Ceno bej Kryeziu

Ceno bej Kryeziu (1895 - 1927) was an Albanian political figure of the 1910s-1920s. He was a member of the notable Kryeziu family from Gjakova, known to be trusted by Yugoslavian authorities inside Albanian political circles.

Ceno bej Kryeziu
Minister of Interior
In office
1 February 1925 – 23 September 1925
Prime MinisterAhmet Zogu
Preceded byAhmet Zogu
Succeeded byMusa Juka
Personal details
Born1895
DiedOctober 14, 1927
Prague, Czechoslovakia
NationalityAlbanian
Spouse(s)Princess Nafijé Zogu
ChildrenTati, Prince of Kosovo

Biography

Ceno Kryeziu was the son of Riza Bey Kryeziu, a well known leader in the Gjakova region and activist of Albanian national movements of the early 20th century. During the First Balkan War, Ceno fought against Montenegrins, collaborated with Esat Toptani, and was vice prefect in Kruma.[1] In 1915 he was arrested by the Austrians and imprisoned. He would later serve as a mayor in Gjakova due to an excellent relationship with Yugoslavian authorities, not in synchrony with the most other Kosovo Albanians.[2][3] Things would change in 1922, when he married Nafije, sister of Ahmed Zogu, later to be proclaimed Zog I, King of Albania.[1][3] During the June Revolution he left Albania. A special court in Tirana sentenced him to death on December 12, 1924, in absentia together with many other political figures. It was later converted to a life sentence.[4] Kryeziu assisted Ahmed Zogu and others in their escape to Yugoslavia, and established connections between Zog and the Yugoslavian side.[3] He proved useful for Ahmet Zogu due to his membership in Nikola Pašić's Radical Party and having a good relationship with Ljubomir Davidović.[5] After the return of Zog in Albania, he was given the rank of Colonel and put in charge of the Albanian army stationary in Shkodër, where he showed extreme diligence in persecuting and eliminating members of the former Democratic Opposition and people who contributed in the June Revolution.[2][6] During this time he was a regular informant to the Yugoslavian secret services. Kryeziu was directly responsible for the assassination of Asllan Curri, Zija Dibra, and the Montenegrin nationalist and anti-Yugoslav Marko Raspopović.[7] He is mentioned in the newspaper "Ora e Shqypnisë", having allegedly stated to the Yugoslavians: "You see, I kept my promise. I have captured and killed your enemy Marko Raspopović. I got rid of Gurakuqi, Curri, Dibra, for the sake of our peace and yours".[2][7][8] In late 1925, he was elected Minister of Interior, resulting in him giving up Yugoslavian citizenship. In 1925, after his relations with the Yugoslavians were exposed due to the confrontation with the special emissary of Nikola Pašić in Tirana, Branko Lazarević, Zog suspected that he might be involved in a plot against him and exiled him to France. Zog however later called him back and delegated him as Ambassador to Belgrade.[2] There were rumors circulating about Yugoslavians having elected him as the most trusted man to replace Zog in Albania, due to Zog's affiliation with Italy and distancing from his Yugoslavian support.[1][8]

Assassination

On July 26, 1927, Kryeziu was elected Ambassador of Czechoslovakia. He went to Prague in October of that year. On October 14 he was shot after coming out of a restaurant. The assailant was an Albanian student residing in Prague, Alkibijad Bebi (Albanian: Alqiviadh Bebi), born in Elbasan. Alqiviadh Bebi had been following Ceno Beg in Belgrade. He had even been stopped by Yugoslavian police but released in absence of conclusive evidence. After shooting Kryeziu, Bebi stayed calm and surrendered to the local police. It is still not completely clear who was responsible for the assassination's plan. According to Robert Elsie,[1] and confirmed by official sources in Communist Albania,[3] he was clearly an Albanian secret agent working for Ahmet Zogu. Zogu made sure to publicly show that Ceno's death had caused him sadness and despair. During his police interview, Bebi testified: "I killed Ceno Bey, because he is a Serbophile, and was trying to sell Albania to Yugoslavia". Bebi was killed during his proceedings inside a courtroom by Yugoslavian agent Zijah Vushtria. Vushtria was a Kosovo Albanian, and allegedly a former bodyguard of Kryeziu. He was arrested but released soon after with an intervention from Yugoslavian authorities.[8]

Legacy

Ceno Bey was the father of Tati Kryeziu, who, for a short period, was the successor of the Royal crown, until the birth of Leka I in 1939.

