Fatos Thanas Nano (; 16 September 1952 – 31 October 2025) was an Albanian socialist politician who served as Prime Minister of Albania in 1991, from 1997 to 1998 and from 2002 to 2005.
Nano was the first leader and founder of the Socialist Party of Albania and a member of the Albanian Parliament from 1991 to 1993 and 1997 to 2009. He reformed the anti-revisionist Marxist-Leninist ideology of the Labour Party of Albania into social democracy for its successor, the Socialist Party."Të jetosh kohën", Rexhina Nano, page 108, Botimet DUDAJ, 2008.
During his leadership, the Socialist Party, as a result of reforms, joined the Socialist International and Party of European Socialists."XX Congress of the Socialist International", New York, 9–11 September 1996."PES Associate Parties" Nano was a candidate in the 2007 presidential election but did not win. He again tried in the 2012 presidential election,"Fatos Nano, interviste ne Top Story" , Sokol Balla, 19 April 2012. but he did not even qualify as a candidate, because the leaders of parties in Parliament obstructed their respective MPs to elect him as candidate in the elections."Takimi ne mbremje, Rama sot me Berishën: Nano, jo kandidat i PS" , Panorama, 3 June 2012.
Early life Fatos Nano was born in Tirana on 16 September 1952. His parents were Thanas Nano, a former director of Albanian Radio Television, and Maria Nano (née Shuteriqi), a government official from the same family as Dhimitër Shuteriqi. He was the only male child among female siblings in the family. He grew up on Hoxha Tahsim Street in East Tirana, attended and graduated from Sami Frasheri High School, reserved for the children of the nomenklatura."Të jetosh kohën", Rexhina Nano, page 14, Botimet DUDAJ, 2008 In the early years of adolescence, Nano was eager to learn foreign languages and used to play the guitar. In his second year of high school, he founded a rock group of which he was the lead singer; they played the music of the Beatles, strictly forbidden to the general public at the time. He graduated in Political Economy from the University of Tirana in 1974."Të jetosh kohën", Rexhina Nano, page 45, Botimet DUDAJ, 2008 After graduation in 1978, Nano worked in the management of the metallurgical mills of Elbasan until 1981."Të jetosh kohën", Rexhina Nano, page 59, Botimet DUDAJ, 2008 From 1981 until 1984, Nano served as an economist at Priska's Agricultural Farm in Tirana. In 1984, he was appointed as a researcher of socio-economic problems and reforms of market economies of Eastern Bloc countries at the Institute of Marxist–Leninist Studies in Tirana, where he worked until 1990."Të jetosh kohën", Rexhina Nano, page 66, Botimet DUDAJ, 2008 When Nano was working at the Marxist–Leninist Institute, he was under the observation of Nexhmije Hoxha, Enver Hoxha's wife. He was singled out as "one of her favorites" during this time.
Career Early political career Nano began his political career in December 1990, where he was first appointed Secretary General of the Council of Ministers."Të jetosh kohën", Rexhina Nano, page 93, Botimet DUDAJ, 2008 In January 1991, he was promoted to the position of deputy prime Minister, still in the government of Adil Çarçani. The fall of the communist regimes in various Central and Eastern European countries forced President Ramiz Alia to gradually remove the old communist nomenklatura from power and government, so in the end of February 1991, Alia appointed Nano as prime minister of the transitional government with the purpose of organizing the first post-communist democratic elections in the country being held that year and to prepare the transition of the country towards liberal democracy and a market economy."Opinion" , with Blendi Fevziu, 4 February 2010. The Parliamentary Elections were held on 31 March 1991 where the Labour Party of Albania won the majority. Ramiz Alia appointed Nano for the second time as the new prime Minister."Të jetosh kohën", Rexhina Nano, page 101, Botimet DUDAJ, 2008 However, his new government did not last longer than the first as one week after a general strike organized by the independent unions forced him to resign a couple of weeks later."Të jetosh kohën", Rexhina Nano, page 102-103, Botimet DUDAJ, 2008 The 10th Congress of the Labor Party was held in June 1991, which took three important decisions; first it changed the name of Labour Party to Socialist Party, then it expelled all the members of the Politburo, and then it elected Nano as the new leader of the Socialist Party on 13 June 1991."Të jetosh kohën", Rexhina Nano, page 108, Botimet DUDAJ, 2008
Imprisonment After the Democratic Party of Albania won the parliamentary election of 22 March 1992, the Parliament set up a commission in early 1993 to investigate the activity of Fatos Nano for alleged corruption and abuse with management of humanitarian aid given by the Italian state during the economic crisis that lasted from 1990 until early 1992."Të jetosh kohën", Rexhina Nano, page 123, Botimet DUDAJ, 2008 On 27 July 1993 the Albanian Parliament approved the request of the General Attorney, Alush Dragoshi"Të jetosh kohën", Rexhina Nano, page 221, Botimet DUDAJ, 2008 to take off the legislative immunity for Nano."Të jetosh kohën", Rexhina Nano, page 147, Botimet DUDAJ, 2008 On 30 July 1993 Nano was arrested in the office of the Prosecutor,"Të jetosh kohën", Rexhina Nano, page 149-158, Botimet DUDAJ, 2008 and charged with "abuse of duty and the falsification of official documents in connection with Italian aid" following the use of a single vendor which overcharged and delivered foodstuffs which were unfit for consumption. On 3 April 1994, Nano was sentenced to twelve years in prison.
