On the occasion of the 57th anniversary of the passing of the distinguished writer Mitrush Kuteli (Dhimitër Pasko), the National Center for Books and Reading organized a commemorative meeting to honor his figure and great work in the field of Albanian literature.

The event was attended by family members, friends, literary personalities, as well as readers of Kuteli’s work. Speeches were delivered by the researcher Behar Gjoka, Prof. Kastriot Gjika, and Kuteli’s son Pandeli Pasko.

The National Center for Books and Reading wrote on its online page that Mitrush Kuteli is distinguished not only for his language and style in prose writings but also as an intellectual who worked hard to give Albanian literary history not only Kuteli but also other figures such as Lasgush Poradeci or Noli.

Writer, translator, economist, Dhimitër Pasko, under the nickname Mitrush Kuteli, was born in Pogradec on September 13, 1907. He completed elementary school in his hometown in 1919. In the same year, he published his first poems, “Mother Albania” and “Skanderbeg,” in the “Pogradeci” calendar. In 1921, he began studying at the Romanian Trade School in Thessaloniki, Greece. From 1924, he started publishing in “Shqipëria e Re” /New Albania/ and “Kosova,” which were released in Constanta, Romania.

In 1928, he began studying at the Academy of High Economic Sciences in Bucharest. From 1928 to 1933, he edited the newspaper “Shqipëria e Re” /New Albania/ in Constanța, where he also opened the literary section “Shënime Letrare” /Litrary Notes/ in 1929. Under various nicknames, he published articles on the issue of Velipoja, Vermosh, and the monastery of St. Naum. He graduated in 1931 and received his doctorate in banking and monetary sciences with the highest distinction, “Diplomam Magnam cum Laudæ,” in February 1934.

In January 1945, he was appointed director of the Bank of Albania, but in August 1946, he was forced to resign due to his opposition to an agreement between the Albanian government and Belgrade representatives regarding the exchange rate between the Albanian Lek and the Yugoslav Dinar.

He was arrested on May 16, 1947,  on “agitation and propaganda” charges and sentenced to five years in prison. He served his sentence in the Vloçisht camp. He was released on parole in May 1949, after the rupture of relations between Albania and Yugoslavia. He worked as a translator at the state publishing house “Naim Frashëri.” He passed away in Tirana on May 4, 1967.

/a.p./