004)
• ‘Macroeconomic Consolidation of Macedonia after the Ohrid Framework Agreement: Contribution for Successful European Integration’, Conference on Post-Ohrid, Pre-Europe Macedonia, organised by the Southeast Studies Centre and the School for Slavic and Southeast Studies at the University College London, (27 Feb 2004)
• ‘Similarity of the Inflation Rates as Maastricht Criterion as Compared to the Different Levels of Productivity Growth in the Accession Countries’, Bulletin 11-12/2003, Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Macedonia, (Dec 2003)
• ‘Variability of the Foreign Exchange and the International Trade: the Experience of the Republic of Macedonia’, Economic researches IV/2003, National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia, (Dec 2003)
• ‘The Transmission Effect of the Foreign Exchange on the Monetary Strategy of the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia’, (co-author), Economic researches II/2003, National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia, (Jun 2003)
• ‘Foreign Direct Investments in the Republic of Macedonia, Foreign Direct Investments in Kosova’, RIINVEST Research Report, Pristina, (Sep 2002)
• ‘Entrepreneurship in Tetova Region’, Economic Research Institute RIINVEST, Pristina, Workshop on Entrepreneurship and Business Planning, Ohrid, RM, (Jun 1999)
• ‘7 I-s for Development of Macedonia’, KAPITAL – Daily newspaper for economics and politics, RM, (31 Dec 2011)
• ‘The Western Balkans in the EU: To be or not to be?’, EU Observer, http://euobserver.com/7/31459 (9 Dec, 2010)
• ‘Policies, Measures and Activities for Increasing the Competitiveness’, KAPITAL – magazine for economics and politics, RM, (Apr 2009)
• ‘Economic Suitability of Macedonia for joining the EU’, VALUTA - magazine for economics, RM (No.7, Sep 2007)
• ‘Euro Introduction with Respect to the Theory for Optimum Currency Areas’, VALUTA - magazine for economics, RM (No.6, Sep 2007)
• ‘Mixed Steps’, DNEVNIK – daily newspaper, RM, (28 Apr 2007)
• ‘Numbers Talk Differently’, FAKTI – daily newspaper, RM, (28 Apr 2007)
• ‘Nobel Prize for Inter-Generation Trade-off’, KAPITAL – magazine for economics and politics, RM, (9 Nov 2006)
• ‘Wrong Steps: Even the Best Economic Programs or Models are Determined to Failure if They are Based on Wrong Assumptions’, KAPITAL – magazine for economics and politics, RM, (5 Oct 2006)
• ‘The Economic Aspects of the Crisis in Macedonia’, LOBI - weekly newspaper, RM, (30 Jul 2001)
• ‘Macedonia – A hostage of the Middle Ages’ Balkan Prejudices’, KOHA DITORE - daily newspaper, Kosovo, (3 Apr 2001)
• ‘Interethnic Crisis in Macedonia: the International Factor as a Relevant Factor’, FAKTI - daily newspaper, RM, (3 Apr 2001)
• ‘Post-War Reconstruction of Kosovo: the Balkans should be liberated from the Partiality Syndrome’, FAKTI - daily newspaper, RM, (25 Mar 2000)
• ‘Telecommunications Transformation’, Economy and Business – monthly professional magazine, RM, (Mar 1999)
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...
politician and economist of Albanian nationality. He served twice as Minister of Economy of Macedonia (December 2004 - June 2006 and August 2008 - July 2011), while currently he serves as the country's Minister of Defence. In 2010 he was selected as one of the top European Ministers in the group of Young Global Leaders by World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
.
Education
Fatmir Besimi was born in TetovoTetovo
Tetovo is a city in the northwestern part of Macedonia, built on the foothills of Šar Mountain and divided by the Pena River.The city covers an area of at above sea level, with a population of 86,580 citizens in the municipality. Tetovo is home to the State University of Tetovo and South East...
, Macedonia
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...
. He attended school in Tetovo and studied Economics at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje. He obtained a Ph.D from Staffordshire University
Staffordshire University
Staffordshire University is a university with its main campus based in the city of Stoke-on-Trent, and with other campuses in Stafford, Lichfield and Shrewsbury.- History :...
in 2007. His research thesis was on the subject “Monetary and Exchange Rate
Exchange rate
In finance, an exchange rate between two currencies is the rate at which one currency will be exchanged for another. It is also regarded as the value of one country’s currency in terms of another currency...
Policy in the Republic of Macedonia
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...
during the Process of Accession to the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
".
