阿尔巴尼亚历史（英）

ALBANIA

 

HISTORICAL CHRONOLOGY OF ALBANIA

 

ANCIENT TIMES-THE ILLYRIANS

 

The forerunners of the present day Albanians were the Illyrians. They inhabited a large territory, as early as Middle Paleolithic (100.000-40.000 B.C.), whose northern border ranged as far as Danube’s branches (Sava and Drava), while southward it covered the bulk of prehistoric Epirus and extended as far as Ambrocia bay (Preveza). Its eastern natural borders ranged to Morava and Vardar rivers, while in the west were both Adriatic and Ionic coasts. A few Illyrian tribes like Mesapsa and Japygs were settled in the southern Italy (Calabria).

But the first considerable traces of civilization are to be found in (6.000-2.000 B.C.). Archaeological excavations at Butrint show that the first group to leave its mark on the country was the “Kaon” tribe, first millennium B.C. At this period Butrint was a fortified center of the Kaonian Illyrians.

 

 

HERE IS A CHRONOLOGY OF THE HISTORICAL DATA:

 

B.C. 5.000 Palasgians migrate to the Balkans, beginning of the Bronze Age.

B.C. 1.000 Illyrians travel fron Central Europe to settle in the Western Balkans.

B.C. 7/8th Greeks from Corfu and Corinth, colonize the Albanian coast. Founding of Epidamnos (in B.C. 627 as the Greek colony, Dyrrachion- platter known as Durrës) and Apollonia (B.C. 5th – 3rd century, flowering of the state of Illyria).

B.C. 435 Conflict between the Independent city-states of Epidamnos and Corfu.

B.C. 250 A state under king Argon controls the western shores of the Balkans territory from river Kerka in Slovenia to the present day Albania.

B.C.229-168 Roman invasion of the Illyrian coast. Illyrian kingdom is reduced to a narrow strip between Dubrovnik and Lezhë(Lisus). At this time was built the “Via Egnatia” from Dyrrachion (Durrës) to Constantinople. 

B.C.167 Rome is victorious against king Genthius, bringing his Illyrian kingdom under Roman rule.

A.D.2nd C. Illyrians became known by the new name of Arber.

A.D.160-279 Slavonic tribes occupy the mountain districts of Albania.

A.D. 395 Arberia becomes part of the Byzantine Empire.

A.D.5th C. Invasion by western and eastern Goths, Avers and Celts.They ravage the Balkan provinces, stay a short time, and then move on. Huns invade Kosova.

A.D.529-640 Invasion from central Europe by Slavic tribes ending By-zantine authority. The Illyrian population withdraws into the coastal towns and the mountains of the interior of the northern Albania.

851 Invasion of the area by the Bulgars, who stayed until 1010 century.

1054 Schism in the church – division into Orthodox and Roman churches. Schism effects Albania’s Christianity.

1081 Normans enter Albania from Italy and govern until 1100 century.

1096 Armies of the first Crusade march through Albanian territory.

1190 Proclamation of the feudal state of Arberia (The Principality of Arber 1190-1216), in the north of Albania, with Kruja as the capital.

1204 Conquest of Constantinople by the Crusades. Decline of the Empire of Byzantine, Michael Comnenus, member of Byzantine Imperial family founded his despot of Epirus. He deprives Byzantine of Albania’s coastal region.

1272 Charles I, King of Naples, enters Albania from northern Italy, forms the kingdom of Arberia and proclaims himself, King of Albania. While the interior of Albania is ruled by Byzantine and Serbian princes till 1356. Roman Catholic religion is spread.

1344 Albania becomes part of the Kingdom of Serbia, under the leadership of Stephen Dushan together with Macedonia, Thesaly and Epirus. After his death, Albania falls to native chieftains and the Knight Balsha established a principality in the north with Shkoder as its capital, fending off Serbs and Bulgarians. Other feudal principalities were established in the Albanian territories; Topiads with Durres as its capital, Muzakads with Berat as it capital, Zenebisht with Gjirokaster as its capital, the Bishopric of Shpatads with Arta as its capital.

