Albania

The Albanians are descendants of the ancient Illirians, an indo-European people who migrated southward from central Europe to the north of Greece by the beginning of the Iron age. The southern Illirians were much in contact with Greek colonies; meanwhile the northern tribes of Albany were united at various times under local kings. The most important of them was Argon, whose kingdom expanded from Dalmatia in the north to the Vijose river in the south despite the Hun incursions during the 3rd to 5th centuries and the Slavic invasions during the 6th and 7th centuries, the Albanians were one of the few peoples in the Balkans who kept their own language and customs. When Turks invaded in 1431, the Albanians put up stiff resistance, finally being occupied 47 years later. In the years which followed, the Ottomans imposed Islam upon the country. A popular uprising ended foreign domination in 1912, and independence was officially proclaimed by the agreement that put an end to World War I. In 1927 Ahmed Zogu, who had become president in 1925, signed a treaty with Moussolini, turning the country into a virtual italiam protectorate.

When the Soviet Union started destalinization in the 1960s, Albania broke with Moscow and established close ties with the People’s Republic of China, with which it eventually broke ties in 1981. The workers party line virtually isolated the country from any international alliance later on. In 1977 Albania proclaimed self sufficiency in what according to official figures, between 1939 and 1992 industrial output has grown by 12500%, building material by 26200 %, and electricity by 32,200. in 1989, Ramiz Alia, the Albanian head of state since Hoxha’s death in April 1985, initiated a reorganisation process aimed at improving the economy, and breaking the country’s international isolation. The pace of the reforms picked up during 1989 and 1990. Border immigration procedures were simplified to encourage tourism, talks were initiated with an aim toward resuming relations with both the US and the USSR, freedom of religion was declared; capital punishment was abolished for women; the number of crimes punishable by death was reduced from 34 to 11 and guidelines were established in the area of civil rights. In 1990, amnesty was granted to political and common prisoners. In Dec of the same year, independent political parties were authorized. That same month free, direct elections were announced the first to be held in Albania in 46 years. Despite the overwhelming defeat of Ramiz Alia in Tirana – 18 of the 19 posts to be filled went to the hitherto unknown engineer, Franko Karogi, of the Democratic Party – the communists managed to obtain 156 of the 250 parliamentary seats. Former king Leka I issued a statement from Paris, denouncing electoral fraud and opposition leader stated that evidence was being collected proving the illegitimacy of the electoral proceedings.

In May 1991, more than 300,000 workers went on strike, demanding the resignation of the communist govt, as well as a 50% salary increase. On June 1991, the conference of Security and Cooperation in Europe announced the admission of Albania the last European country remaining outside this group. In 1991 Albania received 77 million USD in aid from the European community. Albania pays for its food imports by exporting chrome, agricultural goods, oil and copper. It also provides Greece and Yugoslavia with electricity. On April 1992, Sali Berisha, leader of the Democratic Party, replaced Ramiz Alia as president of Albania. He won the parliamentary vote 96 to 35, becoming the first non Marxist president since the end of World War II. By the middle of 93 the trials of the main political figures of the previous regime began. During 1994 and 95 laws about private property were sanctioned, and this stimulated national and foreign investors. The gross internal income grew by an average of 7 % due to the development of the building industry, services and agriculture.

Concerning foreign politics Albania was accepted as the 36th member of the European Council, and relations with neighbouring countries improved. An agreement of military cooperation with the US was signed, which included the establishment of airbases on Albanian territory for intelligence flights over Bosnia-Herzegovina. On May 96, parliamentary elections took place, in which the main leader of the opposition was not allowed to participate. The Democratic Party won 122 out of 140 places. On the day of the election the Socialist Party, the Democratic Alliance (centre right) the Social Demo Party, and the Human Rights Party withdrew their candidacies. The Socialist party accused the government of controlling the voting through the police. President Berisha, accused the Socialists of organizing terrorist games.