A commemorative session was held in the Parliament on Wednesday to honor the late Stojan Andov, the first Speaker of democratic Macedonia, who passed away at the age of 89.

President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova paid tribute to Andov, acknowledging his significant contributions to the political, state, and societal development over the past thirty years. She highlighted Andov’s role as the first democratically elected Macedonian official following the country’s independence. “A statesman, politician, economic expert, high-level diplomat, political scientist, journalist, publicist, author, and a person of immense importance for the cultural identity of the Macedonian people, Andov was instrumental in fostering coexistence among all Macedonian citizens regardless of their religious, ideological, and national affiliations, and in promoting cooperation with neighbors and the world. The peaceful secession from Yugoslavia is due in part to statesmen like Kiro Gligorov, Petar Goshev, Stojan Andov, and Abdurahman Aliti, whose value is now fully recognized,” said Siljanovska Davkova.

Born in Kavadarci in 1935, Andov graduated from the Faculty of Economics in Skopje and earned a master’s degree from Belgrade University. His career included serving as vice president of the Republic’s executive council, being a member of the Macedonian delegation in the association of republics and provinces, and holding a position in the federal government for three terms. During this time, he played a key role as a negotiator in the interactions between former Yugoslavia and European Economic Community experts (1971–1987).

From 1987 to 1991, Andov served as an ambassador of the former Yugoslavia in Iraq. He also founded the Liberal Party of Macedonia and was elected vice president of the Liberal International. Andov secured a seat in Parliament in the country’s first multi-party elections in 1990 and was elected as the president of Parliament in January 1991. He also ran for president in the 1999 presidential elections.