Who was Bajram Rexhepi? Short biographer of first Kosovo Prime Minister (Photo)

Bajram Rexhepi is known as the man who first assumed the post of prime minister in post-war Kosovo.
He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at Pristina University in 1979 and completed post-university studies in Zagreb in 1985.
He worked as general surgeon and endoscopic specialist at the Mitrovica regional hospital until 1990.

Later, he became the leader of the shadow government in the city and was elected Mitrovica's envoy to the Kosovo Assembly.
During the 1999 war with Serbia, Rexhepi joined the Kosovo Liberation Army and spent three months in the mountains serving as a doctor in the operational zone of Shala.

After the war, Rexhepi served as chairman of Mitrovica's municipal council and chairman of the southern part of the divided town, as well as head of the organisation's branch PDK in town. In general elections November 17, 2001, The PDK won 25.7% of the vote, ranking second after the Democratic League of Kosovo.
On March 4th 2002, after three months of talks and the exchange of then Kosovo chief administrator Michael Steiner, the Kosovo Assembly elected Bajram Rexhepi as Kosovo Prime Minister and Ibrahim Rugova as president; both are considered moderate politicians.
Bajram Rexhepi has passed away today after a long struggle with cancer.

The death of former Prime Minister Bajram Rexhepi has also been confirmed by Kosovo's ambassador to Turkey, Avni Spahiu.
He has said he has had a communication with the hospital where Rexhepi has stayed and has been notified of the former prime minister's death.
Rexhepi was in a coma for months and was staying in one of the hospitals in Turkey following attacks on the brain.

He was originally laid down at the University Clinical Centre in Kosovo, where he has also been subjected to the operation, but because of his serious situation he had moved to Turkey.