Memorie.al / “I went for a coffee and they made me the Minister of Construction”. This is how Faurudin Hoxha expressed it, who said that: “this was an undesirable coincidence” and also adds: “I have never coveted posts and ministries, but one day in 1982, an employee of the Central Committee of PPSh, invited me for a simple coffee, exactly when I was a specialist at the Hydropower Institute”.
This is how the former designer of the country’s main hydropower plants, Farudin Hoxha, one of the most prominent personalities of Albanian science, before and after the 90s, began his story, adding that until then, he had not even been a member of the Labor Party. “But right after coffee, the staff member told me that: ‘Ramiz Alia is looking for you in the office’.
Then, I went to his office, where the Prime Minister of that time, Adil Çarçani, was also waiting for me. As soon as they told me that I should take over the position of Minister of Construction, I flatly refused with the words that; I didn’t see myself in this job. Then I wrote to Ramiz Ali and Adil Çarçan, explaining the reasons for my non-acceptance, but, however, things had precipitated in that direction, so that any further rejection was useless.”
Speaking about his work as head of the Ministry, former minister Farudin Hoxha told us that every afternoon; he sat down and designed other works, based on his profession. “I even sometimes sat with the old workers and specialists of the hydroelectric plants, with whom I sang the old songs of the construction sites, without taking care to maintain the position of the titular”.
Speaking about the works of that time, Hoxha says that; “The Shkodër-Hani i Hoti railway, the Koman hydropower plant, the Banja hydropower plant, Bovilla, etc., are the works of this period as a designer”. Speaking about his dedication, Farudini told us that; “I did as much as I could, but Albania had many urgent needs, so I am sad only because I have not reached perfection, to solve the problems of generations”.
Youth
“My father was a municipal employee for road construction, but after his death, when I was 5 years old, we remained poor.
For this reason, I, as the eldest son (I also had two brothers), lived in Tirana, at my uncle’s house”. This is how Farudin Hoxha expressed himself, who shows that he was excellent in studies.
“But during the summer holidays, I worked as an apprentice in shops,” he added. According to the story, his dream was to become a doctor, also because he was healthy. While, in fact, after graduating from the Polytechnic, Hoxha said that he left for Hungary, where he studied Hydrotechnics.
“There I lived the terrible days of the movement that was called the ‘Hungarian Counter-Revolution’ and which was basically a real civil war. Every time I went out to buy food, I found dead bodies on the street, which I tried to cover, while tanks roared on the boulevards”. Afterwards, Hoxha said that he left for Sofia to continue his studies.
“In Sofia, I studied much disciplined, but at the same time I was the initiator and participant of all the evenings of dancing and other youth entertainment, to such an extent that the Bulgarian girls always said that: ‘Albanians are versatile’.
PROJECTS
“I have designed and implemented dozens of projects on all the rivers of Albania, with the sole aim of bringing light to my country”. Speaking about his works, Hoxha said that; “since the Bistrica Hydropower plant, until the most recent projects, I was the person who directed and initiated the works”.
“The Saboteur”
“The clays of the cores of the Fierza dam had more moisture than expected and this became an obstacle to the normal progress of the construction of the Hydropower Plant and this caused debates in the then Government”.
This is how ing. Farudin Hoxha for the works of the dam, adding that for some time, it was also described as; “saboteur”. “However, our projects achieved a perfect solution and everything ended up being a long-term success.”
Speaking about the hydropower plants designed by him, Hoxha said that; “they remain today, after 30 years, safe and without any problems, either for those who use them or for those who maintain them”.
Love
“My wife was a nurse. I was healthy. I loved her, but, perhaps because I needed a wife to do my needles, I agreed to get married. In fact, after the engagement and marriage, I never (later) I got sick and I didn’t need needles or medicine, but on the contrary, it was my wife who needed me, because she got sick several times.” This is what Farudin Hoxha told, a little jokingly, about his life partner, whom, according to him, he would not exchange for anyone else.
Arrest
“At the beginning of ’93, I was accused of embezzling Italian aid and in August of ’93 I was arrested, while in October of the same year I was released, after it was proven that the accusations were absurd.” Speaking about this period, Hoxha said that there have been difficult days, but one can overcome them all.
Immigration
“After an invitation from my friends in Bulgaria, I went there, but then an invitation arrived from Greece, to work in the field of hydropower.” Speaking about life in Athens, Hoxha said that the project assigned to him, together with the implementation, lasted about two and a half years. “The pay was not very high, but I had the pleasure of working in my profession, which was forbidden to me in my homeland.”
Director of KESH
“In October 1999, Prime Minister Ilir Meta proposed me to work as director of KESH. I accepted, because it was a field I knew quite well. During this period, I worked with dedication, but due to many problems carried, what I intended was not achieved”. So said Hoxha, who added that he still lived with the projects of the profession.
After the surgery he did at that time on the 7th in Sofia, for the thyroid, Hoxha returned home, with a slight improvement, but still with a hoarse voice. Despite this lack, he said that he would not stop talking and writing about hydroelectric plants and lights, until the end of his life.
Professional career of Professor and academician Farudin Hoxha
He was born in Gjirokastra, on January 20, 1936.
1943 – “Hoxha Tahsim” elementary school in Tirana opens.
1947 – He starts the 7-year school at the “Red School”, Tirana.
1951- Enters the “7 November” Polytechnic.
1955- Begins higher studies in Budapest and continues in Sofia.
1961- Works at the State Design Institute, Tirana, and Directorate of Hydropower Plants.
1971- Specialization in France.
1982-1991- Minister of Construction and minister at the Council of Ministers for Foreign Economic Cooperation.
1989- Receives the title “Professor”.
1998-2001- Vice-President of the Academy of Sciences.
PROJECTS
The Drin river utilization scheme, “Bistrica II” hydropower plant, Vau i Deja hydropower plant, Koman hydropower plant, Fierza hydropower plant, Banja hydropower plant, Bogova hydropower plant.
Designer of all other dams from 40 m. up to 167 m. height. Memorie.al
