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91-544: The agreement established a Committee of National Salvation which should take the lead over the Albanian resistance movement. The movement would take into consideration the Albanian national cause, making possible the creation of a Greater Albania , with the annexation of Albanian populated areas to a post-war Albanian state. On the part of the National Liberation Movement, the delegation was led by Ymer Dishnica ,

182-505: A tariff union, the Italian tariff system was put in place in Albania. Due to the expected economic losses in Albania from the alteration in tariff policy, the Italian government provided Albania 15 million Albanian leks each year in compensation. Italian customs laws were to apply in Albania and only Italy alone could conclude treaties with third parties. Italian capital was allowed to dominate

273-584: A Greater Albania have been mainly insignificant and remained at the margins of the Albanian political scene. The Kosovo question has limited appeal among Albanian voters who generally speaking are not interested in electing parties advocating redrawn borders creating a Greater Albania. Centenary Albanian independence celebrations in 2012 generated nationalistic commentary among the political elite of whom prime-minister Sali Berisha referred to Albanian lands as extending to Preveza , northern Greece and Preševo , southern Serbia angering Albania's neighbors. In Kosovo,

364-501: A higher percentage Albanian people, but due to the exclusion of northern Kosovo, a Serb-dominated area, and a partial boycott by the Romani and Serb population in south Kosovo, those numbers are unreliable. The irredentist claims in Montenegro are in the border areas, including Kraja , Ulcinj , Tuzi ( Malësia ), Plav and Gusinje , and Rožaje ( Sandžak ). According to the 2011 census,

455-690: A meeting of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Albania in Labinot , repeated during the second Conference of the National Liberation Movement still in Labinot one month later. The agreement would be criticized as "a betrayal of the people and revolution" and "against the fundamental principles of the Conference of Pezë ". After failure of the agreement, Balli Kombëtar chose to openly collaborate with

546-784: A member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Albania and Mustafa Gjinishi . Balli Kombëtar was represented by Skënder Muço , Hysni Lepenica , Mit’hat Frashëri , and Hasan Dosti (head of delegation) between others. A dispute arose concerning the status of Kosovo . Whereas the National Front proposed to fight for the integration of Kosova into Albania, the Communist representatives objected fiercely. The agreement holds twelve signatures from each side. Since

637-714: A nationalistic and fascist curriculum; all were compelled to use or adopt Albanian names and surnames. Elites, such as landowners and liberal nationalists opposed to communism, formed the Balli Kombëtar organisation; they and the collaborationist government sought to preserve Greater Albania. Many Kosovo Albanians were preoccupied with driving out the Serb community , particularly the post-1919 Serb and Montenegrin colonists , often settled on confiscated Albanian property. Albanians saw Serbian and Yugoslav rule as foreign, and according to Ramet they felt that anything would be better than

728-645: A particular polity. The imminence of collapsing Ottoman rule through military defeat during the Balkan wars pushed Albanians represented by Ismail Qemali to declare independence (28 November 1912) in Vlorë from the Ottoman Empire. The main motivation for independence was to prevent Balkan Albanian inhabited lands from being annexed by Greece and Serbia. Italy and Austria-Hungary supported Albanian independence due to their concerns that Serbia with an Albanian coast would be

819-566: A prominent left wing nationalist movement turned political party Vetëvendosje (Self Determination) has emerged who advocates for closer Kosovo-Albania relations and pan-Albanian self determination in the Balkans. Another smaller nationalist party, the Balli Kombetar Kosovë (BKK) sees itself as an heir to the original Second World War organisation that supports Kosovan independence and pan-Albanian unification. Greater Albania remains mainly in

910-530: A protectorate over central and southern Albania; however this was overturned in September 1920 when Italy was pressured to withdraw its army. Italy was enraged with the minimal gains that it received from peace negotiations, which it regarded as having violated the Treaty of London. Italian Fascists claimed that Albanians were ethnically linked to Italians through association with the prehistoric populations, and that

1001-463: A refugee crisis that eventually caused NATO to intervene militarily in order to stop what was widely identified as an ongoing campaign of ethnic cleansing . The war ended with the Kumanovo Treaty , with Yugoslav forces agreeing to withdraw from Kosovo to make way for an international presence. The Kosovo Liberation Army disbanded soon after this, with some of its members going on to fight for

