Ejup Maqedonci

Ejup Maqedonci (born 9 May 1977) is a Kosovo Albanian career officer and colonel and serves as the Minister of Defense of Kosovo since 8 August 2023.

Ejup Maqedonci
Maqedonci in 2023
Minister of Defense of Kosovo
Incumbent
Assumed office 8 August 2023
President	Vjosa Osmani
Prime Minister	Albin Kurti
Preceded by	Armend Mehaj
Personal details
Born	Ejup Maqedonci (1977-05-09) 9 May 1977 (age 47) Pristina, SAP Kosovo, SFR Yugoslavia (present-day Kosovo)
Nationality	Albanian
Alma mater	1) United States Army Command and General Staff College 2) The United States Army War College
Military service
Allegiance	Kosovo
Branch/service	Kosovo Liberation Army Kosovo Protection Corps Kosovo Security Force
Years of service	1998–1999, 1999–2009, 2009–2023
Rank	Colonel
Battles/wars	Kosovo War

Born in Pristina, Kosovo, Maqedonci migrated to Switzerland in 1996. After the start of the Kosovo War in 1998, Maqedonci went to Albania for military training and afterwards returned to Kosovo and joined the ranks of the Kosovo Liberation Army. He served in the 153rd Brigade of the Llapi Operative Zone.^[1]

After the end of the Kosovo War, Maqedonci joined the Kosovo Protection Corps, where he led the Search and Rescue Battalion until 2009. He joined the newly formed Kosovo Security Force (KSF) in 2009. From 2014 to 2019 he led the Rapid Reaction Brigade of the KSF. In 2019 he was appointed Head of the Department of Operations and Training at the General Staff of KSF. On July 10, 2023, Maqedonci retired from the KSF and was appointed Minister of Defense on August 8 of the same year.^[2][3]

Maqedonci did his military training in Albania, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, and United States. He holds a master's degree in Military Arts and Science from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and a Master of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College.

Maqedonci is an honorary citizen of Leavenworth. He is married and has three daughters.

References

1. "Kush është Ejup Maqedonci, ministri i ri i Mbrojtjes?" [Who is Ejup Maqedonci, the new Minister of Defense?]. Gazeta Express (in Albanian). Pristina. 8 August 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
2. "Emërimi i ministrit të ri të Mbrojtjes, ky është profili i Ejup Maqedoncit" [Appointment of the new Minister of Defense, this is the profile of Ejup Maqedonci]. Telegrafi (in Albanian). Pristina. 8 August 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
3. "Kurti pranon dorëheqjen e Mehajt, ministër i ri i Mbrojtjes emërohet Ejup Maqedonci" (in Albanian). Betimi për Drejtësi. 8 August 2023. Archived from the original on 2 October 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023.