Fatos Nano is an Albanian politician who has served as Prime Minister of Albania on many occasions, as well as in other major government positions during his early career. Nano grew up in a middle-class family in Tirana and went to university to study political economy. Following that, he acquired a job in Elbasan’s metallurgical mill, and after a few years working in various businesses, Nano returned to Tirana and began working as a research scholar at the well-known Institute of Marxist-Leninist Studies. He rose to prominence at this institution, and his dedication was recognized by the country’s top political leaders at the time. Fatos Nano entered politics and became Prime Minister of Albania shortly after. He served as Prime Minister of Albania again when the Labor Party of Albania came to power. Around the same time, he was elected as the leader of the Socialist Party. Fatos Nano was also accused of corruption and was sentenced to prison; however, he was acquitted after proving his innocence.
Childhood and Adolescence
Fatos Thanas Nano was born in Tirana, Albania, on September 16, 1952, to Thanas Nano and his wife Maria. His father progressed through the ranks of the Albanian Radio Television to become its director, while his mother worked for the government. Fatos Nano attended Tirana’s Sami Frasheri High School, where he developed a strong interest in foreign languages throughout his time there.
He was also interested in music and had learned to play the guitar. Later on, he became a member of a musical group. Fatos Nano studied political economy at the University of Tirana after graduating from high school. In 1978, he graduated from university and began working in the metallurgy industry in Elbasan, Albania.
Career of Fatos Nano
Fatos Nano left the metallurgy business in Elbasan in 1981 and began working as an economist at Priska’s Agricultural Farm in Tirana, his home town. He worked there for three years and demonstrated that he was an expert in economics. In 1984, Fatos Nano began working as a researcher at Tirana’s Institute of Marxist-Leninist Studies. He was researching socioeconomic issues and market economy changes in former Soviet Union countries. He worked at the institute for seven years, during which time communist leader Enver Hoxha recognized him as a strategic thinker.
Fatos Nano began his political career as the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers in December 1990. He was named Deputy Prime Minister in Adil Carcani’s administration in January 1991. Nano’s political career took off swiftly when he was elected Prime Minister of Albania in February 1991, in a government that was considered to be in transition.
Fatos Nano was re-elected Prime Minister following the March 1991 elections in which the Albanian Labour Party came to power. His government, however, only lasted a few weeks when he was forced to quit due to a general strike called by independent unions. The Labour Party was renamed the Socialist Party in June 1991, and Fatos Nano was elected as its leader. When the Democratic Party of Albania came to power in 1992, it initiated an investigation that resulted in Nano being sentenced to prison on a charge of corruption, which created considerable incredulity among Albanians. He was freed from prison in 1997 and was found not guilty of all counts in 1999.
Fatos Nano became Prime Minister of Albania after the Socialist Party of Albania won a landslide victory in 1997. Nano had a particularly difficult time in 1998, when members of the opposition and the army attempted to overthrow his government. Nano was forced to resign in 1998, and he has since retreated from public life.
The Socialist Party won the elections in 2001, and Nano was re-elected Prime Minister of Albania in 2002. But it was a particularly trying time for him, as he had to deal with claims of corruption from various sources, as well as large rallies led by opposition figures. Nano resigned from his office when the Socialist Party lost the 2005 elections. He attempted to return to active politics in the following years, even running for President, but his efforts were unsuccessful.
Personal History and Legacy
In 1976, Fatos Nano married Rexhina, his longtime girlfriend. Sokol is the couple’s son, while Edlira is their daughter. In 2001, the couple divorced. In the year 2002, Nano married Xhoana Nano. From his second marriage, he had no children.
Estimated Net Worth
The estimated net worth of Fatos Nano is $1.6 Million.