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1092-737: A result of foreign pressure and defeat in the Vlora War . The Italian Fascist regime had politically and economically penetrated and dominated Albania during Zog's rule and was planning for annexation of Albania years prior to the event. Albania came under strong Italian influence after the signing of the Treaties of Tirana of 1926 and 1927. Under Zog, Albania's economy was dependent on multiple financial loans given from Italy since 1931. In August 1933, Mussolini placed stringent demands on Zog in exchange for Italy's continued support of Albania, including demands that all new appointments to leading positions in

1183-519: A rival power in the Adriatic Sea and open to influence from its ally Russia. Apart from geopolitical interests, some Great powers were reluctant to include more Ottoman Balkan Albanian inhabited lands into Albania due to concerns that it would be the only Muslim dominated state in Europe. Russo-French proposals were for a truncated Albania based on central Albania with a mainly Muslim population, which

1274-516: A tax for unification, 66.1% of respondents in Kosovo agreed, compared to 45.5% in Albania. The Albanian question in the Balkan peninsula is in part the consequence of the decisions made by Western powers in late 19th and early 20th century. The Treaty of San Stefano and the 1878 Treaty of Berlin assigned Albanian inhabited territories to other States, hence the reaction of the League of Prizren. In 2000,

1365-529: A western part of North Macedonia . The unification of an even larger area into a single territory under Albanian authority had been theoretically conceived by the League of Prizren , an organization of the 19th century whose goal was to unify the Albanian inhabited lands (and other regions, mostly from the regions of Macedonia and Epirus) into a single autonomous Albanian Vilayet within the Ottoman Empire , which

1456-498: Is "Albanian national reunification" ( Albanian : Ribashkimi kombëtar shqiptar ). Prior to the Balkan wars of the beginning of the 20th century, Albanians were subjects of the Ottoman Empire . The Albanian independence movement emerged in 1878 with the League of Prizren (a council based in Kosovo) whose goal was cultural and political autonomy for ethnic Albanians inside the framework of

1547-593: Is an Albanian community. In 2001, the Albanians were estimated to have numbered 70,000 in the area. According to the 2021 census, the Albanian proportion in those municipalities were following: Preševo–34,098 (95%), Bujanovac–29,681 (67%), Medveđa–2,816 (26%). Following the Kosovo War (1998–99), the Albanian separatist Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac ( Albanian : Ushtria Çlirimtare e Preshevës, Medvegjës dhe Bujanocit , UÇPMB), fought an insurgency against

1638-523: Is being carried out without a hitch. I am wondering whether the general situation – particularly the Anschluss [with Austria] – does not permit us to take a step forward towards the more complete domination of this country, which will be ours." and days later on 4 April of that year wrote "We must gradually underline the protectorate element of our relations with Albania". "The Kosovars are 850,000 Albanians, strong of body, firm in spirit, and enthusiastic about

1729-425: Is the best solution for Kosovo. Ninety-six percent said they wanted Kosovo to become independent within its present borders. According to a 2019 poll by Open Society Foundations that covered 2,504 respondents in both countries, 79.4% of Kosovar Albanian respondents were in favor of unification between Albania and Kosovo, compared to 82.9% of the respondents in Albania. When asked whether they would be willing to pay

1820-600: The 2014 Serbia vs. Albania football game . The banner depicts the irredentist map of Greater Albania, while the caption, " autochthonous ". In response, Twitter users, many of them Macedonian , Greek , Montenegrin and Serbian , accused the singer of ethno-nationalism . Political scientist Florian Bieber described Lipa's tweet as "stupid nationalism". In Feb 2021, in an interview with Euronews , Albin Kurti , former Prime Minister of Kosovo , said that he would personally vote to unify Albania and Kosovo . According to

1911-600: The Gallup Balkan Monitor 2010 report, the idea of a Greater Albania was supported by the majority of Albanians in Albania (63%), Kosovo (81%) and the Republic of Macedonia (53%), although the same report noted that most Albanians thought this unlikely to happen. In a survey carried out by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), published in March 2007, only 2.5% of the Albanians in Kosovo thought unification with Albania

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2002-641: The Hellenic state . After the fall of Yugoslavia and Greece in April 1941, the Italian government began negotiations with Germany, Bulgaria, and the newly established client state, the Independent State of Croatia , on defining their borders. In April Mussolini called for the borders of Albania to be expanded – including annexing Montenegro into Albania that would have an autonomous government within Albania, and expanding Albania's border eastwards, though not as far as

2093-805: The Italian Empire . Officials intended to make Albania part of a Greater Italy by assimilating Albanians as Italians and colonizing Albania with Italian settlers from the Italian Peninsula to transform it gradually into an Italian land. In the Treaty of London during World War I , the Triple Entente had promised central and southern Albania to Italy as a reward for fighting against the Central Powers . In June 1917, after Italian soldiers seized control of substantial areas of Albania, Italy formally declared