1352 Ottoman conquest of Europe begins.

 

 

OTTOMAN CONQUEST AND ALBANIAN-OTTOMAN WAR

 

1431 Turks capture Janina; take a large part of Albania under their control.

1433 Uprising against the Turks right across the territoryfrom north to south, under the leadership of Arianit Shpata.

1442 November 28th, Gjergj Kastriot Scanderbeg resigns from the Turkish army, enters Kruja with 300 Albanians, proclaims independence of principality of Kastriot and raises his red family flag, with a black eagle at the center, eventually becoming Albania’s national flag.

1444 March, League of Lezhe. The Albanian feudal nobility unite and enter conflict against the Turks under the leadership of Gjergj Scanderbeg. 

1450 Scanderbeg concludes a peace treaty with Venice to have a free hand in his struggle against the Turks.

1450 Turkish Sultan Murad, besieges Kruje for five months, but is defeated by Scanderbeg aided by Alfonso I of Naples.

1455 Scanderbeg attacks the Turkish at Berat but loses 6.000 men.

1457 Turks attack Scanderbeg with an army of 60.000 soldiers and conquer most of the Albanian lowlands and attack his Kruje stronghold, but Scanderbeg forces an Ottoman withdrawal.

1463 Great War between the Turks and Venetians.

1466 Sultan Muammed II conquers Albania but fails to occupy Kruja.

1468 January 17th, Scanderbeg falls ill with fever and dies in Lezha.

1478 Scanderbeg Kruja fortress falls to the Turks. The crucial battle in Albania history. Muhamed II retrieves Kruja, however Shkoder holds out.

1479 January 25th, peace is concluded with the rest of Albania. Venetians give up Shkodër and Albanians were stationed along the coastline, but keep Ulqin, Antivari and Durrës.

1501 The Ottoman Empire occupies all Albania, with Durrës the last town to be taken from the Venetians and Albania remains under Ottoman control until 1912.

1555 Gjon Buzuku publishes the first book in Albanian language “The Messar” (Meshari).

1571 Turks take Ulqin from Venetians.

15th-16th C. Thousands of Albanians are forced to emigrate due to hunger and oppression, mainly to southern Italy.

16th C. The orthodox Church is dominant in the south, the Roman Catholic Church in the north.

1614 Sulejman Pasha Bargjini, builds a mosque, a bathhouse and a bakery in Tirana.

1635 Frang Bardhi publishes the first Latin-Albanian dictionary and Andre Bogdani writes the first Latin-Albanian grammar.

1670 Mehmet Bushati, pasha of Shkodra, rallies his northern chieftains to defeat the Turks. His son Mahmut routes three Turkish armies, but his grandson is defeated in southern Albania.

18th C. In the late 18th century two Albanian nobles, Ali Pasha

Bushatlli and Ali Pasha Tepelena succeeded in establishing semi – independent Pashaliks. They centered respectively at Shkoder in the north and Janine (now in Greece) in the south.

1831 Collapse of the Albanian pashaliks marked the beginning of a new period which in the history of the Albanian People is known as “Albanian National Renaissance” (1840-1912), a movement aiming at liberating the country from Ottoman invaders, uniting all Albanian territories in a single autonomous or Independent State and advancing the Albanian language and culture. Along with the armed struggle, a cultural movement was promoted. Its new ideas were embodied in the activity of K.Kristoforidhi, N.Veqilharxhi, J.Vreto, P.Vasa, Th.Mitko, Z.Jubani, H.Tahsini, J.De Rada A.Frasheri, S.Frasheri, N.Frasheri. They faced religious dissension through the slogan“The religion of Albanians is to be Albanian”.

1878 New Albanian League (League of Prizren) was set up at a Congress held in Prizren (Kosova) and branches were set up all over Albania. It was thanks to the League of Prizren alone that the question of separate Albanian nation was posed for the first time in worldwide diplomatic circles.

1887 March 8th , the first Albanian School was set up. It was the first national secular school in Albania.

1908 Congress was held in Manastir to come to a decision on a single alphabet. Instead of one, two alphabets were approved, the Istanbul alphabet and a Latin one. The latter was easier to use for the printing of books and before long it became the only alphabet of the Albanian language.

