MACEDONIA: NEW GOVERNMENT LINEUP

UNCLAS SKOPJE 000492

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

C O R R E C T E D COPY CAPTION

STATE FOR EUR/SCE AND INR/B
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV NATO MK PINR
SUBJECT: MACEDONIA: NEW GOVERNMENT LINEUP

REF: SKOPJE 464 AND PREVIOUS


1. (U) Summary: In the absence of the opposition parties,
the Macedonian Parliament approved the new VMRO-DPMNE/DUI
coalition on July 26. Much of the new cabinet lineup is
familiar, with many key officials returning for a second
term. This message provides biographical information for the
new Government. End Summary.


2. (U) On July 26, the newly elected 120-seat Macedonian
Parliament approved the VMRO-DPMNE ) DUI coalition
Government in a 77-0 vote. Opposition SDSM-led Sonce
coalition and VMRO-DPMNE,s former ethnic-Albanian coalition
partner DPA remained absent from Parliament in protest
(reftel).


3. (U) PM Gruevski expressed his confidence that the new
Government will succeed in achieving the five key strategic
priorities of its program -- economic growth and
competitiveness, improving employment opportunities and
standards of living, EU and NATO integration including
resolution of the name dispute with Greece, combating crime
and corruption, and full implementation of the Ohrid
Framework Agreement -- saying &the new Government will
fulfill everything within the program and realize all
envisaged reforms, aimed at raising the living quality of
Macedonia's citizens."


4. (U) The &new8 cabinet lineup is mostly familiar, with
Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Interior, Justice, Finance,
Agriculture and Transportation remaining unchanged, as well
as the Deputy PM for Economic Issues. New coalition partner
DUI takes the Ministries of Local Self-Government, Health,
Economy, Labor and Social Affairs, and Environment, as well
as a Deputy PM slot for Implementation of the Framework
Agreement. One new Ministry, that of the Information
Society, has been formed by the new Government. PM Gruevski
called his new team of ministers &a merger of youth and
experience, but primarily people of exceptional values,
individuals who are required to work with honesty,
transparency and accountability.8

BIOGRAPHIES FOR THE GOVERNMENT
-------------- --------------


5. (SBU) Deputy Prime Minister for Economy: Zoran Stavreski
(VMRO-DPMNE) was born in Skopje in 1965, and continues for a
second term in his position as DPM covering economic issues.
His dominance on economic issues and tight links to the PM
limited the role of the Ministers of Economy and Finance
during the last mandate. Stavreski received his MA from the
Faculty of Economics at Skopje University, and served between
1993 and 2000 as first an Advisor and then the Head of the
Research Bureau at the National Bank of Macedonia. In 2001
Stavreski became an Undersecretary at the Ministry of
Finance. In the period 2001-2006, he held various positions
at the World Bank. Stavreski speaks good English.


6. (SBU) Deputy Prime Minister for Euro-Integration: Ivica
Bocevski (VMRO-DPMNE) was born in Skopje in 1977, and takes
up the DPM slot from his previous position as Spokesperson of
the Government, which he held from March of 2007. He
graduated from the School of Political Studies at the
University of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Skopje in 1999
and from 2002 to 2004 studied public and international
affairs as a Ron Brown Scholar. Founder and Executive
Director of the Institute for Democracy in Skopje, Bocevski
formerly served as Chief of Staff to a Vice President of SDSM
and in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Following
participation in the IV program as a member of the SDSM youth
Organization, Bocevski made a political U-turn and joined
VMRO-DPMNE. Bocevski is one of the drafters of the
Lustration Law. He speaks fluent English.