2184-500: The Kingdom of Albania or Greater Albania , existed as a puppet state and protectorate of Fascist Italy . It was practically a union between Italy and Albania, officially led by Italian King Victor Emmanuel III and his government: Albania was led by Italian governors, after being militarily occupied by Italy , from 1939 until 1943. During this time, Albania ceased to exist as an independent country and became an autonomous part of

2275-741: The Republic of Ilirida ( Albanian : Republika e Iliridës ) with the intention of autonomy or federalization inside Macedonia. The declaration had only a symbolic meaning and the idea of an autonomous State of Ilirida is not officially accepted by the ethnic Albanian politicians in North Macedonia. The irredentist claims in Central Serbia (excluding Kosovo) are in the southern Preševo Valley , including municipalities of Preševo ( Albanian : Preshevë ), Bujanovac ( Albanian : Bujanoc ) and partially Medveđa ( Albanian : Medvegjë ), where there

2366-708: The UÇPMB in the Preševo Valley and others joining the National Liberation Army (NLA) and Albanian National Army (ANA) during the armed ethnic conflict in Macedonia . Political parties advocating and willing to fight for a Greater Albania emerged in Albania during the 2000s. They were the National Liberation Front of Albanians (KKCMTSH) and Party of National Unity (PUK) that both merged in 2002 to form

2457-562: The Adriatic zone. Despite the efforts of the Italian vicegerent, Francesco Jacomoni , to stir up insurrections and create a fifth column , and the favourable reports he sent to the Italian foreign minister Count Ciano , events proved that there was little enthusiasm among the Albanians themselves: after the Italian invasion of Greece , most Albanians either deserted or defected. Strategically, control of Albania gave Italy an important beachhead in

2548-684: The Albanian Fascist Party, a quasi-statal organization, issued a directive on 16 June 1940, shortly after Italy's declarations of war against Britain and France, that stated that "The Kingdom of Albania considers itself at war with all nations against which Italy is at war – at present or in the future." In October 1940, during the Greco-Italian War , Albania served as a staging-area for Italian dictator Benito Mussolini 's unsuccessful invasion of Greece . Mussolini planned to invade Greece and other countries like Yugoslavia in

2639-628: The Albanian economy. As a result, Italian companies were allowed to hold monopolies in the exploitation of Albanian natural resources. In 1944, the number of companies and industrial enterprises reached 430, from just 244 in 1938 and only 71 such in 1922. The degree of concentration of workers in industrial production in 1938 doubled compared with 1928. At this time, Albania's economy had trade relations with 21 countries, but most developed were first to Italy and then to Yugoslavia, France, Germany, Greece, etc. The country entered capitalist economic development much later than other European countries. Despite

2730-458: The Albanian government had to have received an "Italian education"; that an Italian expert was in the future to be in all Albanian government ministries; that Italy would take control of Albania's military – including its fortifications; that British officers that were training Albania's gendarmerie be replaced by Italian officers; and that Albania must annul all of its existing commercial treaties with other countries and make no new agreements without

2821-557: The Albanian king, Zog I fled to Greece . Although Albania had been under strong Italian influence since 1927, Italy's political leader, Benito Mussolini wanted direct control over the country to increase his and Italy's prestige, provide a response to Germany's annexation of Austria and occupation of Czechoslovakia , and to have firm control over Albania to station large forces of the Italian military for future operations involving Yugoslavia and Greece. Albania became an Italian protectorate subordinated to Italian interests, along

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2912-462: The Albanian populated territories were united to Albania. Between May 1941 and September 1943, Benito Mussolini placed nearly all territory inhabited by ethnic Albanians under a quisling Albanian government. That included parts of Kosovo, parts of Vardar Macedonia , and some border areas of Montenegro . In Chameria , an Albanian high commissioner, Xhemil Dino , was appointed by the Italians, but

3003-639: The Albanian proportion in those municipalities are following: Ulcinj–14,076 (70%), Tuzi–2,383 (50%), Plav–(19%), Rožaje–188 (2%). The claim on the Sandžak area, where the Albanian community is small and the Bosniak community is the majority, is based on the Albanian state borders in World War II and presence in the late Ottoman period. The western part of North Macedonia is an area with a large ethnic Albanian minority. The Albanian population in North Macedonia make up 25% of