1911 June Albanian leaders hold meeting in Montenegro, adopt a 12-point memorandum-demanding recognition of the Albanian nations, self-government, free elections, Albanian-language education in schools etc.; and send their message to all European powers. Although religious services are conducted in three languages- Arabic for Moslems, Greek for the Orthodox, Latin for Catholics- the slogan of the day is: “The religion of the Albanian people is Albanians”.

 

 

ALBANIA’S INDEPENDENCE

(ALBANIA DURING 1912-1939)

 

1912 28th of November 1912. The Proclamation of Albanian Independence, with the first Albanian (liberal-democratic) government led by Ismail Qemali (1844-1919).

1913 July 29th, A conference of Ambassadors in London confirms Albanian independence, under the supervision of an International Control Commission. New frontiers are settled. The great powers drew the boundaries of the new state of Albania. Kosova is given to Serbia, and southern parts to Greece. Albania is declared by the Conference as a Protectorate. Half of the Albanian people are handed over to other states.

1913 September 23rd, Serbia sends troops into Albania, following Albanian raids on areas assigned to Serbia by Treaty of London.

1914-1918 The First World War. Montenegrin, Austrian, Italian, French, Greek, Bulgarian and Serbian troops, overruns Albania.

1914 January 15th , Ismail Qemali’s Government gives way to an International Control Commission, with Essad Pasha Toptani (a one-time Turkish / Albanian and Gendarme Officer) as the most powerful political figure.

1914 February 21st, The German Prince Wilhelm von Wied, German army officer and close relative of Queen Elizabeth of Romania, accepts the throne of Albania (having been proposed by Austria – Hungary).

1914 March 7th, An Albanian Administration is appointed in Durres on the authority of King Wied. Esat Pashe Toptani is Prime Minister.

1914 June, Civil War breaks out in central Albania, directed against King Wied.

1914 August, World War I begins.

1914 September 4th, Wied flees due to popular uprising, having effectively controlled only Durres, while local armed groups assisted by Serbia, Greece ad Italy dominate the rest of Albania. The powers that appointed him now abandon him, due to his unwillingness to commit Albania or to take sides in the War. He does not abdicate, non renounce his claim to throne.

1914 Italians land at Vlore, and gradually occupy most of southern Albania, while Serbs and Montenegrins occupy the north till driven out by Austrians.

1915-1917 All Albania is occupied and partitioned: Austria- Hungary takes the north; Italy the southwest; Greece the south; France takes Korce.

1915 April, Greece proclaims her full annexation of southern Albania as “Northern Epirus”.

April 26th, A secret Treaty of London convenes, in which the Allied Powers agree to carve up Albania after the War in favor of Italy. Italy would annex Vlore, Sazan Isle and the region of Vlore to Himara in the south. In north and northeast it would have Vjosa river as its boundary. In Central Albania a truncated State would be formed under Italy’s protectorate, while the northern and southern regions of Albania were to be divided among Serbia, Montenegro and Greece.

May 29th, Italy formally occupies Vlora, and Albania is in state of anarchy.

June 27th, Montenegro, which invaded northern Albania on June 11, occupied Shkoder. Britain, Italy and Russia protests.

July 4th, Serbia occupies Durazzo (Durres), but evacuates it on July 17 under Italian pressure.

October, Serbia withdraws from Albania.

1916 January 23rd, Austrians take Shkoder from Montenegro, then Berat (February 17).

1917 June 3rd, The Italian military commander in Albania, General Ferrero, proclaims unified and Independent Albania under Italian protection. France responds by proclaiming an autonomous Republic of Korçe, which lasts three months.

1920 January 21st – 23rd, The Congress of Lushnja, at which the Albanian Constitution is established, a new Government formed, Tirana is proclaimed capital, and the demand is made for Italian troops to withdraw.

April, Durrës is liberated from Italy, and Tirana becomes the new capital seat of government.

