Abdyl Këllezi
Abdyl Këllezi | |
|---|---|
| Born | 20 August 1919 Tirana, Albania |
| Died | 17 May 1977 (aged 57) |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Years active | 1939–1975 |
| Known for | Chairman of the Assembly of the Republic of Albania (1966–1969), Minister of Finance, Deputy Prime Minister |
Abdyl Këllezi (born 20 August 1919 – died 17 May 1977) was a prominent Albanian political figure during the Communist period. He held the position of Chairman of the Assembly of the Republic of Albania from 10 September 1966 until 13 January 1969.
Life and career
Këllezi entered the world in Tirana on 20 August 1919. His academic pursuits included business administration at the University of Florence, followed by military education in Rome. His anti-fascist stance led to his arrest in 1939, resulting in internment at Ventotene until 1941, with a subsequent imprisonment in 1942. Upon release, he became actively involved in the LANC during World War II, joining its General Council in 1943. By 1944, he was part of the military general staff for the emerging government.
Between 1945 and 1946, Këllezi directed the re-established Albanian State Bank. His career advanced through several significant governmental appointments: he served as Minister of Finance twice (1948–1953 and 1954–1958), led the State Planning Commission as Chairman (1968–1975), acted as Deputy Prime Minister from 1958 to 1966, presided over the Sino-Albanian Friendship Association between 1959 and 1975, was a member of the Central Committee of the Labor Party of Albania from 1956 to 1975, held a seat on the Politburo from 1971 to 1975, and fulfilled duties as Chairman of Parliament from 1966 through 1969.
Downfall
In 1975, Këllezi, together with Kiço Ngjela and Koço Theodhosi, faced accusations of committing "serious revisionist errors." Allegations included permitting infiltration by agents from UDBA under the guise of trade representatives, prioritizing commercial ties with Yugoslavia, and compromising Albania’s Self-Reliance policy by encouraging unnecessary trade with Western nations as well as certain countries in Asia and Africa. Following the decisions made at the Labour Party's seventh congress in May 1975, he was stripped of all official responsibilities, detained, and ultimately executed.