7. (SBU) Deputy Prime Minister for Implementation of the
Framework Agreement: Abdilaqim Ademi (DUI) was born in 1969
in Jegunovce, near Tetovo. A graduate of the Faculty of
Polytechnics of the University of Tirana, Albania, he most
recently served as the Chief of Staff for DUI leader Ali
Ahmeti. Ademi served as an MP from 2002 to 2006, as the
chairman of the parliamentary committee on economic issues,
as well as member of the committees on interethnic relations,
finance and budget, transport, communications, and
environment. Ademi also worked as assistant professor at the
State University of Tetovo. He speaks Macedonian in addition
to his native Albanian, but does not speak English.


8. (SBU) Minister of Foreign Affairs: Antonijo Milososki
(VMRO-DPMNE) was born in Tetovo in 1976, and continues for a
second term as Foreign Minister. A longtime influential
member of VMRO-DPMNE, Milososki was spokesperson of the
VMRO-DPMNE-led government from May 2000 to September 2001, a
period including the country's internal conflict in 2001.
After leaving his position as spokesperson in 2001, Milososki
went to Germany to pursue a Master's degree in European
Integration at Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universitaet in
Bonn. In 2002 he began work on a Ph.D. in Political Science
at the University of Duisburg. He has yet to complete his
dissertation on Macedonian-Greek relations. A graduate of
Skopje University Law School, Milososki was previously known
as a nationalist with hard-line views, leading protests
against Albanian language instruction at Skopje University.
Local observers say his views have moderated since those
days. However many still see him as the face of government
during the 2001 conflict. He is a regular columnist in the
daily "Dnevnik" and has been active in many Euro-Atlantic
leadership forums and conferences. Milososki speaks English
well.


9. (SBU) Minister of Defense: Zoran Konjanovski
(VMRO-DRMNE) was born in Bitola in 1967, and will serve for
the first time as Minister of Defense. A member of
VMRO-DPMNE Executive Committee, Konjanovski served as
Minister of Local Self-Government in 2006, where he was
praised as an able administrator. Following his tenure as
Minister of Local Self-Government, he served as an Interim
Manager of REK Bitola, a thermo-electric power plant. A
graduate of the School of Mechanical Engineering at Kliment
Ohridski University, Konjanovski speaks only basic English.
Konjanovski is a captain first class, having attended the
school for reserve officers while serving the Yugoslav
National Army.


10. (SBU) Minister of Interior: Gordana Jankuloska
(VMRO-DPMNE) was born in Ohrid in 1975, and continues for a
second term in her position. A graduate of the Law School
of the University of Saints Cyril and Methodius in 1999, she
holds a master's degree in International Commercial Law from
the University of Kent, Canterbury. Confidante of Prime
Minister Gruevski, she had a career in the Ministry of
Finance and as Secretary General of VMRO-DPMNE prior to
assuming the office of Minister of Interior in 2006.
Jankuloska visited the US in 2005 as an IV program
participant; she speaks fluent English.


11. (SBU) Minister of Justice: Mihajlo Manevski
(VMRO-DPMNE) was born near Veles in 1937 and continues for a
second consecutive term as Minister of Justice, and also
served in that capacity in 1986-1991. Manevski also had a
long career in the Public Prosecutor,s Office, having served
as a Deputy Public Prosecutor at the Regional Public
Prosecutor,s Office in Skopje, Deputy Public Prosecutor of
the Republic of Macedonia, and President of the Regional
Court in Skopje. He also served from 1994 to 2000 as a state
counselor in the Government. Manevski was elected to the
State Commission for the Prevention of Corruption in 2002,
and has served as its president since 2006. Manevski does
not speak English.


12. (SBU) Minister of Finance: Trajko Slaveski (VMRO-DPMNE)
was born in Ohrid in 1960 and continues for a second term as
Minister of Finance. Slaveski,s political career includes
serving as Vice-President of VMRO-DPMNE since 2004, advisor
to the former Minister of Finance Nikola Gruevski and
national coordinator for preparation of the National Poverty
Reduction Strategy from November 2000 to September 2002, and
Minister of Development from 1999 to 2000. He earned his BA
in 1983, his MA in 1988, and his Ph.D. in 1997 at the Faculty
of Economy of the University of Saints Cyril and Methodius.
He did graduate work at the California State University in
Chico (1986-87) and Harvard University (1989- 90). Since
2003, Slaveski has been an Associate Professor at Skopje
University's Faculty of Economy. He was a visiting professor
at the Arizona State University in 1997. Since 1999 he has
taught a graduate course at the National and Capodistrian
University in Athens, Greece. He is fluent in English.