November 20th, The Congress of Ambassadors in London acknowledges Albanian Independence.

December 10th, Iliaz Bey Vrioni, a moderate Liberal, forms a Cabinet.

December 17th, The League of Nations recognizes Albania (at its 1913 frontiers), giving Italy some mandatory powers. Italian troops withdraw. Albania is admitted to the League, despite abjection’s from Yugoslavia and Greece that the country is not a specific political entity. The U.K. supports the membership of the League.

1921 April 21st, The first Parliament was constituted. Pluralistic life began in the Albanian Parliament with the major political groups.

1921 November 9th, Conference of Ambassadors recognizes Albania’s independence, but Italy has “special interests” in Albania.

1921 December 28th, Elections are held to National Assembly and western style political parties emerge; Democratic Party, Popular Party, Progressive Party. Ahmet Zogu becomes Interior Minister.

1922 August 1st, At the Congress of Berat, the Albanian Orthodox church constitutes itself as a church independent of Patriarch of Constantinople.

1922 December 2nd, Ahmet Bej Zogu, leading tribal chief, forms a Government. Zogu is both Prime Minister and Interior Minister.

1923 Popular dissatisfaction with Zogu. Groups rally against him.

1924 June 16th, Liberal-Democratic Government of Fan Noli is elected, depriving the Progressive Party’s Ahmet Zogu of power. Zogu flees to former Yugoslavia. Noli announces agrarian reforms to abolish feudalism and makes certain changes to the Constitution, however does not have time to come into effect.

1924 February 19th, Zogu signs a commercial treaty with Italy.

1924 September 1st, Yugoslav (former Yugoslavia) troops enter Albania. Fan Noli’s Government is overthrown by December 23rd. Zogu enters Tirana on December 24th, and is restored to power as Prime Minister.

1925 January 15th, Ahmet Zogu assumes supreme power as commander in chief and forms a new cabinet. January 31st, Zogu is elected first President of Albanian Republic.

1925 October 18th, Ramiz Alia, Party’s leader after the death of Enver Hoxha, and the first Albanian president, was born of a poor Muslim family in Shkoder.

1926 November 27th, Zogu signs the Treaty of Tirana “Pact of Friendship and Security” with Italy.

1928 September 1st, Constituent Assembly proclaims Albania a Kingdom. Zogu is declared Zog I, King of Albania.

1938 King Zog I marries Geraldine Appony, Hungarian aristocrat, their son Leka is born in March 1939.

 

 

ITALIAN OCCUPATION AND ANTIFASCIST WAR OF ALBANIAN PEOPLE (1939-1944)

 

1939 April 7th, King Zog I and his family flee into exile to Greece the Turkey. Italian occupation. Vittorio Emanueli III is appointed by Italy as the King of Albania. During the World War II, Zog lives in Buckinghamshire, England, later settling in Cannes, and dying in Paris 1961.

1941 November, Meeting of the Korçe, Shkoder and Youth Communist groups in Tirana to establish the Communist Party of Albania.

1942 September 16th, Conference of Peze was called to organize all antifascist forces in one single front. The Conference decided on the creation of the Antifascist National Liberation Front.

1943 Enver Hoxha is appointed as Party Secretary.

1944 September 11th, Occupation of Albania by Nazi Germany. May 24th – 28th, Enver Hoxha is appointed Commander of the Armed Forces.

 

LIBERATION OF ALBANIA AND COMMUNIST PERIOD

 

1944 November 28th, Independence Day. Liberation of Shkodër. November 29th was celebrated as the Day of Liberation until 1992. When Democratic Party came into power the November 28th was celebrated as the day of liberation. When the Socialist Party came in power in 1997, November 29th was celebrated as the liberation day. There are still discussions between historians about the Liberation Day.

1946 January 11th, The constituent Assembly proclaimed Albania a People’s Republic, thus resolving the issue of the form the Albanian State would have. March 14th, The Assembly approved the first Constitution of Albanian state.

1946-1947 Britain and U.S.A. break diplomatic relations with Albania.

1948 November 1st, At the first Communist Party Congress, the name of the Party is changed to the Party of Labor of Albania. All other parties are banned.

