Albania's first post-communist prime minister Fatos Nano is fighting for his life in the hospital
The Albanian government says the country's first post-communist prime minister is in hospital fighting for his life
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Albania's first post-communist prime minister, Fatos Nano, was in a hospital and fighting for his life, the current prime minister’s office said Thursday.
Nano, 70, has been in intensive care at a private hospital in the capital, Tirana, for the past week, being treated for problems with his lungs.
Nano was the founder of the governing Socialist Party in 1991 after the breakup of the former communist party that ran Albania’s dictatorship after World War 2. He also served briefly as prime minister for four months in 1991.
Nano's successor, Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama, was praying “at these difficult hours of the fight for his life, the Socialist Party’s historic leader," he wrote on Facebook.
On Thursday, Rama awarded Nano one of Albania's highest honors, the Great Cordon with the Star of Public Appreciation, “for his distinguished contribution to the construction of the constitutional and democratic state in Albania, the liberal trend in his leadership and exemplary tolerance in the extremely difficult moments of the national political life, but also his personal life, his decisive role in the social efforts for the country’s future.”
In 1993 Nano was sentenced to 12 years in prison on charges of falsifying documents and misappropriating funds, but his conviction was overturned after his release, based on insufficient evidence.
By 1997, Albania was in almost total anarchy following the collapse of failed pyramid investment schemes where poor Albanians lost their life savings.
There were no guards at Nano's prison, so he broke out. He was formally pardoned a few days later by the president at the time, Sali Berisha.
Nano served as Prime Minister in 1997-1998 and again in 2002-2005. He resigned as party leader after losing the 2005 election and was replaced by Rama.
Afterwards, Nano was reluctant to get involved in politics.