One of Albania’s most prominent poets, Dritëro Agolli, died Friday aged 85.

Agolli was born in Menkulas village, Devoll southeast Albania in 1931. He studied in Leningrad in the Soviet Union and wrote poetry, essays, plays and novels.

Agolli was a writer, poet, politician and for many years served as the president of Albanian League of Writers and Artists.

He suffered from a pulmonary disease and died while being under medical care at a hospital in capital Tirana./tvklan.al