In Erind of Gjirokastra, Petro Poga, activist of the National Movement, minister, deputy, passed away. He was born in Erind of Lunxhëria (Gjirokastër), in 1850. He attended the “Zosimea” high school in Ioannina and higher studies in law at the University of Istanbul. He worked in Istanbul, where he became one of the founders of the newspaper “Drita” (“Light”) (1883). In 1906 he returned to Gjirokastër and helped to open and run the political-social club “Drita” (1908). He represented Gjirokastra in the Assembly of Vlora that proclaimed the Independence of Albania (November 28, 1912) and was appointed Minister of Justice in the Provisional Government of Vlora, as well as President of the Supreme Court (1913–1914). He represented Gjirokastra in the Congress of Durrës (1918) and participated in the Government of Durrës as Minister of Justice (1918–1920). Deputy of Gjirokastra in the National Council (1923–1925) and chairman of that assembly (April 17 – June 2, 1924); deputy in all legislatures of the Constitutional Assembly of the Republic and the Kingdom of Albania (1925–1939). Minister of Justice from February 1 – September 23, 1925 and from February 12 – October 20, 1927. He provided special assistance in the drafting of Albanian legislation and the Constitution of the Kingdom of Albania (1928). With the fascist occupation of Albania, he withdrew from political life and returned to his native village, where he had a rich library with about 24,000 books. (In the photo: Petro Poga)
Text: Albanian encyclopedic dictionary – Vol. 3 , Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH”, Tirana, 2009, page 2052.
Graphic processing: AHCF
