Apple co-founder Wozniak receives Serbian citizenship, feels 'so lucky' to 'promote' new home
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić bragged that now his country can claim that 'a computer genius is a Serb'
Apple co-founder and tech entrepreneur Steve Wozniak is becoming a citizen of Serbia.
Wozniak told the media he felt "so lucky" to attend a conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, announcing his approval for a passport. His wife, Janet, will also receive a Serbian passport.
"I’m a Serb who lives in America, and that’s how I wanna be," Wozniak told reporters in Belgrade, according to The Associated Press.
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Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Inc., appears during a news conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić in Belgrade, Serbia. (Oliver Bunic/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
"Now we can proudly say that a computer genius is a Serb," Vučić told the media.
Wozniak — who is known by his nickname, "Woz" — co-founded Apple in 1976 with business partner Steve Jobs.
"No one paid him to come to Serbia, to be completely clear," said Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić, according to the AP.
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Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Inc., left, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić appear during a news conference in Belgrade, Serbia, announcing the Apple co-founder's approval for a Serbian passport. (Oliver Bunic/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
While Jobs would go on to become the public face of Apple leadership until his death in 2011, Wozniak remained largely behind the scenes.
He designed the Apple I, which was the company’s first computer, as well as the Apple II, and influenced the original Macintosh. He briefly left the company to recover from a plane crash, then returned to work as an engineer.
Wozniak left his day-to-day role at Apple in 1985 to create the first universal programmable remote control but has remained a ceremonial employee of the company and receives a stipend for his role as a figurehead. He wrote on his website in 2018, "I always sort of represent Apple when I make appearances or give interviews."
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announces Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak will receive a Serbian passport. (Oliver Bunic/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
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Wozniak’s website states that he and his wife reside in Los Gatos, California. He has three adult children and at least five grandchildren.
The tech mogul suffered a stroke last month while traveling in Mexico City and attending the World Business Forum. While scheduled to speak, he did not do so after feeling dizzy that morning before experiencing vertigo and difficulty walking — symptoms which prompted a trip to the hospital.
Wozniak confirmed in a text message to ABC News that health care providers took an MRI which showed he had a "minor but real stroke" and that he has since been released from the hospital and is "flying home" to the U.S.
FOX Business' Eric Revell contributed to this report.