3094-658: The Allied command, occupied Northern Epirus on 23 August 1916, forcing the Greek Army to withdraw its occupation forces from there. In June 1917, Italy proclaimed central and southern Albania as a protectorate of Italy while Northern Albania was allocated to the states of Serbia and Montenegro. By 31 October 1918, French and Italian forces expelled the Austro-Hungarian Army from Albania. After World War I ended, Italy withdrew its military forces on 2 September 1920 from Albania as

3185-592: The Balkans: not only did it complete Italian control of the Strait of Otranto and the entrance to the Adriatic Sea , it could be used to invade either Yugoslavia (in tandem with another thrust via Venezia Giulia ) or Greece. In 1939, Count Ciano spoke of Albanian irredentist claims to Kosovo as valuable to Italy's objectives, saying: The Kosovars [are] 850,000 Albanians, strong of body, firm in spirit, and enthusiastic about

3276-497: The Chams' legitimate grievances get lost in the struggle to further other national causes. Moreover, the ICG findings suggest that Albania is more interested in developing cultural and economic ties with Kosovo and maintaining separate statehood. Albanian under Italy The Italian protectorate of Albania ( Italian: Protettorato italiano dell'Albania), also known as Italian Albania ,

3367-588: The Germans after the capitulation of Italy , while the Communist Party of Albania continued to fight alongside the Yugoslav Partisans . Legaliteti would continue fighting against the fascist armies, but the distance between them and the Communists would get larger and larger. The communists would consider them counterrevolutionary by the end of the war. The communists' history in the following decades would criticize

3458-770: The Germans where they were murdered or sent to camps in Albania. Others were taken to Albanian cities where the local population protected them. See The Holocaust in Albania . Kosovar Albanians collaborated with the Axis powers who promised them a Greater Albania. This was seen as a better alternative to the repressive measures instilled by Serbian politicians during the interwar period. In June 1942 Prime Minister Mustafa Kruja stated that Serbs would be sent to concentration camps or killed. Between 70,000 and 100,000 Kosovar Serbs were transferred to concentration camps in Pristina and Mitrovica or expelled to Serbia proper, in order to Albanianize

3549-539: The Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, speaking of Albanian claims to Kosovo as valuable to Italy's objectives. In spite of Albania's long-standing alliance with Italy, on 7 April 1939 Italian troops invaded Albania , five months before the start of the Second World War. The Albanian armed resistance proved ineffective against the Italians and, after a short defense, the country was occupied. On 9 April 1939

3640-604: The Italian Protectorate of Albania in 1939 and the prime minister Shefqet Verlaci approved the possible administrative union of Albania and Italy, because he wanted Italian support for the union of Kosovo , Chameria and other "Albanian irredentism" into Greater Albania . Indeed, this unification was realized after the Axis occupation of Yugoslavia and Greece from spring 1941. The Albanian fascists claimed in May 1941 that nearly all

3731-587: The Italian prototype. The Albanian Fascist Party was a branch of the National Fascist Party of Italy, members of the Albanian Fascist Party took an oath to obey the orders of the Duce of Fascism, Mussolini. Italian citizens began to settle in Albania as colonists and to own land so that they could gradually transform it into Italian soil. The italianization of Albania was one of Mussolini's plans. While Victor Emmanuel ruled as king, Shefqet Vërlaci served as

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3822-703: The Macedonian capital of Skopje to the Montenegrin capital of Podgorica , angering Albania's neighbours. The comments were also inscribed on a parchment that will be displayed at a museum in the city of Vlore, where the country's independence from the Ottoman Empire was declared in 1912. The concept is also often used, especially with Ilirida (the proposed western region of North Macedonia ), by nationalists in circles of Macedonian and Serbian politics in bids to rally support. Kosovo has an overwhelmingly Albanian majority, estimated to be around 90%. The 2011 census stated

3913-560: The Military Commander in Serbia . The aim of these actions was to create a homogeneous Greater Albanian state. Italian authorities in Kosovo allowed the use of the Albanian language in schools, university education, and administration. The same nationalist, Albanian elements who welcomed Kosovo's Albanians into an enlarged state also worked against the Italians, viewing them as foreign occupiers. An attempt to get Kosovan Albanians to join

4004-458: The Ottoman Empire. However, the Ottomans were not prepared to grant The League's demands. Ottoman opposition to the League's cultural goals eventually helped transform it into an Albanian national movement. Albanian nationalism overall was a reaction to the gradual breakup of the Ottoman Empire and a response to Balkan and Christian national movements that posed a threat to an Albanian population that

