Josif Pashko (May 25, 1918 - September 5, 1963) was an

Albanian Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...

politician during the country's socialist period.

Biography

Josif Pashko was born into a peasant family in the village of Vodica, Kolonja. In 1938 he graduated from the Normal School at

Elbasan Elbasan ( ; sq-definite, Elbasani ) is the fourth most populous city of Albania and seat of Elbasan County and Elbasan Municipality. It lies to the north of the river Shkumbin between the Skanderbeg Mountains and the Myzeqe Plain in central Al ...

and served as an elementary school teacher in that town from 1939 to 1942. Together with his father Pashko Vodica he joined the communist-led resistance to Italian occupation in 1942, becoming a political commissar of various brigades. After the war he was involved in the armed forces, security and judicial organs. From 1950 onwards he was a deputy in the People's Assembly. From 1954 until his death he was a government minister in charge of construction. During the war he joined the Communist Party of Albania (Party of Labour of Albania after 1948) and became a member of its Central Committee in 1952. His son

Gramoz Pashko Gramoz Pashko (11 February 1955 – 16 July 2006) was an Albanian economist and politician. He co-founded the Democratic Party of Albania in 1990 and later served as rector of the University of New York, Tirana. Pashko was married to Mimoza ...

was an economist who co-founded the

Democratic Party of Albania The Democratic Party of Albania ( sq, Partia Demokratike e Shqipërisë, PD or PDSH) is a conservatism in Albania, conservative list of political parties in Albania, political party in Albania. It has been the largest opposition party in the c ...

in 1990.

References

* Skendi, Stavro (ed). ''Albania''. New York: Frederick A. Praeger. 1956. p. 338. 1918 births 1963 deaths People from Kolonjë Labour Party of Albania politicians Government ministers of Albania Construction ministers of Albania 20th-century Albanian politicians Albanian communists Albanian schoolteachers {{Albania-politician-stub