Shefqet Vërlaci was born in Elbasan, a political activist who served as prime minister during the fascist occupation. He attended high school in Manastir. He began his studies at the “Mülkiye” in Istanbul (the higher school of administration) but did not complete them. In 1910, he was elected as a deputy of Elbasan in the parliament of the Ottoman Empire. In 1914, he participated in the delegation led by Esat Pasha Toptani, which went to Germany to offer Wilhelm II the throne of Albania. On December 25, 1918, he was the representative of Elbasan at the Congress of Durrës. On January 31, 1920, he was elected senator in the Congress of Lushnjë. He served as a deputy in the elections of April 5, 1921, December 27, 1923, May 17, 1925, August 17, 1928, November 17, 1932, and January 31, 1937. He was a member of the Senate (1925–1928). Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior (March 3, 1924 – May 27, 1924). In the years 1923–1924, he led the Elderly Group of Elbasan, initially being a member of the Progressive Party and later the People’s Party. After the fascist occupation, he was among the main figures of the Assembly of April 12, 1939, which decided the “personal union” between Italy and Albania. He led the delegation of the Assembly that presented the crown of Albania to Victor Emmanuel III on April 16, 1939. Prime Minister (April 12, 1939 – December 3, 1941). On November 18, 1941, he was appointed Minister of the Italian Kingdom State. On the eve of Albania’s liberation, he fled to Italy, where he became one of the initiators of the National Independent Bloc. He passed away in Zurich (Switzerland) in 1946. (In the photo: Shefqet Vërlaci)
Text: Albanian encyclopedic dictionary – Vol. 3 , Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH”, Tirana, 2009, page 2882.
Photo: © https://sq.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shefqet_bej_V%C3%ABrlaci
Graphic processing: AHCF