4095-809: The Serbian government, aiming to seceding the Preševo Valley into Kosovo. The irredentist claim in Greece are Chameria , parts of Epirus , the historical Vilayet of Janina . The coastal region of Thesprotia in northwestern Greece referred to by Albanians as Çamëria is sometimes included in Greater Albania. According to the 1928 census held by the Greek state, there were around 20,000 Muslim Cams in Thesprotia prefecture . They were forced to seek refuge in Albania at

4186-632: The United National Albanian Front (FBKSh) which acted as the political organisation for the Albanian National Army (AKSh) militant group and consisted of some disaffected KLA and NLA members. Regarded internationally as terrorist both have gone underground and its members have been involved in various violent incidents in Kosovo, Serbia and Macedonia during the 2000s. In the early 2000s, the Liberation Army of Chameria (UCC)

4277-401: The Vardar river as some had proposed – citing that Ohrid should be left to the Slavic Macedonians, regardless of whether Vardar Macedonia would become an independent state or be annexed by Bulgaria. However the Italian government changed its positions on the border throughout April, later supporting the annexation of Ohrid while giving the territory lying directly outside of Ohrid (including

4368-409: The Yugoslav government. The Italians also gave the inhabitants Albanian citizenship and allowed them to fly the Albanian Flag. The Albanian armed forces were subsumed into the Italian military, Italian advisers were placed inside all levels of the Albanian administration, and the country was fascisticized with the establishment of an Albanian Fascist Party and its attendant organizations, modelled after

4459-458: The agreement and its protagonists (including Dishnica and Gjinishi), and consider it a trap from the Balli side. Greater Albania Greater Albania ( Albanian : Shqipëria e Madhe ) is an irredentist and nationalist concept that seeks to annex the lands that many Albanians consider to form their national homeland. It is based on claims on the present-day or historical presence of Albanian populations in those areas. In addition to

4550-418: The agreement included strong notes of nationalism with a potential of future border disputes which could jeopardize relations between Albania and Yugoslavia, it was considered counterrevolutionary by the Communist Party of Yugoslavia , whose delegate Svetozar Vukmanović-Tempo exerted considerable influence over the Albanian communists. Consequently, the agreement was formally denounced several days later in

4641-448: The approval of the Italian government; and that Albania sign a commercial convention that would make Italy Albania's "most favoured country" in trade. In 1934 when Albania did not deliver its scheduled payment of one loan to Italy, Italian warships arrived off the coast of Albania to intimidate Albania to submit to Italian goals in the region. However, the British opposed Italy's actions and under pressure, Italy backed down and claimed that

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4732-431: The area remained under the control of the Italian military command in Athens , and so technically remained a region of Greece . When the Germans occupied the area and replaced the Italians, they maintained the borders created by Mussolini. However, after World War II , the Allies returned borders to their pre-war status. The Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) was an ethnic-Albanian paramilitary organisation which sought

4823-422: The area to give Italy territorial control of most of the Mediterranean Sea coastline, as part of the Fascists' objective of creating the objective of Mare Nostrum ("Our Sea") in which Italy would dominate the Mediterranean. But the Albanian army under the command of colonel (later general) Prenk Pervizi abandoned the Italians in combat, causing a major unraveling of their lines. The Albanian army believed to be

4914-421: The border area of Chameria , inhabited by the Cham Albanian minority. Prior to direct intervention in World War I, the Kingdom of Italy occupied the port of Vlorë in Albania in December 1914. Upon entering the war, Italy spread its occupation to region of southern Albania beginning in the autumn 1916. Italian forces in 1916 recruited Albanian irregulars to serve alongside them. Italy with permission of

5005-531: The cause of the betrayal was removed from the front. The Colonel Pervizi and his staff of officials was isolated in the mountains of Puka and Shkodra to the North. This was the first action of revolt against the Italian occupation. But, soon after the Italian invasion, the Greeks counter-attacked and a sizable portion of Albania was in Greek hands (including the cities of Gjirokastër and Korçë ). In April 1941, Greece capitulated after an overwhelming German invasion . All of Albania returned to Italian control, which

5096-479: The chauvinism, corruption, administrative hegemonism and exploitation they had experienced under the Serbian authorities. Albanians collaborated broadly with the Axis occupiers, who had promised them a Greater Albania. Collapse of Yugoslav rule resulted in actions of revenge being undertaken by Albanians, some joining the local Vulnetari militia that burned Serb settlements and killed Serbs while interwar Serb and Montenegrin colonists were expelled into Territory of

