in 1941, along with ernest koliqi, mustafa merlika-kruja, giuseppe valentini, karl gurakuqi, xhevat kortsha ecc., he was one of the founders of the institute of sciences of albania, the predecessor of what came to be known later as academy of sciences of albania. shantoja endorsed the government of mustafa kruja, in whose thoughts he saw a continuance of the political mentality of gurakuqi. in 1943 he participated in the burial of ndok gjeloshi in tirana, who had been killed by the communists. aftr the ww2 capitulation of italy in september 1943 shantoja retired from politics.