During his studies he was a scholar of the Fund for talented students of the Ministry of Education of Republic of Macedonia, as well as user of the joint scholarship of Staffordshire University
Staffordshire University
Staffordshire University is a university with its main campus based in the city of Stoke-on-Trent, and with other campuses in Stafford, Lichfield and Shrewsbury.- History :...
, Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and Open Society Institute
Open Society Institute
The Open Society Institute , renamed in 2011 to Open Society Foundations, is a private operating and grantmaking foundation started by George Soros, aimed to shape public policy to promote democratic governance, human rights, and economic, legal, and social reform...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. Upon completing his PhD studies, Besimi attends executive programmes for global leadership and sustainable development at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
, the United Kingdom in 2008 and the JFK School, University of Harvard, the USA in 2010.
Views
Fatmir Besimi believes in peace and stability as the basis for a sustainable development. Globalization and integration are an imperative leading to a better quality of life through the increased competition, transparency and functional democracy. In that respect, he considers the Euro-Atlantic integrations as the best alternative for the future of the Republic of Macedonia and the Balkans. Besimi believes that the future rests in our readiness to face the challenges and use our full potential in improving our living standard and the quality of life, i.e. making Macedonia a better place to live in. Macedonia, the country of equals, a country among the equals in NATO and the EU!Career
In 2001 he works in the Research Directorate in the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia. From 2002 to 2003 he is the Director of the Public Enterprise for Airport Services, after which he was selected as Vice-Governor of the National Bank of Republic of Macedonia. In December 2004 he was appointed Minister of Economy in the Government of the Republic of Macedonia. After completing his mandate as Minister of Economy he was engaged as an economist in the World BankWorld Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
Office in Kosovo in 2007. In 2008 he received a second mandate as Minister of Economy. After the early parliamentary elections in 2011 he become the Minister of Defence in the Government of the Republic of Macedonia.
Fatmir Besimi has an active university engagement through lectures in the field of economics and global development in the post-graduate studies in the University of South-Eastern Europe in Tetovo from 2008, upon which he previously held lectures in the University Riinvest in Pristina in 2007 and the State University in Tetovo from 1999 to 2008. Besimi is the author of two books in the English language and several professional and academic articles in the field of economics and politics published in English, Albanian and Macedonian in journals in the Republic of Macedonia and abroad.
In the framework of his public and state functions, Besimi was leading several governmental projects and activities, such as: Business Environment Reform and Institutional Strengthening, project by the World Bank (2005-2010); Membership of the Republic of Macedonia in CEFTA (2006); Reforms in the energy sector, restructuring of the electricity company and privatization of the electricity distribution company (2004-2006); Founding of the International Renewable Energy Agency (2009); Chairing the Energy Community of South-Eastern Europe (2010) and other strategies, projects and activities, as well as signing over ten international agreements and protocols.
Political Activity
• Member of the Executive Committee of DUIDemocratic 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...
, (2009-).
• Head of the Secretariat of Economic DUI, political party of Albanians in RM, (2009-)
• Team leader for the preparation of the Party Program of DUI in the Parliamentarian elections of 2011 in the Republic of Macedonia
• Team leader for the Economic Program of DUI, (2004-2006)
• Head of the Economic Council of DUI, (2002-2006)
International Activity
• Signed tens of international agreements and protocols as Minister of economy and Minister of defence on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia.• Organizing and active participation in hundreds of international activities and initiatives, conferences, seminars and workshops on policy debates for economic issues in the last since 1990s.
• As Minister of Economy, member of high country delegation headed by Prime Minister of the RM and President of the RM participating in bilateral official meetings with Heads of States (United States, Turkye, Albania, Kosovo, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Ausitria, Bulgaira, Bosnia and Herzegovina etc.) and International Institutions (World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organizations, World Economic Forum, UN, UNDP, UNCTAD, etc)
• Head of delegation as Minister of Economy in bilateral official meetings with Ministers of Economy, Energy, Industry and Trade of the following countries: Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Kosovo, Libya, Qatar, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia and Turkey.
Affiliations
As stated in the report of the World Economic ForumWorld Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
, on the basis of professional achievements, exceptional leadership capabilities and dedication to the society thus far, on 12 March 2010 Fatmir Besimi was selected as a member in the elite company of 197 best “young global leaders” from 72 countries, out of a total of 5,000 candidates, first from the Republic of Macedonia and one of three European Ministers for 2010.
