Idhomen Jovan Kosturi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Prime Minister of Albania (acting) | |
| In office 12 December 1921 – 24 December 1921 | |
| Monarch | Wilhelm I |
| Preceded by | Hasan Prishtina |
| Succeeded by | Omer Vrioni |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 May 1873 Korçë,Ottoman Empire |
| Died | 5 November 1943 (aged 70) Durrës,Albania |
| Cause of death | Assassinated |
| Relations | Jovan Kosturi (father) Spiro Kosturi (brother) |
| Occupation | Merchant, politician |
| Signature | .svg) |
Idhomen Jovan Kosturi (15 May 1873 – 5 November 1943), also known asIdhomeno Kosturi, was anAlbanian politician,regent and once actingPrime Minister ofAlbania.[1] He would become the second representative ofAlbanian Orthodox population to become head of the Albanian government, afterPandeli Evangjeli. Kosturi was also among the contributors to the first Albanian teachers' school, theShkolla Normale e Elbasanit, a teacher training institution that was founded on 1 December 1909 inElbasan.[2]
Kosturi, son ofAlbanian patriot and activistJovan Cico Kosturi was born inKorçë in south-eastern Albania, back thenOttoman Empire, on 15 May 1873.
Kosturi studied US andGerman history inBoston, MA, where he resided for several years. He became an American citizen. After his return home, being apolyglot and intellectual and having a patriotic family background, Kosturi joined the Albanianirredentist circles in theManastir Vilayet. He was vice-chairman of theSecret Committee for the Liberation of Albania based inBitola. He was a member andbookkeeper of the "Dituria" (Knowledge) society founded in Korçë, and led byOrhan Pojani. After a visit (1902) toBucharest, Kosturi told Albanians in Korçë that the main concern of Dituria was to improve theAlbanian boys school in the town through student attainment of higher grades, selecting better teachers and introducing new subjects.[3] In 1909, he participated as representative of "Dituria" in theCongress of Elbasan, where it was decided the opening ofShkolla Normale e Elbasanit. In 1912, his name appears again as a member of the short-lived society "Shoqëria shkollore" (Scholastic society).[4] He was a strong supporter of the Albanian Orthodox Church autocephaly, and the first Albanian church opened inDurrës in 1913. During theFirst World War he resided in Albania where he led his owncheta (guerrilla fighters) from 1914 to 1918.[5]
He continued the political involvement in the new Albanian state. In 1919, Kosturi was a delegate in theCongress of Durrës, following with hist participation in theCongress of Lushnje (1920). In 1920, he was elected Minister of Posts and Telegraphs.[6] During the institutional crisis of 1921 in Albania, he served shortly as Prime Minister of Albania, replacing the short-lived government ofHasan Prishtina. Meanwhile, Kosturi had built reputation and financial stability as a successful merchant.[7]
In 1922, he signed the order for expulsion of Greek Bishop Iakovos (an opponent of Albanian Orthodox Autocephaly) from Korçë.[8]He was a supporter ofFan Noli during theJune Revolution of 1924. Kosturi was Deputy Prime Minister in Noli's government of 1924. After the suppression of June Revolution and rise in power ofAhmet Zogu, he went in exile and joined Noli'sKONARE (Revolutionary National Committee).[5]
Kosturi returned into Albanian political life on 1 October 1943, as a representative of Korçë region, and the same year was elected to lead the Commission for Mandate Verification, later Chairman of Constitutional Assembly of Albania on 25 October 1943. As a chairman, he declared as "void" all laws and legal act approved during7 April 1939 andSeptember 1943. Thus the "Personal unification" between Albania and Italy (established on 12 April 1939) came to an end. He declared the official Albanianneutrality inWorld War II.[5]
He was shot on 5 November 1943 in Durrës, right after leaving his home. The responsible party was the local Communist Guerrilla Unit. The action was carried out by a young communist, Kolë Laku. It is still unknown why Kosturi was pinpointed by the communists.[citation needed]
When the future Albanian Prime MinisterRexhep Mitrovica was voted in the Parliament, he proposed the Assembly to declareNational day of mourning. Kolë Laku became well known when he was arrested on 24 February 1944, and would be hanged.[5]
For his merits in Albanian political life and his state-forming and organizational contributions to Albania,Mihal Zallari (member of the Regency) directed that thesquare in front of the formerAssembly of Albania building (area includes today's "Puppets' Theater", part of theSkanderbeg Square, andSocialist Party of Albania's premises) be renamed from "Costanzo Ciano" to "Idhomene Kosturi".[5]
With the rise ofCommunism in Albania, his patriotic, political, and financial[9] contribution would get annihilated. He would be referred as "traitor" or even "Gestapo agent".[10]
Ishin të gjithë mbështetësit e shkollës shqipe dhe të Orhan Pojanit, të cilët u bënë iniciatorët e krijimit të shoqërisë "Dituria Shqip". Drejtuesit e kësaj shoqërie ishin: kryetar nderi, Ymer bej, kryetar Orhan Pojani, arkëtar Idhomene Kosturi; pleq: Thomaq Eqimi, Qani bej Dishnica, Hafëz Ali (Korça), Çikozi Miçe, Ismail bej (Leskoviku) Tefik efendi (Panariti) (Gazeta "Korça", e enjte, 26 vjesht' e III-të 1909). Te shoqëria "Përparimi", gjejmë këta mëmdhetarë: "…Kryetar zoti Orhan Pojani, nënkryetar z. S.Karoli, këshillonjës: Behar Hafiz Ali, Sami Pojani, shkronjës z. Mihallaq Gramenoja. (Gazeta "Korça", 21 vjesht' e I-rë 1909). Edhe pas 25 vjetësh (1887-1912), përpjekjet për shkollën shqipe vijojnë. Në vitin 1912 u krijua "Shoqëria shkollore". "Anëtarët me vota të fshehta u zgjodhë këta zotërinj: Kryesonjës, Karaman beu, Stavre P. Taçi arkëtar, dhe këshillonjës: Faik Emin, Muharrem Rexhep, Nikolla Rodhe; Koço Grameno shkronjës, edhe Hasan Shaqir, Thoma Avrami edhe Vasil Ilias Kole kontrollorë (Gazeta "Koha", e shtunë, 22 vjesht' e I-rë 1912). Kjo shoqëri nuk e pati jetën të gjatë, pasi drejtuesi i saj, braktisi shoqërinë dhe mori armët. Pas kësaj, shoqëria u drejtua nga këta mëmëdhetarë: "Kryetar, Orhan bej Pojani, Islam bej Këlcyra, Mina Frashëri, Abedin efendi Tuxhari, Stavre Karole, Riza efendi Dërsniku, Idhomene Kosturi dhe Andrea N. Katundi.
ata ishin pjesa më e pasur e Korçës, dhe, duke dhuruar vetë ndihma për shkollën shqipe, nxitën shoqëritë patriotike kudo që ishin, duke përfshirë atë të Bukureshtit, për të bashkuar kontribute në para për nismën që ishte ndërmarrë. Përgjithësisht pjesa e prapavijës ekonomike është nënçmuar edhe për ngjarje të tjera, si Lidhja Shqiptare e Prizrenit. Por ardhja deri tek pavarësia nuk mund të kuptohej pa këto dy faktorë: luftën me dije e mbështetjen me pasuri.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Prime Minister of Albania (acting) 12 December 1921 – 24 December 1921 | Succeeded by |