1949-1953 Various British attempts to overthrow Hoxha’s regime are made, however they are thwarted by Kim Philby’s espionage information to the Soviets (see My Secret War, 1968).

1955 December 14th, Albania enters the U.N.O. unhindered by the U.K. and USA who abstain rather than use their veto.

1957 Albania’s first University opens in Tirana, “The State University of Tirana”, with 3.600 students and 200 staff. Later growing to 19.000 students and 800 staff. In 1991 other Universities were set up in Shkoder, Vlore, Gjirokastra, Elbasan and Tirana.

1960 December 3rd, Albania breaks off diplomatic relations with former U.S.S.R. (Soviet Union). Diplomatic relations between China and Albania are strengthened.

1967 Churches, mosques and other religious institutions are closed. The people are prohibited to pray legally.

1970 October 25th, Electricity officially reaches all Albanian settlements.

1978 The diplomatic relations with China are very tensed, mainly on ideological grounds.

1981 November 1st, Rejection of China’s “Socialist Imperialist” policies by the Albanian Government.

1985 April 11th, Death of the Party leader, Enver Hoxha, aged 76 years old of heart failure aggravated by diabetes. April 13th, Ramiz Alia is elected as the new Party leader.

1987 September, Diplomatic relations are established with Canada and West Germany.

1989 August 1st, Visit to Albania by Mother Teresa, an Albanian national.

 

 

FIRST STEPS OF A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY IN ALBANIA

 

1990 May, Visit to Albania by the former United Nations Secretary General, Perez de Cueller.American Congressman, Tom Lantosh arrives in Albania for a three days visit. Meeting with Ramiz Alia.

July, Demonstrations in Tirana culminates in a number of people rushing into various foreign embassies and requesting asylum. Ferries carrying Albanian emigrants, who arrive at Brindisi, Italy.

The restoration of diplomatic links with the former Soviet Union is announced.

December, Mother Teresa pays her second visit to Albania.

Disturbances at the University Campus in Tirana over living conditions, later on the students asked for political changes. The police intervene to disperse demonstrators.

The formation of Democratic Party legalized on December 18th. The multi party system is officially allowed and leads to the formation of twelve parties.

1991 February 20th, Thousands of demonstrators protesting in the capital, Tirana. They topple down the statue of Enver Hoxha.

Religion is legalized, the religion institutions are opened and the ex-persecuted priests and Moslem clergymen are allowed to exercise their profession freely.

March, Some 20.000 Albanian grabbed ships in the country’s ports and left for Italian shores.

The biblical exodus entered the history of the people, which had never proved it since the 15th century. Albanian Government declares ports of special importance and guards them with army troops.

March 31st, Elections are organized all over Albania. The Party of Labor (reformed as Socialist Party) wins the elections. Ramiz Alia is sworn in as the President of Albania.

June, The formation of coalition Government.

December, collapse of coalition Government forced by the Democratic Party, because the Socialists are seen to be stalling on the reform program.

1992 March, The Democratic Party wins a landslide victory in the general election with over 65% of the popular vote.

April, The resignation of Ramiz Alia (President of Albania).Dr. Sali Berisha is sworn in as the new President. The new Government vows to implement a wide-ranging reform program.

1993 April, Papa Gjon Pali and Mother Tereza visit Albania.

1993 Albania’s openness, its full guarantees and legislation have facilitated the activities of foreign investors already present in Albania, most of them from Italy (53%) and Greece (20%), but also from Germany, the U.S., U.K., Austria, France, Kuwait, and so on. Well companies such as Hamilton, OXY, Agip, Chevron, Coca-Cola, Rogner, OMV, are operating in Albania.

1994 April-August, Relations between Albania and Greece are very much severed, both countries retreated some diplomats and thousands of Albanian emigrants were deported from Greek police and army. A group of attackers from Greece entered the Albanian territory and killed a soldier and injured some others in a military unit near the border crossing point of Kakavia (Albania). Meanwhile 5 Albanian citizens of Greek origin were charged with spying and sentenced by a court in Tirana.

