Теодор Кеко: Жизнь и судьба албанского писателя и политика

Albanian writer, journalist, and politician

Keko worked as a journalist for the literary newspaper Drita. When the Stalinist system dissolved in early 90s, Keko joined the opposition movement and the main opposition party, the Democratic Party of Albania, and was elected to Albanian parliament in March 1992. He quickly became critical of the newly elected Albanian President, Sali Berisha, whom he accused of authoritarianism. He and six others were expelled from the Democratic Party in August 1993 and, with two others who voluntarily left the party, formed the Democratic Alliance Party. Keko wrote for popular daily newspaper Koha Jonë (Our Time), strongly criticizing the first post communist government, and later became editor of the Democratic Alliance Party newspaper Aleanca (The alliance) and of the weekly cultural and artistic magazine Aks (Axis). Together with the Albanian journalist Arben Kallamata he founded the "Independent League of Journalists". They also were involved in the foundation of the Albanian section of the Association of European Journalists. On 10 March 1994 Teodor Keko was assaulted by two men with brass knuckles outside his Tirana apartment and heavily injured. Keko blamed the then government of being behind the attack. Teodor Keko began publishing his first works in the 1980s when he became famous for his short stories.

Keko died aged 43 in Thessaloniki, Greece where he was receiving treatment, shortly after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The well known Albanian writer, politician and diplomat Besnik Mustafaj, gave the last speech. Among other things he said:
Ndër të gjithë miqtë e tu të shumtë, mua më ra shorti i vështirë të të them lamtumirën e fundit në emër të tyre. Ne të gjithë të kemi dashur shumë. Dhe po të japim sot me vete mirënjohjen tonë më të thellë, për atë që ti ke ditur, ke mundur dhe ke dashur të na japësh një jetë të tërë. Unë tani përfitoj nga heshtja jote e detyrueshme dhe do të them çfarë të dua. Ti s'më ndërpret dot me të tallur, siç bëje zakonisht
Among all your many friends, it was my tough luck to say the final farewell in their name. We all loved you greatly. And today we are giving you our most profound gratitude, for that which you have known, have toiled and have desired to give us a full life. I now benefit from your obligatory silence and will say what I want. You cannot disrupt me teasingly this time, as you used to.

Beside national prizes and awards (one of each was post mortum in 2007), a street in Tirana is named after him, "Teodor Keko", since 2005. The Prestige magazine published in Thessaloniki, Greece, has established an annual prize for the short story writers named after him since 2002.

1981. Second prize from the Hosteni magazine yearly competition, for Si mund të kthehet dardha në gorricë (How the pear can turn into a wild pear), sketch
1982. Second prize from the Hosteni magazine yearly competition, for Një shfaqje e huaj (An imported expression), feuilleton
1982. First prize from the Studenti newspaper, for Cikël me poezi (Poetry cycle)
1982. Third prize from the annual Nëntori magazine competition, for Cikël me poezi (Poetry cycle)
1987. Second prize from the Hosteni magazine yearly competition, for Shtatë mrekullitë e menysë (Seven miracles of the menu), sketch
1987. First prize from the Zëri i Rinisë newspaper, for Kongres fitimtarësh (Congress of winners), poem
1988. Third prize from the annual Nëntori magazine competition, for Zhgënjim (Disappointment), novelette
1989. Prize of encouragement from the "Konkursi kombëtar i 45 vjetorit të Çlirimit" (National competition for the 45 anniversary of the Liberation), for Pretenca (Pretence), novel
1996. First prize from the "Velija" journalism competition, for Kriza e vlerave (Crisis of values), publicistics
1998. "Penda e Argjendtë" prize, from the annual competition of the Ministry of Culture of Albania, for Made in Albania, collection of short stories
1998. First prize from "Soror" journalism competition, for " ", analysis

1989. "Naim Frashëri" Order (Third Class), from the Presidium of the Kuvendi Popullor i Republikës Socialiste të Shqipërisë (decree no. 7324, 7 September 1989)
2007. Medal "Për merita të veçanta civile" (For special civic merits), from the President of Albania (decree no. 5375, 26 July 2007)