Xhelil Gjoni (born November 3, 1938) is a former Albanian politician of the Albanian Workers' Party (PPSh) and journalist.

Xhelil Gjoni
Member of the People's Assembly
In office
1991–1992
PresidentRamiz Alia
Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party
In office
August 1990 – December 1990
PresidentRamiz Alia
Personal details
Born (1938-11-03) November 3, 1938 (age 85)
Maqellarë, Dibër, Albania
Political partyParty of Labour of Albania
Other political
affiliations
Socialist Party of Albania
ChildrenIlir Gjoni

Life

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Gjoni was born on 3 November 1938 in Maqellarë, Dibër District. He took his first studies in his home town, and during 1952-1956 followed the Pedagogical School in Peshkopi. During 1956-1961 he resided in the Soviet Union, where he studied philosophy in Moscow and Leningrad. After returning to Albania in 1961, he started working for the Zëri i Popullit newspaper. He would remain there for 17 years, transgressing from a journalist, to manager-editor, later vice editor-in-chief, and finally Chief Editor.
In 1975, he served as Secretary of the Party for Propaganda in Tirana. In December 1984, he took over as First Secretary of the Party for Krujë District. He would follow a similar position in his native Dibër District during 1987–1990. In August 1990, he would reach the top of his political career. Gjoni took over as Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party, at the same time First Secretary of the Party in Tirana. He held this positions until the 10th and last Congress of PPSh.[1] During the collapse of communism, Gjoni became in July 1990 Politburo of the Party of Labour of Albania. He is remembered as arrogant, brutal, and a man of scandals. Apparently was chosen from Ramiz Alia in a very delicate moment as a "strong hand".[2]

He was also a representative in the National Assembly (Kuvendi Popullor) during the 12th legislature between 1991 and 1992.[3] During this time he served on the governing board of the Socialist Party of Albania (Alb: Partia Socialiste e Shqipërisë), the successor organization to the PPSh.[4]

His son Ilir Gjoni was occasionally Internal Affairs and Defense Minister of Albania in the governments of Prime Minister Ilir Meta.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Si u hoqen prangat e sigurimit nga duart e Dritero Agollit". Shqiperia.
  2. ^ "Arben Puto më 1990: Alia i rrezikshëm, Xhelil Gjoni brutal". Gazeta Shqiptare Online (in Albanian). March 3, 2015.
  3. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-14. Retrieved September 29, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - Republika e Shqipërisë KUVEND. Tiranë 2005
  4. ^ Jens Reuter: Optionen der internationalen Gemeinschaft zur Lösung der albanischen Frage (2000) (PDF; 168 kB)
  5. ^ "ALBANIAN PREMIER RESHUFFLES CABINET (November 2000)". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-06-15.
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