Third cabinet of Mehmet Shehu Shehu III Government | |
|---|---|
 42nd Cabinet of Albania | |
 | |
| Date formed | 16 July 1962 |
| Date dissolved | 14 July 1966 |
| People and organisations | |
| Head of state | De jure: Haxhi Lleshi, De facto: Enver Hoxha |
| Head of government | Mehmet Shehu |
| No. of ministers | 21 |
| Member party | Party of Labour of Albania |
| History | |
| Election | 1962 Albanian parliamentary election |
| Outgoing election | 1966 Albanian parliamentary election |
| Predecessor | Shehu II |
| Successor | Shehu IV |
The Shehu III Government was a government of the Socialist People's Republic of Albania, formed on July 16, 1962, by Prime Minister Mehmet Shehu of the Party of Labour of Albania (PPSh). It succeeded the Shehu II Government and remained in office until July 14, 1966, when it was replaced by the Shehu IV Government.
The cabinet restructuring followed the parliamentary elections on June 3, 1962. There was a significant expansion of the Council of Ministers, including up to three First Deputy Chairmen and – excluding Beqir Balluku's dual role – up to three Deputy Chairmen. Gogo Nushi was the only member from the previous government who did not continue, but he retained significant roles, including in the Trade Union Federation Bashkimi Sindikal i Shqipërisë. Thus, the break with the Soviet Union in 1961 and the approach to China had no impact on the government of Albania.
The cabinet underwent several changes:
- On January 1, 1965, the Ministry of Industry, Mining, and Geology was divided into an Ministry of Industry under Koço Theodhosi (already a Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers) and a Ministry of Agriculture under Pirro Dodbiba. [1]
- Simultaneously, Abdyl Këllezi was appointed as the third First Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers; Adil Çarçani, the former Minister of Industry, Mining, and Geology, became the third Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers, succeeding Manush Myftiu, who had been treated abroad for an illness in 1963. Fadil Paçrami succeeded him as the Minister of Education and Culture.
- On January 1, 1966, Kiço Ngjela was appointed as the new Minister of Foreign Trade. [2]
- Simultaneously, Abdyl Këllezi had to relinquish his position as the First Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers; he became the Chairman of the State Planning Commission and a member of the successor government in 1968.
- A major reshuffle took place on March 18, 1966:
- The remaining two First Deputy Chairmen of the Council of Ministers lost their positions: Beqir Balluku became the new Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Spiro Koleka replaced Koço Theodhosi as the Chairman of the State Planning Commission.
- Haki Toska became a new member of the government as the Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers. Koço Theodhosi, who had been appointed as the Minister of Industry earlier in the year, retained his position in the government. Therefore, the Deputy Chairmen of the Council of Ministers in the last four months of Cabinet Shehu III were Balluku, Toska, and Çarçani.
- At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Behar Shtylla was succeeded by Nesti Nase.
- In the Ministry of Education and Culture, Thoma Deliana replaced Fadil Paçrami, who had been appointed the previous year.
After the rupture with Moscow in 1961, the new Shehu government had to deal with a new reality: the massive support from the Soviet Union and other communist states had ceased, and Albania was politically isolated.
| Position | Incumbent | Start of Term | End of Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman of the Council of Ministers | Mehmet Shehu | July 14, 1962 | July 14, 1966 |
| First Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers | Beqir Balluku | July 16, 1962 | March 18, 1966 |
| First Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers | Spiro Koleka | July 16, 1962 | March 18, 1966 |
| First Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers | Abdyl Këllezi | January 1, 1965 | January 1, 1966 |
| Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers | Beqir Balluku | March 18, 1966 | July 14, 1966 |
| Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers | Haki Toska [3] | March 18, 1966 | July 14, 1966 |
| Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers | Manush Myftiu | July 16, 1962 | January 1, 1965 |
| Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers | Adil Çarçani | January 1, 1965 | July 14, 1966 |
| Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers | Koço Theodhosi | July 16, 1962 | March 18, 1966 |
| Minister of the Interior | Kadri Hazbiu | July 16, 1962 | July 14, 1966 |
| Chairman of the State Planning Commission | Koço Theodhosi Spiro Koleka | July 16, 1962 March 18, 1966 | March 18, 1966 July 14, 1966 |
| Minister of People's Defense | Beqir Balluku | July 16, 1962 | July 14, 1966 |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | Behar Shtylla [4] Nesti Nase | July 16, 1962 March 18, 1966 | March 18, 1966 July 14, 1966 |
| Minister of Industry, Mining, and Geology | Adil Çarçani | July 16, 1962 | January 1, 1965 |
| Minister of Industry | Koço Theodhosi | January 1, 1965 | July 14, 1966 |
| Minister of Communications | Milo Qirko | July 16, 1962 | July 14, 1966 |
| Minister of Education and Culture | Manush Myftiu [5] Fadil Paçrami Thoma Deliana | July 16, 1962 January 1, 1965 March 18, 1966 | January 1, 1965 March 18, 1966 July 14, 1966 |
| Minister of Finance | Aleks Verli | July 16, 1962 | July 14, 1966 |
| Minister of Justice | Bilbil Klosi [6] | July 16, 1962 | July 14, 1966 |
| Minister of Foreign Trade | Kiço Ngjela | January 1, 1966 | July 14, 1966 |
| Minister of Agriculture | Pirro Dodbiba | January 1, 1965 | July 14, 1966 |
