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, strongly criticizing the first post-communist government, and later became editor of the Democratic Alliance Party newspaper Aleanca and of the weekly cultural and artistic magazine Aks. 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 March 10, 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. After Keko died in 2002 his wife and children moved to the Netherlands. In his honor a street in Tirana was renamed "Rruga Teodor Keko". For several years, Keko contributed to Albanian politics, and from 1992-1996 he was a member of parliament, first for the Democratic Party and, from August 1993 for the Democratic Alliance Party. Teodor Keko began publishing his first works in the 1980s when he became famous for his short stories.
Obituary
Keko died aged 43, 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:
Works
His first major work, the novelLoja, was praised. His other works include at least fifteen volumes of poetry, novels, drama, and especially short stories. The novel Lajmëtarja e vdekjeve, was written during the political regime change. His last work, Hollësira fatale, was a bestseller in Albania in 2001. The works of Teodor Keko are being translated into English by Robert Elsie. The young Albanian director Eno Milkani based the script of his upcoming movie Shenjtorja on Keko's Dymbëdhjetë shenjtorë, një profet dhe disa njerëz. According to Milkani, Keko's characters are "products of a hopeless society but with a nobility that blossoms only within them who have gone through a totalitarian system." His major works list includes: Prose
Beside national prizes and awards, 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.
National prizes
1981. Second prize from the Hosteni magazine yearly competition, for Si mund të kthehet dardha në gorricë, sketch
1982. Second prize from the Hosteni magazine yearly competition, for Një shfaqje e huaj, feuilleton
1982. First prize from the Studenti newspaper, for Cikël me poezi
1982. Third prize from the annual Nëntori magazine competition, for Cikël me poezi
1987. Second prize from the Hosteni magazine yearly competition, for Shtatë mrekullitë e menysë, sketch
1987. First prize from the Zëri i Rinisë newspaper, for Kongres fitimtarësh, poem
1988. Third prize from the annual Nëntori magazine competition, for Zhgënjim, novelette
1989. Prize of encouragement from the "Konkursi kombëtar i 45-vjetorit të Çlirimit", for Pretenca, novel
1996. First prize from the "Velija" journalism competition, for Kriza e vlerave, publicistics
