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International Pan‑European Union

In memoriam Gerti Bogdani (1980-2024)

The President of the Pan-European Union of Albania, Genc Pollo, announced the sad news that the distinguished Pan-European and former member of the Albanian Parliament, Gerti Bogdani, passed away on 18 September 2024. His curriculum vitae is attached below.

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Curriculum Vitae

Gerti Bogdani was born on 7 July 1980 in Tirana. He is the father of two children from his marriage to the activist Edlira Çepani. After completing his education abroad, he returned to Albania and became actively involved in politics in the ranks of the Democratic Party in 2005. In 2007, he was elected Chairman of Municipality No. 10 in Tirana, and in the 2009 elections he won the mandate as a member of the Albanian Parliament, which he renewed in the 2013 elections and was re-elected for the second time as a DP deputy. Gerti Bogdani was the most voted candidate for the Presidency member, with 281 votes of the National Council members in 2021.

During two parliamentary mandates, Bogdani also served in the European Integration Commission and the Media Commission. Gerti Bogdani was also Chairman of the Democratic Forum and Secretary for Foreign Relations in the Democratic Party for almost five years. In 2005, he accepted the invitation to engage in politics, driven by the internal civic call to contribute to the country. In 2007, he began his duties as Secretary for Foreign Relations of the Democratic Party, which he successfully carried out until 2019, significantly expanding the international network of support not only for the Democratic Party, but especially for Albania - from Congress and the American Senate to the European Parliament and the German Bundestag, especially in cases of important votes for Albania and Kosovo. 

In this task, he successfully managed to support the DP's membership in the International Democratic Union (IDU), the application of LDK for membership in the European People's Parties (EPP), as well as contributed to the Democratic Party's voting membership in the EPP. In 2007, he ran in the local elections and became the first right-wing candidate to become mayor of the Municipality no. 10 in Tirana and the youngest mayor ever elected. He made the municipality his own and received the support of the municipality's voters across all political boundaries. 

In 2009, Gerti Bogdani ran in the parliamentary elections on 28 June 2009 and was elected as the youngest member of the Assembly of Albania. During the two parlamentary legislatures 2009 - 2013 and 2013 - 2017, he contributed to legislative initiatives that impacted education, social support and young people. He dedicated himself particularly to the problems of the autochthonous Tirana community.

After two years as deputy chairman, he was elected president of the International Democratic Youth Union (IYDU) at the Lisbon Assembly in 2014 and held this office from 2014 to 2016. This made him the first Albanian politician to be elected to such a high leadership position in an international organisation.