5187-508: The end of World War II after a large part of them collaborated and committed a number of crimes together with the Nazis during the 1941–1944 period. In the first post-war census (1951), only 123 Muslim Çams were left in the area. Descendants of the exiled Muslim Chams (they claim that they are now up to 170,000 now living in Albania) claim that up to 35,000 Muslim Çams were living in southern Epirus before World War II. Many of them are currently trying to pursue legal ways to claim compensation for

5278-408: The existing Albania , the term incorporates claims to regions in the neighbouring states, the areas include Kosovo , the Preševo Valley of Serbia , territories in southern Montenegro , northwestern Greece (the Greek regional units of Thesprotia and Preveza , referred by Albanians as Chameria , and other territories that were part of the Vilayet of Yanina during the Ottoman Empire), and

5369-423: The existing Albanian system of prefectures ( Italian : prefetture ). In line with the administrative structure of the rest of Italy these were also called provinces (Italian: provincia ). However, unlike Italy the Albanian sub-prefecture (Italian: sotto prefetture ) was retained. There were initially 10 prefectures. Under this was 30 sub-prefectures and 23 municipalities (Italian: municipalità ). Each Prefecture

5460-474: The figure at 55,000 refugees who had fled to Montenegro and Central Serbia , most of whom were Kosovo Serbs . Its campaign against Yugoslav security forces, police, government officers and ethnic Serb villages precipitated a major Yugoslav military crackdown which led to the Kosovo War of 1998–1999. Military intervention by Yugoslav security forces led by Slobodan Milošević and Serb paramilitaries within Kosovo prompted an exodus of Kosovar Albanians and

5551-430: The idea of a Union with their Homeland. Apparently, the Serbians are terrified of them. Today one must ... chloroform the Yugoslavians. But later on one must adopt a politics of deep interest in Kosovo. This will help to keep alive in the Balkans an irredentist problem which will polarize the attention of the Albanians themselves and be a knife at the back of Yugoslavia..." Galeazzo Ciano , Mussolini's son-in-law,

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5642-399: The idea of a Union with their Homeland. Apparently, the Serbians are terrified of them. Today one must…chloroform the Yugoslavians. But later on one must adopt a politics of deep interest in Kosovo. This will help to keep alive in the Balkans an irredentist problem which will polarize the attention of the Albanians themselves and be a knife at the back of Yugoslavia. The Corporative Council of

5733-516: The interwar period, invaded Albania . Italian fascists like Count Galeazzo Ciano pursued Albanian irredentism, believing it would earn Italy support among Albanians while aligning with Italy's war aim of Balkan conquest. The Italian annexation of Kosovo to Albania was popular with Albanians in both areas. The Western part of North Macedonia was also annexed to the Italian protectorate of Albania . In these territories, all (including non-Albanians) were obliged to attend Albanian schools that taught

5824-432: The lines of the German Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia . Victor Emmanuel III was proclaimed king of Albania, creating a personal union with Italy; he was represented in Tirana by a viceroy . A customs union was created, and Rome took over Albanian foreign policy. Although officially under Italian rule, the Albanians controlled the region and were encouraged to open Albanian language schools, which had been banned by

5915-487: The major influence exerted by the Roman and Venetian empires over Albania gave Italy the right to possess it. In addition, several hundred thousand ethnic Albanians had already been absorbed into southern Italy, which was used to justify annexation as a measure that would unite all Albanians into one state. Italy supported Albanian irredentism , directed against the predominantly Albanian-populated Kosovo in Yugoslavia , but also against Epirus in Greece , particularly

6006-404: The nation, to liberate all Albanians, including those in Macedonia, Montenegro, and other parts of Serbia. We are not just a liberation army for Kosovo. By 1998 the KLA's operations had evolved into a significant armed insurrection. According to the report of the USCRI , the "Kosovo Liberation Army ... attacks aimed at trying to 'cleanse' Kosovo of its ethnic Serb population." The UNHCR estimated

6097-487: The nationalist aims of the Italian Fascists, as the territory of Albania had long been part of the Roman Empire , even prior to the annexation of northern Italy by the Romans. Later, during the High Middle Ages some coastal areas (like Durazzo ) had been influenced and owned by Italian powers, chiefly the Kingdom of Naples and the Republic of Venice for many years (cf. Albania Veneta ). The Italian Fascist regime legitimized its claim to Albania through studies proclaiming

6188-416: The naval exercise was merely a "friendly visit". On 25 August 1937, Italian foreign minister Count Ciano wrote in his diary of Italy's relations with Albania in the following: "We must create stable centres of Italian influence there. Who knows what the future may have in store? We must be ready to seize opportunities which will present themselves. We are not going to withdraw this time, as we did in 1920. In

