14 Facts About Ramiz Alia

Ramiz Alia was the country's head of state from 1982 to 1992.

Ramiz Alia had been seen as a successor by Enver Hoxha and took power after Hoxha died.

Ramiz Alia grew up and spent his childhood in Tirana.

Ramiz Alia had risen rapidly under Hoxha's patronage, and was elected to the Central Committee in 1948, and in 1956, was named a candidate member of the Politburo.

Ramiz Alia distinguished himself as the chief ideologist in the social and cultural fields for the Party of Labour of Albania, specifically during the years of the Cultural and Ideological Revolution.

Ramiz Alia's response was that such an organisation had to be registered with the Ministry of Justice.

Ramiz Alia was a crucial figure in the peaceful political transition of the early 1990s.

Ramiz Alia managed to remain a key political figure throughout several political crises.

Nonetheless, with Albania in the throes of a grave economic crisis, Ramiz Alia had to face challenges that he could not surmount.

On 21 May 1994, senior officials from the Communist government, including Ramiz Alia, went on trial.

Ramiz Alia was charged with abuse of power and misappropriation of state funds, as was prime minister Adil Carcani, deputy prime minister Manush Myftiu, and Rita Marko who was a vice-president.

Ramiz Alia had been placed under house arrest in August 1992 and his detention was converted into imprisonment in August 1993.

The ten defendants were found guilty as charged and sentenced to between three and nine years in prison; Ramiz Alia received a nine-year sentence.

Ramiz Alia's legacy remains polarizing with some dissidents accusing him of continuing on Hoxha's repressive practices while others have praised him for peacefully dissolving the monopolistic hold of power of the Party of Labour and avoiding bloodshed and civil war as seen in Romania previously.