Pandeli Evangjeli

Pandeli Evangjeli (January 6, 1859 – September 14, 1949) was an Albanian politician and 7th Prime Minister of Albania twice. He was the first Orthodox Christian to become chief of the Albanian government.[2]

Pandeli Evangjeli
7th Prime Minister of Albania
In office 16 October 1921 – 5 December 1921
Preceded by	Sulejman Delvina
Succeeded by	Qazim Koculi
In office 6 March 1930 – 16 October 1935
Preceded by	Koço Kota
Succeeded by	Mehdi Frashëri
Personal details
Born	(1859-01-06)January 6, 1859 Korçë,[1] Ottoman Empire
Died	September 14, 1949(1949-09-14) (aged 90) Korçë, Albania
Signature

Born in Korçë in 1859,[1] he spent most of his youth in the Albania colony of Bucharest. He became chairman of the society "Dituria" ("Knowledge") in 1897, and contributed in the establishment of a local "Committee for the Liberation of Albania", one of the many of that time.[3][4] Evangjeli became prefect of his native city in 1914, after coming back from Romania.[5]

As part of the government of Sulejman Delvina he was shortly part of the Albanian delegation in the Paris Peace Conference in 1920. After that he was elected member of the parliament, and shorty Prime Minister from 16 October 1921 to 5 December 1921.[6] From 1922 to 1924 he was Foreign Minister. During Fan Noli's tenure after the June Revolution he exiled in Romania, returning in 1925 when he was elected Head of the Senate. As a representative of Korça, he headed the session which proclaimed Albania as a Constitutional Monarchy and Ahmet Zogu as King of Albania. A strong supporter of Zog, he directed three cabinets as Prime Minister from 1930 to 1935. He was replaced by Mehdi Frashëri after the critics received for "failing to maintain peace and order" during the Revolt of Fier, 1935. He served as Parliamentary President until the Italian invasion of 1939.[3]

Although he was considered a pro-Italian, and his name appears in the Assembly list of 1943, he did not play any active role during World War II. The communist regime did not persecute him. Evangjeli died in Korçë in 1949.[3]

See also

• History of Albania
• List of Prime Ministers of Albania

Political offices
Preceded by Ilias Bej Vrioni	Prime Minister of Albania 16 October 1921 – 5 December 1921	Succeeded by Qazim Koculi
Preceded by Koço Kota	Prime Minister of Albania 5 March 1930 – 22 October 1935	Succeeded by Mehdi Bej Frashëri

References

1. Andoni, Ben. "Njerëzit që drejtuan Shqipërinë". Revista Mapo. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
2. Pearson 2004, p. 173
3. Robert Elsie (December 24, 2012). A Biographical Dictionary of Albanian History. I. B. Tauris. pp. 134–135. ISBN 978-1780764313.
4. Skendi, Stavro (1967). The Albanian national awakening. Princeton: Princeton University Press. p. 146. ISBN 9781400847761.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
5. Korce Municipality. "Historiku i qytetit". Municipality. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
6. Pearson, Owen (2004). Albania and King Zog: Independence, Republic and Monarchy 1908-1939. London: The Centre for Albanian Studies. p. 180. ISBN 1-84511-013-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)