Who was Fatos Nano?

Nano for a month was at the intensive care of a private hospital in Tirana.

Who was Fatos Nano?

Fatos Nano began his political career in 1991 after being elected Prime Minister of the Transitional Government in order to organise Albania's first democratic elections that same year and prepare the country for transition to a market economy and democratic system.

The elections on 31 March 1991 were won by Albania's Socialist Party, and he was again appointed prime minister. After two months, he was forced to resign. That year he was elected chairman of the Socialist Party, which was a descendant of Albania's Labour Party.

In March 1992, the Democratic Party won the elections, and a year later Fatos Nano was imprisoned after being charged with corruption and abuse of office by the tribunal.

His detention became Albania's main post-communist problem, because many Socialists believed this imprisonment was due to Nano's access to Berisha's government.

During 1994, pyramid schemes were becoming known in Albania, and their fall in 1997 triggered an armed revolt by the opposition against the government in demand for the return of lost money to pyramid firms.

This revolt led to the announcement of early elections by President Berisha. Nano was released from prison after an amnesty granted by President Berisha. The elections were won by the Socialist Party. President Berisha resigned and the new assembly elected President Rexhep Mejidani.

President Majidani appointed Prime Minister Fatos Nano. Meanwhile, in September 1998 he resigned after the riots that followed the assassination of Azem Hajdari.

Fatos Nano was tried innocent of charges of abuse of office and corruption in 1999.