Shefqet Vërlaci
Shefqet Vërlaci
Shefqet Vërlaci | |
|---|---|
| 12th Prime Minister of Albania | |
| In office 30 March 1924 – 27 May 1924 | |
| Preceded by | Ahmet Zogu |
| Succeeded by | Iliaz Bej Vrioni |
| In office 12 April 1939 – 4 December 1941 | |
| Preceded by | Kostaq Kota |
| Succeeded by | Mustafa Merlika-Kruja |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 December 1877 Elbasan, Albania (then Manastir Vilayet, Ottoman Empire) |
| Died | 21 July 1946(aged 68) Zurich, Switzerland |
| Political party | Progressive Party of Albania Albanian Fascist Party |
| Profession | Prime Minister |
| Signature | .svg){kind=small} |
Shefqet bej Vërlaci[1] (Albanian pronunciation: [ʃɛfcɛt vəɾlat͡si]; 15 December 1877, Elbasan, Manastir Vilayet, Ottoman Empire – 21 July 1946, Zürich, Switzerland) was an Albanian politician and wealthy landowner.
Shefqet Vërlaci | |
|---|---|
| 12th Prime Minister of Albania | |
| In office 30 March 1924 – 27 May 1924 | |
| Preceded by | Ahmet Zogu |
| Succeeded by | Iliaz Bej Vrioni |
| In office 12 April 1939 – 4 December 1941 | |
| Preceded by | Kostaq Kota |
| Succeeded by | Mustafa Merlika-Kruja |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 December 1877 Elbasan, Albania (then Manastir Vilayet, Ottoman Empire) |
| Died | 21 July 1946(aged 68) Zurich, Switzerland |
| Political party | Progressive Party of Albania Albanian Fascist Party |
| Profession | Prime Minister |
| Signature | |
Biography
In 1922, Vërlaci was the biggest landowner of Albania. He was the leader of the Progressive Party, the biggest conservative party in Albania, which firmly opposed any agrarian reform reducing the landowners' property. The Progressive Party included some North Albanian clan chiefs and prominent Muslim landowners as its members.
In late 1922, Ahmed Zogu became engaged to Vërlaci's daughter, winning his support and the position of Prime Minister.
In early 1924, Zogu was forced to cede his position of Prime Minister to Vërlaci,[2] because of a financial scandal and an attempt of assassination in which Zogu was injured. The date of Vërlaci taking the position of prime minister is 5 March 1924 (some sources cite other dates in February or March). Vërlaci held this position until 2 June (or 10 June) and then fled to Italy. During Fan Noli's regime that followed, a special tribunal created by the government condemned Vërlaci to death in absentia along with the confiscation of all his property.
When Zogu was crowned in 1928, he immediately broke his engagement with Vërlaci's daughter. Vërlaci thus became King Zog's mortal enemy.
On 12 April 1939, after the Italian invasion of Albania, Vërlaci became the prime minister of the government of Albania formed under the Italian occupation. From 12 April through 16 April (until Italy's King Victor Emmanuel III accepted the Albanian crown), Vërlaci was the acting head of state. Vërlaci was also named by King Victor Emmanuel III senator of the kingdom of Italy.
Vërlaci supported Albania's claim to ethnic Albanian-inhabited areas in Yugoslavia and Greece.
On 28 November 1939, there was an anti-Italian, anti-Fascist and anti-government street demonstration in Tirana, supported by a strike of industrial and transport workers.
Vërlaci remained at the head of the government until 4 December (other sources cite 10 November or 3 December), 1941.
He died in 1946 in Zürich, Switzerland, and is buried in the Protestant Cemetery in Rome.
See also
History of Albania