November, The Constitution failed to be approved by the Referendum

1995 JUNE 29TH, ALBANIA BECOMES MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE.

July 13th, The ceremony of the membership of Albania in the Council of Europe is organized in Strasbourg and the Albanian flag is raised.

1995 September 11th, President of Albania, Mr.Sali Berisha visits U.S.A. He meets the President of U.S.A., Mr. Bill Clinton.

1996 May 26th, General Parliamentary Elections. Opposition parties (Socialist Party, Social Democrat Party, and Alliance Party) withdraw from the elections five o’clock p.m., pretending for irregularities.

Democratic Party claimed a landslide victory.

May 26th, Socialists asked for completely fresh election. While the President Berisha decreed a partial rerun in 17 constituencies for June 16. The DP candidates won in 17 constituencies.

1996 September, “Miss Europe” is organized in Albania for the first time in the Albanian history. The most beautiful girls from 37 countries of Europe took part in this competition.

Miss England is warded with the first prize, becoming the winner of the first prize of Miss Europe for 1996. January, Mass protests by people who had lost their life savings in failed pyramid investment schemes.

January 30th, Ten opposition parties from across the political spectrum form the Forum for Democracy, vowing to hold protests across the country. They ask Berisha (President of Albania) to dismiss his government and set up a technocrat government to resolve the crisis.

March 9th, Berisha signs agreement with leaders of all political parties calling for a broad-based coalition government (National Reconciliation Government) and elections by June.

March 11th, President of the Republic Sali Berisha decreed the appointment of the Prime Minister.

Mr. Bashkim Fino is the Prime Minister of the broad-based coalition government. Mr. Fino was proposed by the Socialist Party, with the consensus of all other parties in the round table.

March 12th – 14th, Tirana is swept by insecurity. The President of the Republic and Prime Minister asked for multi-national military forces to be present in Albania.Minister of Defense, Mr. Safet Zhulali escapes to Italy

March 13th, All the prisoners (1209) escaped, helped by armed persons. Albania is the only country in the world without prisoners at this moment. (Among those prisoners are 23 persons who are punished with life-sentenced for hard crimes).

Berisha acquits Fatos Nano of the prison as well as 50 other prisoners. (Those 50 were convicted with one to two years in prison).

Albania’s jailed opposition Socialist leader, Fatos Nano, who served a short term as Prime Minister in 1991, was arrested in 1993 and jailed a year later on charges of corruption relating to an Italian aid scandal. International Human Rights Groups have called on the Albanian government to free Nano, who they said was wrongly convicted.

March 14th, American Embassy and other Western Embassies evacuate their citizens from Albania to their countries.

March 20th, The situation is a bit better. The situation of state institutions in Tirana is under control of the broad-based coalition government.

April 14th, Multinational Military Forces arrive in Albania, to start the “Alba” operation. France, Greece, Turkey, Spain, Romania, Denmark and Austria. will take part in this mission.

One of the representatives of this mission said: “Their mission in Albania is to secure distribution of aid correctly, in the context of the “Alba” operation, and that they have not any military mission”.

June 29th, Parliamentary elections as well as the Referendum for the Republic or Monarchy.

July, Election Commission proclaims the final polls results. The Central Election Committee (CEC) after a three-day stand off managed to announce the final results of the parliamentary elections of June 29.

The Socialists won 100 seats in the 155-seat assembly and the Democratic Party 27 seats. Six other parties will take in some other seats at the Parliament. The Royal Party, which lost the referendum, will have two seats.

July 24th, The Albanian Parliament elected the new President of Albania, after the irrevocable resignation of Berisha. The new President will be Rexhep Meidani, 52 of age, so far Secretary General of the Socialist Party. He won by 110 votes for, three against, two abstentions and seven ballot-papers were found invalid. The deputies of the biggest opposition party, the Democratic Party, did not participate in this session.

July 25th, The Albanian President, Mr. Meidani decreed the appointment of the new Prime Minister, Mr. Fatos Nano.

