Alfred Moisiu Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Alfred Moisiu
Moisiu in 2009

President of Albania
In office 24 July 2002 – 24 July 2007
Prime Minister	Fatos Nano Sali Berisha
Preceded by	Rexhep Meidani
Succeeded by	Bamir Topi
Minister of Defense
In office 18 December 1991 – 13 April 1992
Preceded by	Ndriçim Karakaçi
Succeeded by	Safet Zhulali

Personal details
Born	Alfred Spiro Moisiu (1929-12-01) 1 December 1929 (age 95) Shkodër, Kingdom of Albania
Spouse	Milica Niça (before 2002)
Children	4
Profession	Military
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	People's Socialist Republic of Albania
Branch/service	Albanian People's Army
Years of service	1949–1985
Rank	General

Alfred Spiro Moisiu, born on December 1, 1929, is an important Albanian figure. He was a military general, a diplomat, and a politician. He even served as the President of Albania from 2002 to 2007. His father, Spiro Moisiu, was also a well-known general in the Albanian Army.

Early Life and Military Career
Public Service After Communism
- Working for Defense and NATO
- Continuing His Work
Becoming President of Albania
- Election and Presidency
Awards and Honors
- Awards from Albania
- International Awards
See also

Early Life and Military Career

Alfred Moisiu was born into the family of General Spiro Moisiu. In 1946, when he was 16, he went to the Soviet Union to study. He graduated from a military engineering school in Saint Petersburg (which was called Leningrad back then) in 1948.

Starting His Military Path

After returning to Albania, Moisiu began his military career.

He worked in Tirana as a platoon commander at the United Officers' School from 1948 to 1949.
He also taught at the Skanderbeg Military Academy from 1949 to 1951.
From 1952 to 1958, he continued his studies at the Academy of Military Engineering in Moscow.

Rising Through the Ranks

Back in Albania, Moisiu kept advancing in the military. He worked in the engineers' department of the Ministry of Defense.

From 1967 to 1968, he took advanced courses for general staff at the Defense Academy of Tirana.
At the same time, he led a special bridge-building unit (a pontoon brigade) in Kavajë from 1966 to 1971.
In 1971, he became the chief of the Engineering and Fortifications Bureau at the Ministry of Defense. During this time, many concrete bunkers were built across Albania for defense.

Becoming a General

Moisiu earned his PhD in military science in 1979.

From 1981, he served as the Deputy Minister of Defense.
He held this important position until October 1982.
He retired from active military service as a general in 1984.

Alfred Moisiu as a military student in 1947

Public Service After Communism

Alfred Moisiu returned to public life in December 1991. He was appointed as the Minister of Defense in a temporary government. He held this role until April 1992.

Working for Defense and NATO

After 1992, Moisiu continued to advise the Minister of Defense.

In 1994, he was made Deputy Minister, focusing on Albania's defense policies.
He strongly believed that Albania needed to rebuild its armed forces.
He also pushed for Albania to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).
In 1994, he started the Albanian North Atlantic Association and became its president.
On January 24, 1995, he signed an agreement that connected Albania with NATO's Partnership for Peace project.
From 1995, Moisiu attended special courses at the NATO College in Rome.

Continuing His Work

When the Albanian Socialist Party came to power in 1997, Moisiu left his government job. However, he remained active in other ways. He organized international meetings to discuss important topics like:

Security and defense in Southeast Europe.
How to control weapons.
Collecting weapons from regular citizens.

Becoming President of Albania

In 2002, Alfred Moisiu was chosen as a candidate for president. This decision was supported by leaders from different political parties, Sali Berisha and Fatos Nano. They agreed on him after the previous president's term ended.

Election and Presidency

Moisiu was elected by the People's Assembly with a strong vote of 97 to 19.
He was sworn in as president for a five-year term on July 24, 2002.
As president, Moisiu promised to help strengthen Albania's democracy.
He also worked to make the justice system better and to help Albania join European and Atlantic organizations.
The day after he became president, a new Prime Minister, Fatos Nano, was appointed.
On May 25, 2025, Moisiu received a special honorary title called "Honoris Causa."

Awards and Honors

Alfred Moisiu has received several important awards and honors from Albania and other countries.

Awards from Albania

The "Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu" Decoration.
The Order of the Red Star.

International Awards

Knight Grand Cross of the Croatian Grand Order of King Tomislav (July 2, 2007). This was for his great work in building friendship between Croatia and Albania.
Grand Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great from Lithuania (March 27, 2007).
Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George from the United Kingdom.
The Jubilee Medal "60 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (2005).
He was also made an Honorary Citizen of Bari, a city in Italy.