13. (SBU) Minister of Local Self-Government: Musa Xhaferi
(DUI) was born in Kicevo in 1959, and serves for the first
time as Minister of Local Self-Government. He is a founding
member of the ethnic Albanian Democratic Union for
Integration (DUI) and was Deputy Prime Minister for Political
Systems during DUI,s tenure as part of the ruling coalition
government from 2002 to 2006, monitoring Framework Agreement
implementation. Following his graduation from Pristina
University's Economic Affairs Department in 1984, he moved to
Switzerland and joined the politically active Albanian
Diaspora and completed a master's degree in economics at the
University of Zurich in 1995. During the 2001 conflict, he
was the National Liberation Army's principal political
representative in Western Europe. Xhaferi pursued
post-graduate studies in adult education in Lucerne in 2000.
Xhaferi speaks Macedonian, but does not speak English.


14. (SBU) Minister of Economy: Fatmir Besimi (DUI) was born
in Tetovo in 1975. This is Besimi,s second term as Minister
of Economy, a role he will leave his position with the World
Bank in Kosovo to resume. He first assumed the post in
November 2004 following a year of service as a Vice-Governor
of the National Bank of the Republic of Macedonia. He
teaches economics at Tetovo University and is a member of the
Tetovo University Senate. Besimi served as director of the
public enterprise for airport services, JPAU Macedonia, from
November 2002 until August 2003. He worked as a researcher
for the National Bank in 2001 and at Stopanska Bank's Tetovo
branch in 2000. He completed his Bachelor's and Master's
degrees at the School of Economy in Skopje and holds a Ph.D.
in Monetary Economics from the Staffordshire University in
Great Britain. Besimi speaks fluent English.


15. (SBU) Minister of Education: Pero Stojanovski
(VMRO-DPMNE) was born in Skopje in 1970, where he graduated
from the School of Electrical Engineering at the University
of Saints Cyril and Methodius. Stojanovski was promoted to
his ministerial position from his previous role as State
Secretary in the same ministry. Prior to his service in the
Education Ministry, Stojanovski worked as a project assistant
at an engineering company, an instructor in mathematics and
information science in a private school, and an administrator
and teacher in an experimental teaching project at a public
secondary school. He speaks basic English.


16. (SBU) Minister of Labor and Social Policy: Xhelal
Bajrami (DUI) was born in Kumanovo in 1973. A Law School
graduate, Bajrami passed the bar exam in 2008. He previously
worked as an intern in the Kumanovo Basic Court, taught at a
high school in Kumanovo, and worked as a lawyer or a public
enterprise that built and maintained roadways in 2006-2007.
English language ability not known.

17. (SBU) Minister of Health: Bujar Osmani (DUI) was born
in 1979, and is a medical doctor serving for the first time
in the government. A 2004 graduate of Skopje Medical School,
Osmani completed a specialization in general surgery in 2006.
He then enrolled in professional training in Liver Tissue
Engineering in London until November 2007. Osmani speaks
English well.


18. (SBU) Minister of Culture: Elizabeta Kanceska-Milevska
(VMRO-DPMNE) was born in Veles in 1970, and comes to the
Minister of Culture position from her position as State
Secretary in the same ministry. A graduate of the School of
Sociology at the University of Saints Cyril and Methodius in
Skopje, she holds a Master,s degree in European studies,
concentrating in societal protection of cultural heritage
sites. Kanceska-Milevska does not speak English.


