In Sana (Yemen), where his father was a qadi, Rauf Fico (1881–1944), political activist, diplomat, deputy, and minister of internal affairs, was born. He finished high school in Shkodër and high school in Istanbul. He worked in the administration of the Vilayet of Ioannina in several Albanian cities, such as Konica, Himarë, Margëlliç, and Kuçova (1911). Fico was one of the representatives of Gjirokastra in the Congress of Manastir (1908). He was Minister of Internal Affairs in the Provisional Government of Vlora (1912). With the arrival of Prince Wied, he was appointed chief of the cabinet of Prime Minister Turhan Përmeti. Subprefect of Tirana (1916–1920). After the Congress of Lushnja, he was appointed Secretary of State of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, then Prefect of Shkodra, Deputy, Minister Plenipotentiary of Albania for Turkey and Bulgaria, Minister of Foreign Affairs, etc. (In the photo: Rauf Fico)
Text: Albanian encyclopedic dictionary – Vol. 1 , Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH”, Tirana, 2008, page 669.
Photo: © Xhoxhi L., personal archive
Graphic processing: AHCF
