Vasil Shanto (17 August 1913 – 1 February 1944), called Vasko,[1] was one of the founders of the Albanian Communist Party.

[5] At the time of the Italian invasion of Albania (April 7–12, 1939), the Shkodër communist group included Qemal Stafa, a student, Shanto, an artisan, Liri Gega, an intellectual, Imer Dishnica, a doctor, Zef Mala and others.

[7] Miladin Popović and Dušan Mugoša were the Yugoslav delegates that helped unite the Albanian communist groups in 1941.

[9] He was one of the founding assembly members from the Shkodër group along with Stafa, Kristo Themelko, and Tuk Jakova, in 8–14 November 1941 in Tirana.

He was one of five members of the Yugoslav community of Albania, along with Branko Kadija, Jordan Misja,[disputed – discuss] Vojo Kushi and Danilo Mateja, who received the award.