Books
• Besimi, Fatmir ‘Monetary and Exchange Rate Policy in Macedonia: Accession to the European Union’, LAP Lambert Academic Publishing, ISBN 978-3-8383-1614-7 (2009)• ‘Barriers for Trade, Growth, Investments and Competition, Chesapeak Associates’, (co-author), Washington DC, (Sep 2001)
Academic Articles
• ‘The Ohrid Peace Agreement and the challenges of integration into European Union:Competitive and integrated economy with equal chances’, International Conference, The Ohrid Framework Agreement: Towards Macedonia’s Membership in the European Union and NATO, Skopje (21 Jun 2011)
• ‘Global Economic Crisis and the Challenges Facing the Republic of Macedonia, Crossroads: The Macedonian Foreign Policy Journal, Vol.2, No.1, Skopje, RM, (Jun-Oct 2009)
• ‘The Monetary Transmission Mechanism in Macedonia: Implications for Monetary Policy’, Besimi F., Pugh G. and N. Adnett, Working Paper 02-2006, Centre for Research on Emerging Economies, IESR, Staffordshire University, UK, (Jan 2006)
• ‘The Role of Exchange Rate Stability in a Small and Open Economy: the Case of the Republic of Macedonia’, Conference on Economic challenges and perspectives for the R. Macedonia, Macedonian Academy of Science and Arts, Skopje, RM, (Sep 2004)
• ‘Macroeconomic Consolidation of Macedonia after the Ohrid Framework Agreement: Contribution for Successful European Integration’, Conference on Post-Ohrid, Pre-Europe Macedonia, organised by the Southeast Studies Centre and the School for Slavic and Southeast Studies at the University College London, (27 Feb 2004)
• ‘Similarity of the Inflation Rates as Maastricht Criterion as Compared to the Different Levels of Productivity Growth in the Accession Countries’, Bulletin 11-12/2003, Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Macedonia, (Dec 2003)
• ‘Variability of the Foreign Exchange and the International Trade: the Experience of the Republic of Macedonia’, Economic researches IV/2003, National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia, (Dec 2003)
• ‘The Transmission Effect of the Foreign Exchange on the Monetary Strategy of the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia’, (co-author), Economic researches II/2003, National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia, (Jun 2003)
• ‘Foreign Direct Investments in the Republic of Macedonia, Foreign Direct Investments in Kosova’, RIINVEST Research Report, Pristina, (Sep 2002)
• ‘Entrepreneurship in Tetova Region’, Economic Research Institute RIINVEST, Pristina, Workshop on Entrepreneurship and Business Planning, Ohrid, RM, (Jun 1999)
Journals, Magazines, Newspapers
• ‘Energy Community - a role model for EU integration’, EU Observer, http://euobserver.com/7/31604 (7 Jan, 2011)• ‘7 I-s for Development of Macedonia’, KAPITAL – Daily newspaper for economics and politics, RM, (31 Dec 2011)
• ‘The Western Balkans in the EU: To be or not to be?’, EU Observer, http://euobserver.com/7/31459 (9 Dec, 2010)
• ‘Policies, Measures and Activities for Increasing the Competitiveness’, KAPITAL – magazine for economics and politics, RM, (Apr 2009)
• ‘Economic Suitability of Macedonia for joining the EU’, VALUTA - magazine for economics, RM (No.7, Sep 2007)
• ‘Euro Introduction with Respect to the Theory for Optimum Currency Areas’, VALUTA - magazine for economics, RM (No.6, Sep 2007)
• ‘Mixed Steps’, DNEVNIK – daily newspaper, RM, (28 Apr 2007)
• ‘Numbers Talk Differently’, FAKTI – daily newspaper, RM, (28 Apr 2007)
• ‘Nobel Prize for Inter-Generation Trade-off’, KAPITAL – magazine for economics and politics, RM, (9 Nov 2006)
• ‘Wrong Steps: Even the Best Economic Programs or Models are Determined to Failure if They are Based on Wrong Assumptions’, KAPITAL – magazine for economics and politics, RM, (5 Oct 2006)
• ‘The Economic Aspects of the Crisis in Macedonia’, LOBI - weekly newspaper, RM, (30 Jul 2001)
• ‘Macedonia – A hostage of the Middle Ages’ Balkan Prejudices’, KOHA DITORE - daily newspaper, Kosovo, (3 Apr 2001)
• ‘Interethnic Crisis in Macedonia: the International Factor as a Relevant Factor’, FAKTI - daily newspaper, RM, (3 Apr 2001)
• ‘Post-War Reconstruction of Kosovo: the Balkans should be liberated from the Partiality Syndrome’, FAKTI - daily newspaper, RM, (25 Mar 2000)
• ‘Telecommunications Transformation’, Economy and Business – monthly professional magazine, RM, (Mar 1999)