Andrej Kiska facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andrej Kiska
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Kiska in 2014
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| 4th President of Slovakia | |
| In office 15 June 2014 – 15 June 2019 |
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| Prime Minister | Robert Fico Peter Pellegrini |
| Preceded by | Ivan Gašparovič |
| Succeeded by | Zuzana Čaputová |
| Chairman of For the People | |
| In office 28 September 2019 – 8 August 2020 |
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| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Veronika Remišová |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 February 1963 Poprad, Czechoslovakia |
| Political party | For the People (2019–2021) |
| Spouses |
Mária Kisková
(m. 1983; div. 2001)Martina Kisková (Živorová)
(m. 2003) |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | Slovak University of Technology |
| Signature |  |
Andrej Kiska (born 2 February 1963) is a Slovak entrepreneur, writer, and former politician. He served as the fourth president of Slovakia from 2014 to 2019. Before becoming president, he was known for his business career and for helping others through charity work.
Kiska decided to run for president as an independent candidate, which means he was not part of a major political party. In the 2014 election, he won against the prime minister at the time, Robert Fico. After his five-year term, Kiska chose not to run for re-election in 2019. He has also written two books about his life and ideas on happiness and success.
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Early Life and Education
Andrej Kiska was born in the town of Poprad, which was then part of Czechoslovakia. As a young man, he went to university and studied electrical engineering. His family has roots in the Goral ethnic group, who live in the mountainous regions of Central Europe.
Business and Charity Work
Starting a Business
In 1990, after a major political change in his country called the Velvet Revolution, Kiska moved to the United States for a short time. When he returned to Slovakia, he started two companies called Triangel and Quatro.
These were hire-purchase companies. This type of company helps people buy things like furniture or electronics by letting them pay in smaller amounts over several months, instead of paying the full price all at once.
Helping Families with Dobrý anjel
In 2006, Kiska helped start a charitable organization called Dobrý anjel, which means Good Angel in English. This charity helps families who are facing money problems because a family member has a serious illness like cancer.
People can donate money to Good Angel, and the charity gives it directly to families in need. The organization became very popular in Slovakia, with over 170,000 people donating by 2016. It later expanded to the neighboring Czech Republic, where it also helps many families.
President of Slovakia (2014–2019)
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In the 2014 Slovak presidential election, Kiska came in second place in the first round of voting. Because no candidate won more than half of the votes, a second round was held between Kiska and the first-place candidate, Robert Fico.
In the final vote, Kiska won with almost 60% of the votes and became president. He officially took office on 15 June 2014.
In May 2018, Kiska announced that he would not run for a second term in the 2019 election. He said he wanted to spend more time with his family. At the time, polls showed he was one of Slovakia's most trusted politicians.
Foreign Policy Views
As president, Kiska stated his support for the independence of Kosovo. He was in favor of Slovakia officially recognizing Kosovo as its own country.
Life After the Presidency
After his term as president ended, Kiska started a new political party in 2019 called Za Ľudí (which means For the People). The party won enough votes in the 2020 election to get seats in the Slovak parliament. However, in August 2020, Kiska announced he was retiring from politics for personal and health reasons.
Kiska has also spoken out against the Russian invasion of Ukraine and supports international sanctions against Russia.
Personal Life
Andrej Kiska has been married twice. His first wife was Mária Kisková, and they were married from 1983 to 2001. They have two children, a son named Andrej and a daughter named Natália.
In 2003, he married his second wife, Martina Kisková. Together, they have three children: a daughter, Veronika, and two sons, Viktor and Martin. His youngest son was born in 2017 while Kiska was serving as president.
Honours and Awards
Kiska has received many awards from Slovakia and other countries for his work.
Slovak Honours
- Order of Andrej Hlinka
- Order of Ľudovít Štúr
- Milan Rastislav Štefánik Cross
- Pribina Cross
Foreign Honours
Austria Grand Star of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria
Estonia Collar of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana
Germany Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Monaco Grand Cross of the Order of Saint-Charles
Norway Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav
Poland Knight of the Order of the White Eagle
Romania Collar of the Order of the Star of Romania
Europe European Civil Rights Prize of the Sinti and Roma
See also
In Spanish: Andrej Kiska para niños