6279-405: The new country's borders. Albanian nationalists dislike the expression "Greater Albania" and prefer to use the term "Ethnic Albania". Ethnic Albania ( Albanian : Shqipëria Etnike ) is a term used primarily by Albanian nationalists to denote the territories claimed as the traditional homeland of ethnic Albanians, despite these lands also being inhabited by many non-Albanians. Those that use

6370-402: The population, numbering 509,083 in the 2002 census. Cities with Albanian majorities or large minorities include Tetovo (Tetova), Gostivar (Gostivari), Struga (Struga) and Debar (Diber). In the 1980s, Albanian irredentist organizations appeared in the SR Macedonia , particularly Vinica, Kicevo, Tetovo and Gostivar. In 1992, Albanian activists in Struga proclaimed also the founding of

6461-429: The predominantly Albanian-populated Kosovo in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and Epirus in Greece , particularly the border area of Chameria , inhabited by the Cham Albanian minority. Thus an author the Fascist Italian publication named Geopolitica claimed that the population of the Epirus- Acarnania region of Greece belonged to Albania due to it being racially Dinaric , and formed a 'single geographic system' with

6552-586: The presence of some foreign (mainly Italian) investment, Albania had made little move towards industrial development at the onset of World War II. Agriculture, which employed over 87% of the workforce, was the main sector of the economy and contributed 92.4% of the national income, with main outputs being wheat, maize and rye. Agriculture used primitive tools such as wood ploughs, whilst fertilisers were hardly known at all, and drainage poor. The level of productivity and level of organization and mechanization of agriculture in this period were very low. The Italians adopted

6643-407: The prime minister. Vërlaci controlled the day-to-day activities of the Italian protectorate. On 3 December 1941, Shefqet Vërlaci was replaced as prime minister by Mustafa Merlika-Kruja . The country's natural resources too came under direct control of Italy. All petroleum resources in Albania went through Agip , Italy's state petroleum company. Albania was important culturally and historically to

6734-548: The properties seized by Greece. For Greece the issue "does not exist". International Crisis Group researched the issue of Pan-Albanianism and published a report titled "Pan-Albanianism: How Big a Threat to Balkan Stability?" in February 2004. The International Crisis Group advised in the report the Albanian and Greek governments to endeavour and settle the longstanding issue of the Chams displaced from Greece in 1945, before it gets hijacked and exploited by extreme nationalists, and

6825-417: The province. During the occupation, the population was subject to forced labour, torture, destruction of private property, destruction and damaging of cultural and historical buildings and graveyards. The expulsion of Serbs proved problematic, as they had performed important functions in the region, and been running most of the businesses, mills, tanneries, and public utilities, and been responsible for most of

6916-572: The racial affinity of Albanians and Italians, especially as opposed to the Slavic Yugoslavs. Italian Fascists claimed that Albanians were linked through ethnic heritage to Italians , not to Slavs, and that the major influence exhibited by the Roman and Venetian empires over Albania justified Italy's right to possess it. Italy also attempted to legitimize and win public support for its rule over Albania by supporting Albanian irredentism, directed against

7007-454: The resistance, a meeting in Bujan (1943–1944), northern Albania was convened between Balli Kombëtar members and Albanian communists that agreed to common cause and maintain the expanded boundaries. The deal was opposed by Yugoslav partisans, and later rescinded, resulting in limited enthusiasm among Kosovan Albanian recruits. Some Balli Kombëtar members such as Shaban Polluzha became partisans with

7098-714: The sacred birthplace of Saint Clement ) to the Slavic Macedonians. After a period of negotiations Italy's new Balkan borders – including Albania's new borders, were declared by royal decree on 7 June 1941. After the Italian capitulation in September 1943, the country was occupied by the Germans until the end of the war. Around 200 Albanian Jews and 400 Jewish refugees resided in Albania proper prior to World War II. Albanian Jews were generally protected but faced some restrictions. Foreign Jews were placed into concentration camps. The Jewish population of Kosovo fared comparatively worse as Italian authorities turned them over to

7189-420: The second term refer to an area which is smaller than the four Ottoman vilayets, while still encompassing Albania, Kosovo, western North Macedonia, Albanian populated areas of Southern Serbia and parts of Northern Greece ( Chameria ) that had a historic native Albanian population. Albanian nationalists ignore that within these regions there are also sizable numbers of non-Albanians. Another term used by Albanians,