Sept.6th, The Albanian Noble woman, Agnes Gonxhe Bojaxhi known as “Mother Tereza” died. In 50 years of dictatorship, she was not given the possibility to set foot in Albania. After 1990, she visited Albania twice.

The Albanian Government decided:

- To declare the dates 11, 12, 13 September 1997 as days of state mourning.

- Albanian half banner is to be hoisted in all the institutions from 6 to 13 Sept.

The President of Albania, Mr. Meidani said: “Mother Tereza was a great citizen of the world. Her loss will afflict all the Albanians. Mother Teresa’s name and deed were a symbol of the Albanian people, where the high values of tolerance, human solidarity found shelter. These values will serve as reference to us”.

The President of U.S.A., Mr. Clinton said: “The house that she opened in Calcutta about the people that are dying for almost a century is called Nirmal Hriday that means “pure heart” ad if once had existed a pure heart, that’s Mother Teresa’s”.

Sept. 10th, Prime minister, Mr. Nano takes part in an important mission to West of Europe, Hong-Kong, Washington, before the Donor’s Conference for Albania in Rome and Brussels.

EU and IMF Interior Councils of Ministers guarantee the recovery of Albania.

Nov.5th, Crete: The Balkan leaders, discussed about the problems on the security in the Balkan and other aspects, related to it.

Nano – Milosevic meeting has attracted the attention as the first high-level one after 50 years.

1998 Jan. 23rd, Council of Europe delegation called all Albanian political parties for preparing the Albanian Constitution as soon as possible.

March 6th, Kosova issue unites all Albanian political parties.

Sixty thousand (60.000) Tirana citizens protest for Kosova in the Scanderbeg square, under the slogan “One nation- one stand”.

July 1st, The General Secretary of NATO Havier Solana arrived for a two-day official visit in Albania. During his visit he met the highest Albania authorities, the President, Premier, Defense Minister etc., discussing with them about the present situation in Albania and Kosova and the influx of the Albanians of Kosova towards Albania.

Sept.12th, Azem Hajdari, the leader of the Democratic Party of Albania, the leader of democratic students’ movement of 1990, is shot dead at 21:10 (p.m.) in front of DP headquarters. One of Hajdari’s two bodyguards was also killed.

Azem Hajdari suffered four murder attempts within a year, including a five bullets murder attempt by a socialist MP in the Parliament hall on Sept.18, 1998.

Sept.14th, Thousands of people of Tirana buried one of the main leaders of DP and Albanian opposition leader Azem Hajdari. After the ceremony, the crowd carried the bodies of Mr.Azem Hajdari and his bodyguard- each in wooden coffin- down the city’s main street and to the Prime minister’s building. As mourners placed the coffins at the entrance, gunfire erupted, apparently from guards inside the building. The funeral turned violent with crowds seizing the Prime minister’s building and state television. About fifty people were wounded and some offices were looted.

Sept.19th, A European delegation arrived in Tirana to seek ways to end the violence in Albania.

OSBE declared: “The purpose of the visit is to deliver a message to the government and the opposition with a view to restoring stability, political cooperation and good governance. It is also imperative to bring to justice those guilty of the murder of Mr.Hajdari and his bodyguard”.
Sept.28th, Prime minister Fatos Nano presented in the evening to the President of Albania, Mr.Meidani, and his resignation from the post of the Premier.

Sept.29th Mr.Pandeli Majko, former Secretary-General of SP is appointed Prime Minister of Albania.

Oct. 3rd, Serbs open fire towards Albanian border station in Pogaj of Has district. The fire damaged slightly some homes of the village and livestock. During May-September 1998, forty-one incidents by the Serb military forces have been registered. During the same period 10 Albanian citizens have been killed, 3 wounded and the Albanian space had been violated 8 times.

1999 Feb.27th, Serb troops deploy in force throughout Kosova: sporadic fighting is reported in the north. Serb troops bombard the northern frontiers (Tropoja district) of Albania. Some Serb units enter in Albanian territory and open fire towards Albanian military forces. Albanian government takes measures to protect its territory.