From the prison, his ex-wife, Rexhina Nano, helped him continue leading the party, and served as an intermediate to other party members, sometimes verbally, sometimes in written form."Të jetosh kohën", Rexhina Nano, page 247, Botimet DUDAJ, 2008 After imprisonment, Nano decided that the party should be led by three deputy chairmen and one Secretary General to continue the party's political battle."Të jetosh kohën", Rexhina Nano, page 193, Botimet DUDAJ, 2008
In 1996, Nano wrote a letter the 2nd Congress of the Party (Keshilli i Pergjithshem Drejtues), held on July–August 1996, to initiate a "Motion for Debate" to remove from the top positions of party anyone who was affiliated in any way with the Labour Party, because Nano thought that the top positions, i.e. the leadership of the party, should be held by intellectuals, like Rexhep Meidani, Pandeli Majko, Kastriot Islami, etc."Të jetosh kohën", Rexhina Nano, page 389-393, Botimet DUDAJ, 2008 This was an imperative because it was part of the ongoing process to reform the party in order to join the Socialist International and the Party of European Socialists. The "Motion for Debate", requested by Nano, also required, to implement the recommendations made by State Department, European Parliament and European Council, for the solution of the political and institutional crisis, as official stance of the Socialist Party, also to propose the Congress to remove Marxist and statist concepts from the party's statute and programme,"Të jetosh kohën", Rexhina Nano, page 390-392, Botimet DUDAJ, 2008 also to deny Vladimir Lenin and Comintern and rehabilitate Karl Kautsky and Second Internationale."Të jetosh kohën", Rexhina Nano, page 408-409, Botimet DUDAJ, 2008 The motion was supported by the majority of the socialist members and also by the civil society, and was approved as a consequence by the congress."Të jetosh kohën", Rexhina Nano, page 411-413, Botimet DUDAJ, 2008
In 1997, the collapse of Ponzi schemes marked the beginning of an armed popular revolt against President Berisha, who was forced to resign in July 1997."Anarchy of thugs menaces Albania", Jane Perlez (The New York Times), 12 March 1997. Berisha called early parliamentary elections on 29 June and he decreed a general amnesty to all prisoners in March 1997; Nano too was released from prison."Të jetosh kohën", Rexhina Nano, page 430-432, Botimet DUDAJ, 2008 Nano was found innocent by a court in Tirana for his alleged abuse of power and corruption in 1999."Të jetosh kohën", Rexhina Nano, page 470, Botimet DUDAJ, 2008.
Second and third premierships
The parliamentary elections of 29 June 1997 were an overwhelming victory for the Socialist Party of Albania."Qeveritë e formuara nga viti 1912 deri në 2005" , Keshilli i Ministrave Nano was appointed prime minister by President Rexhep Meidani. The goal of Nano and the socialist government was to rebuild the ruined country, strengthen its economy and reconcile its people divided by political beliefs. On 14 September 1998, during the funeral of Azem Hajdari, leaders and radical followers of the Democratic Party of Albania took part in unrest in Tirana. The events were described by some observers as resembling a "semi coup d’état," though opinions differed on whether they constituted an actual attempt to seize power. The government accused Sali Berisha and his supporters of attempting a coup, while Berisha denied the allegation."Troubled September in Albania", AIM Press, 19 September 1998."Fatos Nano's address to nation", BBC News, 15 September 1998. To avoid his murder by the angry mob, Nano decided to flee to the government residence in Pogradec."Opinion" , with Blendi Fevziu, 4 November 2010. In the 1990s, Greece preferred and assisted Fatos Nano as Albanian leader due to him being Orthodox over Sali Berisha, a Muslim, as Nano was seen as being friendlier to Greek interests. pp. 80–81. "Greece's favorite candidate in these elections was clearly MR. Nano. As emerges from the interview material, he –unlike Berisha- was held in high esteem by the Greek side. It should not escape notice that Nano was by origin Orthodox Christian from Southern Albania, whereas Berisha was a northern Muslim... Greece's favour towards Nano was clearly demonstrated in June, when he was allowed to speak to a crowd of Albanian citizens at a pre-election rally in one of Athens' central squares. The police did not interfere and no arrests of illegal immigrants were made." The government of Fatos Nano was viewed by Turkey as having a pro-Greek orientation and expressed some dissatisfaction, though during that time, it still maintained close military relations with Albania in rebuilding its armed forces and a military base. p. 90. "In a broader Balkan context, Turkey has always seen the Albanians as its natural allies in the Balkans. If the Greeks and Serbs have stood on one side of the scale, the Turks and the Albanians have stood on the other. Although some kind of dissatisfaction with Nano's government is felt in Ankara over what is seen in the Turkish capital as Tirana's pro-Greek orientation, Turkey continues to have close military ties with Tirana; indeed, it is playing an important role in the re-organization of the disintegrated Albanian army. Albania's most important military base, which was destroyed during the armed uprising last year, will be rebuilt by Turkey." During 1998, Albania's Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) membership was suspended and temporarily withdrawn by Prime Minister Fatos Nano, who viewed it as inhibiting Albania's European aspirations. p. 164. pp. 14–24. p. 233. On 28 September 1998 Nano chose to resign and retired from political life."Të jetosh kohën", Rexhina Nano, page 461-467, Botimet DUDAJ, 2008