Jozefina Topalli
Encyclopedia
Jozefina Çoba Topalli is an Albania
n politician and the current Chairwoman of the Parliament of Albania
since September 3, 2005 and vice-president of the Democratic Party of Albania
.
She is married and has two children.
and law
. She subsequently studied international relations
at the University of Padua
in Italy
and acquired a master's degree from the University of Tirana
in public administration
; in 2009, she obtained her Ph.D.
at the University of Tirana
, with a dissertation on the topic of “The Role of the National Parliament in the process of European integration of the country”. She is fluent in English
, Russian
, French
and Italian
.
From 1992 to 1995 she worked at the Chamber of Commerce
in the city of Shkodër
, and in 1995-1996 she was chancellor and lecturer at the Luigj Gurakuqi University in Shkodra.
Topalli has been a member of the national legislature since 1997.
In 2005, Topalli was elected President
of the Assembly of the Republic of Albania, and retained her position in 2009.
Topalli was elected as member of parliament for the Democratic Party of Albania
; she was subsequently re-elected four times. She has been member of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Family, and also as Deputy President of the Children’s Committee.
Since 1997, Topalli is Deputy Chair of the Democratic Party of Albania
.
of the Albanian Parliament in all the parliamentary history of the country, and the sixth Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Albania in the pluralistic parliamentary history since 1991. She assumed her duty in September 2005, and was re-elected as Speaker of Parliament for a second four-year mandate in September 2009. In two previous consecutive legislatures (1997-2001; 2001-2005), Topalli served as Deputy Speaker of the Assembly.
In September 2005, in her speech at the oath-taking ceremony as Speaker of the Albanian Assembly, Jozefina Çoba Topalli, underlined her steady determination to be an advocate of the opposition, too.
In the framework of parliamentary diplomacy, a novelty the Speaker of the Albanian Parliament brought into Albanian political life, Jozefina Topalli was engaged in the acceleration of the ratification by the EU states parliaments of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Albania and EU, as well as the NATO protocols for the accession of Albania into the North Atlantic alliance. She continues her lobbying for the recognition of the independent Republic of Kosovo
.
Jozefina Topalli was declared the First Ambassador of UNICEF for the protection of children’s rights in the country, by the UNICEF Office in Albania, as well as representatives of NGO-s and institutions dealing with children’s rights.
For her valuable contribution in politics, Topalli was awarded the “Medal of Honour” by the Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg, Vadim Tulapanov.
Also, the Speaker of Parliament, Topalli was honoured with the international title “Millennium Peace Award: Cavaliere per la Pace” by the International Peace Union, at the Catholic University of Milan.
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
n politician and the current Chairwoman of the Parliament of Albania
Chairman of the Parliament of Albania
The Chairman of the Parliament of Albania presides the Albanian Parliament. The president's term coincides with the term of the assembly, and he or she is chosen by a vote during the opening session.-Chairmen of the National Council :...
since September 3, 2005 and vice-president of the Democratic Party of Albania
Democratic Party of Albania
The Democratic Party of Albania is a center-right, Conservative, political party in Albania and the leading party in the governing coalition since the 2005 parliamentary elections...
.
She is married and has two children.
Studies and early jobs
Jozefina Çoba Topalli graduated from Luigj Gurakuqi University in Shkodra with a double major in mathematicsMathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
. She subsequently studied international relations
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
at the University of Padua
University of Padua
The University of Padua is a premier Italian university located in the city of Padua, Italy. The University of Padua was founded in 1222 as a school of law and was one of the most prominent universities in early modern Europe. It is among the earliest universities of the world and the second...
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and acquired a master's degree from the University of Tirana
University of Tirana
The University of Tirana is a public university located in Tirana, Albania.-History:UT was founded in 1957 as the State University of Tirana through the merging of five existing institutes of higher education, the most important of which was the Institute of Sciences, founded in 1947...
in public administration
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
; in 2009, she obtained her Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
at the University of Tirana
University of Tirana
The University of Tirana is a public university located in Tirana, Albania.-History:UT was founded in 1957 as the State University of Tirana through the merging of five existing institutes of higher education, the most important of which was the Institute of Sciences, founded in 1947...
, with a dissertation on the topic of “The Role of the National Parliament in the process of European integration of the country”. She is fluent in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
.
From 1992 to 1995 she worked at the Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
in the city of Shkodër
Shkodër
Shkodër , is a city located on Lake of Shkoder in northwestern Albania in the District of Shkodër, of which it is the capital. It is one of the oldest and most historic towns in Albania, as well as an important cultural and economic centre. Shkodër's estimated population is 90,000; if the...
, and in 1995-1996 she was chancellor and lecturer at the Luigj Gurakuqi University in Shkodra.
Topalli has been a member of the national legislature since 1997.
In 2005, Topalli was elected President
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the Assembly of the Republic of Albania, and retained her position in 2009.
Political career
At the 1996 Albanian parliamentary electionAlbanian parliamentary election, 1996
Parliamentary elections were held in Albania on 26 May 1996, with a second round of voting for 25 seats on 2 June. The result was a victory for the ruling Democratic Party of Albania, which won 122 of the 140 seats...
Topalli was elected as member of parliament for the Democratic Party of Albania
Democratic Party of Albania
The Democratic Party of Albania is a center-right, Conservative, political party in Albania and the leading party in the governing coalition since the 2005 parliamentary elections...
; she was subsequently re-elected four times. She has been member of the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Family, and also as Deputy President of the Children’s Committee.
Since 1997, Topalli is Deputy Chair of the Democratic Party of Albania
Democratic Party of Albania
The Democratic Party of Albania is a center-right, Conservative, political party in Albania and the leading party in the governing coalition since the 2005 parliamentary elections...
.
Parliament Speaker
Jozefina Topalli Çoba is the first woman SpeakerSpeaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the Albanian Parliament in all the parliamentary history of the country, and the sixth Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Albania in the pluralistic parliamentary history since 1991. She assumed her duty in September 2005, and was re-elected as Speaker of Parliament for a second four-year mandate in September 2009. In two previous consecutive legislatures (1997-2001; 2001-2005), Topalli served as Deputy Speaker of the Assembly.
In September 2005, in her speech at the oath-taking ceremony as Speaker of the Albanian Assembly, Jozefina Çoba Topalli, underlined her steady determination to be an advocate of the opposition, too.
In the framework of parliamentary diplomacy, a novelty the Speaker of the Albanian Parliament brought into Albanian political life, Jozefina Topalli was engaged in the acceleration of the ratification by the EU states parliaments of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Albania and EU, as well as the NATO protocols for the accession of Albania into the North Atlantic alliance. She continues her lobbying for the recognition of the independent Republic of Kosovo
Republic of Kosovo
Kosovo , officially the Republic of Kosovo is a partially recognised state and a disputed territory in the Balkans...
.
Honours
For her successful career and political and parliamentary engagements, Jozefina Topalli was awarded in 2010 with the prize “Mediterranean Award” by the International Mediterranean Forum for Peace, consigned by Sergio De Gregorio, president of the Italian parliamentary delegation to the NATO Assembly.Jozefina Topalli was declared the First Ambassador of UNICEF for the protection of children’s rights in the country, by the UNICEF Office in Albania, as well as representatives of NGO-s and institutions dealing with children’s rights.
For her valuable contribution in politics, Topalli was awarded the “Medal of Honour” by the Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg, Vadim Tulapanov.
Also, the Speaker of Parliament, Topalli was honoured with the international title “Millennium Peace Award: Cavaliere per la Pace” by the International Peace Union, at the Catholic University of Milan.