March 26th, Ethnic Albanians fleeing or expelled from Kosova begin to pour into Albania and Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Albanian government takes measures for the accommodation of Albanians coming from Kosova.

April, About 600 000 of ethnic Albanians coming from Kosova are living in the refugee camps and Albanian families. All over Albania, families are taking in Kosovars, sharing what little they have. Kosovars tell sad stories of terrible massacres in Kosova by the Serbs.

June 10th, Serb forces start withdrawal from Kosova. NATO halts war. U.N. Security Council endorses peace terms.

June 14th, Thousands ethnic Albanians from Kosova begin to stream home to Kosova despite a warning by NATO troops that the return should start on July 10. 

The Brussels (European Commission) study makes a complete autopsy of the societies of the five countries of Southeast Europe: Albania, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Bosnia, and Yugoslavia. Brussels has projected a new mode of integration for this region into Europe, proclaiming the “system for post war Southeast Europe”, by stating that Brussels will spend 5 billion euro annually for 10 years to achieve the integration of the five countries into the European Union.

States at times dictatorial, at times anarchical, with fragile societies and economies will have the support of European Union to order and security.

“Illegal activities generate the most money”. “Corruption, drug and clandestine traffics are the biggest economic activities”. The objectives of European Union aim at turning the region into attractive zone for foreign capital. A free zone, with no custom duties to be paid, and above all, under the European Union control, would attract many businesses to invest, to avoid the temptation of corruption which could spread to other agencies as well.

Oct.26th, Albanian President Rexhep Meidani accepted Prime Minister Pandeli Majko's resignation. Majko became Europe’s youngest Premier when he took office on Oct.2, 1988, at the age 30.

Oct.28th, President Meidani decreed the new Prime Minister Ilir Meta.

Dec.11th, Death penalty is abolished in Albania.

The Constitutional Court decided to abolish the death penalty in Albania. The decision was taken based on the principles presented by the Council of Europe, as well as based in the Albanian constitution, which sanctions the capital punishment which previously existed in constitutional courts. The capital punishment could be carried out only for crimes committed when the country is in a state of war, or its very close to war. The capital punishment will be 25 years of imprisonment or the sentence for life. Republican Party opposes death penalty.

2000 March 24th, Albanian Parliament adopts draft resolution on Stability Pact.

April 1st, Donors Conference opens in Brussels. Albania benefits for the first phase some 112 million Euro for 7 projects mainly in construction of road infrastructure.

August 1st, Albanian President Rexhep Meidani called on neighbor Greece to scrap a law dating back to World War Two, which declares a state of War between the two countries. The law, passed in 1940 when Greece was invaded by Italian troops through Albania, was repealed by the Greek government in 1987 but has never been nullified by Greece’s parliament.Albanian officials say the law prevents Albanian from claiming property they owned in Greece prior to World War Two. Some 400.000 Albanians work in Greece as immigrants.

Sept.11th, Albania becomes member of World Trade Organization (WTO). Oct.1st, Local government elections are held in Albania.

2001 June 24t, Parliamentary elections. According to the law, it includes 100 deputies (MP) elected on the basis of the majority system and 40 deputies (MP) on the proportional system.

August 21st The Central Election Commission announces the final results of the Parliamentary elections of June 24th.

The Socialist won 73 MP; the opposition which includes “Democratic Party + Union for the victory” won 25 MP. On the other side, the opposition coalition profits by the proportional system 21 MP, Democrat Party (Partia Demokrate) 6MP, SDP (Social Democratic Party) 4MP, ADP (Alliance Democratic Party) 3 MP, AP (Agrarian Party) 3 MP, and Alliance of Human Rights Party 3 MP, as well as 2 Independent MP. “Democratic Party + Union for the victory” (46 MP) said that they will boycott the Parliament because of the manipulations of the results.

September 12th Ilir Meta is re-elected Prime Minister of Albania. 

2002 January 29th Prime Minister Ilir Meta resigns.

February 7th President of Republic decreed the new Prime Minister Pandeli Majko.

February 22nd The Albanian Parliament gives the vote of confidence to new Government headed by Pandeli Majko.