See also

References
  1. Robert Elsie (December 24, 2012), A Biographical Dictionary of Albanian History, I. B. Tauris, p. 260, ISBN 978-1780764313, retrieved 2014-10-12
  2. Ali Kelcyra (1959), Historical Reminiscences (1923-1936), Robert Elsie, archived from the original on 2013-10-12, retrieved 2014-10-12, Yugoslavia also gained concessions from the new regime, initially by changes in the border, at Saint Naum and Vermosh. In addition to this, from the start, it gained a substantial political presence when Ceno Bey Kryeziu, one of its faithfuls, was made Albanian ambassador. The Albanian emigrants encountered major impediments in Belgrade at this time from the influence of the Albanian Minister, Ceno Bey Kryeziu, who was a close friend of the Yugoslav authorities...because they held the view that Ceno Bey was morally responsible for the murders of Bajram Curri and Luigj Gurakuqi and because, while he was Minister of the Interior, he had exercised unparalleled brutality in persecuting the representatives of the Revolution of 1924 who had remained in the country. An agreement was only reached after the departure of Ceno Bey from Belgrade during the Djurasković crisis when diplomatic relations between Albania and Yugoslavia were temporarily broken off.
  3. Enver Hoxha (1982), The Anglo-American Threat to Albania: Memoirs of the National Liberation War (PDF) (1 ed.), Nentori, pp. 320–321, ASIN B0000D5S7C, retrieved 2014-10-12
  4. Zbulohet dokumenti i Nolit, si dënoi me vdekje Zogun (in Albania)
  5. Robert Clegg Austin (2012), Founding a Balkan State: Albania's Experiment with Democracy, 1920-1925, University of Toronto Press, Scholarly Publishing Division, p. 82, ISBN 978-1442644359
  6. Myftar Memia (2011-09-13), Kush e vrau Bajram Currin ?! [Who killed Bajram Curri?!] (in Albanian), Zeri i Kosoves, retrieved 2013-10-11
  7. Fatos Baxhaku (2012-10-13), Zija Dibra: Të fshehtat e një vrasjeje [Zija Dibra, the secrets of an assassination] (in Albanian), Gazeta Shqip, retrieved 2014-02-16, Zija Dibra u vra. Ish-kapiten Zija Dibra, ministër tjetër herë në kabinetin e Pandeli Evangjelit, i akuzuar për çështje bolshevike, tek internohej në Berat, duke kaluar katundin Harizaj të Qarkut të Kavajës, u mundua të arratisej e t’ikë prej duarsh nji aspiranti, i cili e shoqnonte deri në Berat. Kështu, duke qenë i hypur në kalë, atë e ngau me gjithë fuqinë përpara. Aspiranti i bërtiti nja dy herë të qëndronte, por mbasi s’e dëgjoi, e qëlloi në kokë dhe e rrëzoi të vrarë prej kalit. Pak muaj më vonë Ceno bej Kryeziu do t’i deklaronte një gazete të Beogradit: Unë e kam zënë dhe unë e kam vrarë armikun tuaj, Marko Raspopoviç. Unë kam vrarë Zija Dibrën, Bajram Currin, Luigj Gurakuqin, për paqen tuaj e tonën...”
  8. Ahmet Qeriqi (2012-10-14), Ngjarje: '14 Tetor 1927 Vritet Ceno Bej Kryeziu' [Event, October 14, 1927, Ceno Bey Kryeziu gets killed] (in Albanian), Gazeta Kritika, archived from the original on 2013-10-12, retrieved 2014-10-12
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