19. (SBU) Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning:
Nexhati Jakupi (DUI) was born in 1973. A physician, Jakupi
graduated from the Medical School at the University in Sofia,
Bulgaria. He specialized in general surgery at the
University of Skopje in 2005. Jakupi is moving to the
Ministerial Office from his position as City Councilor in
Gostivar. English language ability not known.


20. (SBU) Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Waterways:
Aco Spasenovski (Socialist Party) was born in Kicevo in 1969,
and serves for a second time as Minister of Agriculture. A
graduate of the School of Agriculture at the University of
Skopje, he has been a private entrepreneur for most of his
career. From 1994-1996 he owned a dairy, through 1997 he
worked in a pharmacy, from 1997 -1999 he worked as a field
adviser in the World Bank Office in Skopje, and from 1999
through 2006 he ran his own agricultural consulting firm.
He speaks English and knows some Albanian.


21. (SBU) Minister of Transport and Telecommunication: Mile
Janakieski (VMRO-DPMNE) was born in Prilep in 1978, and is
serving his second term as Minister of Transport and
Telecommunication. He received a BA in Management and
Business Administration from the American College in
Thessaloniki and is currently enrolled in postgraduate
studies at Skopje University. A member of the Central
Committee of VMRO-DPMNE, Janakieski was Director General of
the water supply public enterprise in Skopje in 2005-2006.
He previously worked as an assistant manager in the State
Foreign Currency Inspectorate of the Ministry of Finance, an
assistant manager in the Sector for Macro Economy and
Development Policy, and as Chief of Cabinet of the Minister
of Finance. He speaks English well.


22. (SBU) Minister of Information Society: Ivo Ivanovski
(VMRO-DPMNE) was born in Bitola in 1978, and is the first to
take the helm of this newly-formed Ministry. Ivanovski
already has Government experience in IT issues, as he served
as Minister without portfolio focusing on information society
issues since 2006. Ivanovski graduated from Ohio State
University in 2003 with a Master,s in Hardware Engineering.
During his eleven-year stay in the U.S., Ivanovski was an
active member of the Macedonian-American Friendship
Association. He started his career in 1997 as an IT
specialist and later served as IT Manager for the Plaskolite
Company, a Plexiglas producer. Ivanovski speaks English
well.


23. (SBU) Minister without Portfolio: Vele Samak
(VMRO-DPMNE) was born in 1974 in Prilep. He was first
appointed as a minister without portfolio in 2006 and will
continue in that role for a second term -- focusing on
attracting foreign investment. Samak previously worked as a
product manager at Microsoft and as a VP at Citigroup. Samak
holds a BA from the University of Chicago (1996) and an MBA
from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania
(2005). While at Wharton, he and a group of students started
the company TerraPass which uses market mechanisms to help
customers offset the carbon dioxide emissions of their
vehicles. A former Secretary of the Macedonian-American
Friendship Association, Samak speaks fluent English.


24. (SBU) Minister without Portfolio: Nezdhet Mustafa
(United Party for Emancipation) was born in Skopje in 1962
and is serving for the first time in the Government. In
1994 he founded the first Roma party in Macedonia, and serves
as the President of its successor party-- the United Party
for Emancipation. He is a graduate of the School of
Philosophy at the University of Saints Cyril and Methodius.
With the exception of a brief stint as an editor for
Macedonian National Television, Mustafa has continuously
worked in politics. He was Mayor of Suto Orizari, the
largest Roma municipality in Europe, from 1996-2000 and has
been a Member of Parliament since 2002. He does not speak
English.


25. (SBU) Minister without Portfolio: Hadi Neziri
(Democratic Party of the Turks in Macedonia) was born in
Zdunje, near Gostivar, and serves for the first time in the
government. He is a 1979 graduate of the School of
Electrical Engineering at the University of Pristina. He
worked in electrical power plants for most of his career,
until 2006, when he was elected a Member of Parliament from
the ranks of the Democratic Park of the Turks. English
language ability not known.

Milovanovic