7280-513: The separation of Kosovo from Yugoslavia during the 1990s and the eventual creation of a Greater Albania , encompassing Kosovo, Albania, and the ethnic Albanian minority of neighbouring Macedonia . The KLA found great moral and financial support among the Albanian diaspora. KLA Commander Sylejman Selimi insisted: There is de facto Albanian nation. The tragedy is that European powers after World War I decided to divide that nation between several Balkan states. We are now fighting to unify

7371-436: The south [of Italy] we have absorbed several hundred thousand Albanians. Why shouldn't the same thing happen on the other side of the entrance to the Adriatic.". On 26 March 1938, Ciano wrote in his diary of annexing Albania like Germany did with Austria shortly prior: "A report from Jacomoni on the situation in Albania. Our penetration is becoming steadily more intense and more organic. The programme which I traced after my visit

7462-417: The sphere of political rhetoric and overall Balkan Albanians view EU integration as the solution to combat crime, weak governance, civil society and bringing different Albanian populations together. On 19 July 2020, singer of Albanian descent Dua Lipa faced backlash after she shared an image of a banner associated with supporters of extreme Albanian nationalism . The same banner had sparked controversy at

7553-564: The then- US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said that the international community would not tolerate any efforts towards the creation of a Greater Albania. In 2004, the Vetëvendosje movement was formed in Kosovo , which opposes foreign involvement in Kosovan affairs and campaigns instead for the sovereignty the people, as part of the right of self-determination . Vetëvendosje obtained 12.66% of

7644-450: The useful agricultural production. According to Serbian sources, it is estimated that the Vulnetari and other paramilitaries murdered up to 10,000 Serbs and Montenegrins in Kosovo. Upon the occupation of Albania and installation of a new government, the economies of Albania and Italy were connected through a customs union that resulted in the removal of most trade restrictions. Through

7735-503: The view that Kosovo would become part of Albania. At the war's end, some Kosovar Albanians felt betrayed by the return to Yugoslav rule, and for several years, Albanian nationalists in Kosovo resisted both the Partizans and later the new Yugoslav army. Albanian nationalists viewed their inclusion within Yugoslavia as an occupation. The Albanian Fascist Party became the ruling party of

7826-695: The votes in an election in December 2010, and the party manifesto calls for a referendum on union with Albania. In 2012, the Red and Black Alliance ( Albanian : Aleanca Kuq e Zi ) was established as a political party in Albania, the core of its program is national unification of all Albanians in their native lands. In 2012, as part of the celebrations for 100th Anniversary of the Independence of Albania , Prime Minister Sali Berisha spoke of "Albanian lands" stretching from Preveza in Greece to Presevo in Serbia, and from

7917-553: Was a reported paramilitary formation that intended to be active in northern Greek region of Epirus . Political parties active only in the political scene exist that have a nationalist outlook are the monarchist Legality Movement Party (PLL), the National Unity Party (PBKSh) alongside the Balli Kombëtar, a party to have passed the electoral threshold and enter parliament. These political parties, some of whom advocate for

8008-438: Was also extended to most of Greece, which was jointly occupied by Italy, Germany and Bulgaria. Italian plans however to annex Chameria to Albania were shelved because the Italians found the region to have been almost completely Greek and also due to the strong opposition of the region's Greek population. The Germans also opposed such a move for the same reasons, and also because they were opposed to any territorial reduction of

8099-431: Was also supported by Serbia and Greece who considered that only Muslims could only be Albanians. As more Albanians became part of the Serbian and Greek states, Albanian scholars with nationalistic perspectives interpret the declaration of independence as a partial victory for the Albanian nationalist movement. On 7 April 1939, Italy's Benito Mussolini , after a prolonged interest and overarching sphere of influence during

8190-477: Was briefly achieved de jure in September 1912. The concept of a Greater Albania, as in greater than Albania within its 1913 borders, was implemented under the Italian and Nazi German occupation of the Balkans during World War II . The idea of unification has roots in the events of the Treaty of London in 1913, when roughly 30% of the predominantly Albanian territories and 35% of the population were left outside

8281-640: Was mainly Muslim. Efforts were devoted to including vilayets with an Albanian population into a larger unitary Albanian autonomous province within the Ottoman state while Greater Albania was not considered a priority. Albanian nationalism during the late Ottoman era was not imbued with separatism that aimed to create an Albanian nation-state, though Albanian nationalists did envisage an independent Greater Albania. Albanian nationalists were mainly focused on defending rights that were sociocultural, historic and linguistic within existing countries without being connected to

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