Bashkim Fino

Bashkim Fino (12 October 1962 – 29 March 2021) was an Albanian socialist politician who served as the 29th Prime Minister of Albania from March to July 1997.

Bashkim Fino MP
Member of the Albanian Parliament for Fier
In office 9 September 2017 (2017-09-09) – 28 March 2021 (2021-03-28)
29th Prime Minister of Albania
In office 11 March 1997 (1997-03-11) – 24 July 1997 (1997-07-24)
President	Sali Berisha
Preceded by	Aleksandër Meksi
Succeeded by	Fatos Nano
Deputy Prime Minister of Albania
In office 25 July 1997 (1997-07-25) – 23 April 1998 (1998-04-23)
Prime Minister	Fatos Nano
Preceded by	Tritan Shehu
Succeeded by	Makbule Çeço
Minister of Local Government
In office 28 November 1999 (1999-11-28) – 6 September 2001 (2001-09-06)
Prime Minister	Ilir Meta
Preceded by	Arben Demeti
Succeeded by	Arben Imami
Mayor of Gjirokastër
In office 1992 (1992) – 1996 (1996)
Minister of Public Works and Tourism
In office 6 September 2001 (2001-09-06) – 29 January 2002 (2002-01-29)
Prime Minister	Ilir Meta
In office December 29, 2003 (2003-12-29) – September 1, 2005 (2005-09-01)
Prime Minister	Fatos Nano
Personal details
Born	(1962-10-12)12 October 1962 Gjirokastër, Albania
Died	29 March 2021(2021-03-29) (aged 58) Tirana, Albania
Cause of death	COVID‑19
Political party	Socialist
Alma mater	University of Tirana
Signature

Biography

Fino studied economics in Tirana and the United States. After this, he worked as an economist in Gjirokastër,^[1] and in 1992 became its mayor. He was married and had two children.

On 11 March 1997, Democratic Party President Sali Berisha appointed Fino, a member of the opposition Socialist Party of Albania, Prime Minister in order to lead a government of national unity.^[2] This came after rebellion broke out over the collapse of several pyramid schemes leading to the government losing control of much of the country.^[3] Fino was Prime Minister through the 1997 elections where his Socialist Party won a large majority before he stepped down and was succeeded by his party leader Fatos Nano.^[4]

As of 2014, Fino was a Member of Parliament representing a constituency in the Korçë District.^[5] Fino was a lecturer at the Political Academy of the Socialist Party of Albania.

Fino was a devoted fan of Italian football team Inter Milan. In January 2018 he declared his intention to run for president of the Albanian Football Federation, challenging Armand Duka, the incumbent president of the last 16 years. The elections held on 7 February 2018, were lost by Fino, although he claimed that the voting process was irregular and that he would appeal to UEFA and FIFA.

Fino, who had leukemia, died on 29 March 2021, after contracting COVID-19. He was 58.^[2][6]

See also

• Political Academy of the Socialist Party of Albania