WHO IS WHO – Arben Taravari: A victim or a player in the Albanian divisions in North Macedonia?

He has accused the government of North Macedonia of being under Belgrade’s influence, yet never concealed his “brotherly relations” with the authorities in Pristina and Tirana. It is precisely for this reason that he opposed the arrest of former KLA members based on Interpol warrants, as well as the VLEN coalition’s stance on Albanian representation in state institutions. Arben Taravari, the leader of the Alliance for Albanians, resigned last week from his post as Minister of Health and is now part of the opposition bloc.

“I am making this decision after a careful personal and professional assessment, convinced that this step is in the best interest of the institution and in line with my personal principles,” Taravari stated in his written resignation submitted to North Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski.

Prime Minister Mickoski responded, saying:

“I believe Mr. Taravari and some of the people around him are determined to return to the embrace of Ali Ahmeti (DUI). All that remains is for me to wish him good luck.”

Taravari had previously voiced discontent over the application of the “balancer” principle, which is intended to ensure equitable representation of ethnic communities in public institutions.

“No one is born into government,” he stated.

However, the key breaking point came after it was revealed that Taravari would join forces with the opposition Albanian party DUI for the upcoming local elections—something Mickoski deemed unacceptable.

What is even more perplexing is that Taravari is now planning a coalition with the DUI leader he had previously accused of “oppressing the people” and engaging in “corrupt dealings.”

“At a time when the U.S. Embassy placed Ali Ahmeti on a blacklist for corruption, and when Ahmeti, for 22 years, impoverished the people while enriching his nephews, awarding him the 'Key to Pristina' seems absurd and offensive—especially to us Albanians in Macedonia,” Taravari wrote on Facebook in December last year.

Following his resignation, Taravari announced that the Alliance for Albanians would move into opposition.

However, internal rifts appear to have affected not only the broader Albanian ruling bloc and the VLEN coalition, but also Taravari’s own party. Speculation in North Macedonian media suggests that he may soon lose his position as party leader in addition to his ministerial post.

This speculation was reinforced a few days ago by developments in Pristina.
At a meeting between the Alliance for Albanians and caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti, all party representatives were present—except Taravari.

“What unites us today more than ever is our shared vision and ideal of progress and development—an ideal that knows no borders,” wrote Arben Fetai, Deputy Prime Minister of North Macedonia, who is widely rumored to be Taravari’s successor.

Taravari had previously accused the very government he served in of being heavily influenced by Serbia and its President Aleksandar Vučić.

At the same time, he consistently emphasized “brotherly ties” with both Pristina and Tirana.

“It’s simply a brotherly relationship among us. Naturally, we talk about the challenges we have faced and future ones as well—what we can do for Kosovo, and what Kosovo can do for Albanians in North Macedonia,” he said in April last year after meeting with Albin Kurti.

Born in 1973 in Gostivar, Taravari completed medical secondary school and went on to graduate from the Faculty of Medicine in Skopje in 1998. He specialized in neurology and, since 2010, has served as a full professor at the university, as well as head of several departments at the University Hospital.
He was first appointed Minister of Health in the government of Zoran Zaev in 2017, but served only briefly—from July to October—before resigning and winning the mayoral seat in Gostivar.

He repeated that electoral success four years later.

In the 2024 presidential elections, as the candidate of the Alliance for Albanians—supported by Besa, Alternativa, and the Democratic Movement—he won 9.46 percent of the vote.
During the campaign, he advocated for constitutional reform to guarantee Albanians one of the three top state posts: president, prime minister, or speaker of parliament.

He also argued that the new constitution should officially recognize the Bulgarian minority and explicitly mention the Albanian language.

In the newly formed North Macedonian government led by VMRO-DPMNE, he served as Minister of Health. He resigned from the position on 15 May. Taravari is married and has two children.