HISTORY
Invaded by the Turcs in 1431, it became independent in 1912. Later, in 1916-18 it has been occupied by Austria and Italy; in 1925 - republic, and was invaded by the germans during WWII.
In 1946 the Popular Republic was constituted; under the influence of the Soviet Union until 1961, when it broke with USSR and seeked China as a partner.
In 1989 the Alia government changed political course as a consequence of the transformations experimented in the other eastern Europe countries, though the opening planted in Poland, the USSR and other countries was not taken in Albania totally, nor considered as a motor of modification of the Alban communist system.
The confirmation of the orthodox communist power didn't match with the will to reform the country; the protests in favor of the opening of the country and the establishment of a democratic system were systematic reprimed.
In 1990 the government started diplomatic relations with both Russia and the USA, always accepting Albania and it's caracteristics.
In may the secretary general of the United Nations visited the country and received from it's president the security of starting reforms and the intention of participate in the conference of security and cooperation en Europe (CSCE) as observer.
In the dinamic of the international relacions, the prime minister Carcani travelled to Turkey in june, which meant the first visit of a high ranked politician to a NATO country.
But the timid international integration didn't correspond with the internal situation of protest which started against the Ramiz Alia regime in the beginning of july, giving way to the so called 'embassy crisis' and the political asylum requests in the French, German, Italian, Greek and Hungarian embassies of thousants Albanians.
The immediate outcome of this 'crisis' was specially felt in the social and political environment: the extraordinary session of the Albanian Labour Party (PTA, communist) introduced a constitution which made it possible to travel abroad and change job. As a consequence of that the refugees obtained visa to leave the country.
The exodus took place under the authority of the United Nations and included a journey over the Adriatic Sea from Durres to Brindisi (Italy) and the dotation of a special train which took the people to other places in Europe, especially Germany.
In the meantime, the first governmental crisis took place in which the minister of Interior, the defense minister and some members of the politburo were replaced, these changes were seen as an effort to strengthen the authority of Alia.
The tension and fear stayed though; mainly becasue of the Sigurimi (secret police), an organization controlled by Nexhmije Hoxha, widow of the founder of 'New Albania'.
The government tried to get rid of this fear and anger by the destitution of the widow of Hoxha, president of the democratic front.
In december 1990, after a student strike, the central committee of the PTA authorized the formation of independent parties, and the next day the Democratic Party (PD) was founded, leaded by the economist Gramoz Pashko.
The new party could rely on important people who had the same ideas as the government but lately they had been drifting away from the official communist ideas. During the next few days a series of violent protest was produced in the main cities, which ended with hundreds of detentions.
In the dialoge started between the government and the opposition, the PD asked for early elections, which were set for february 1991 and took place on 31 march (with a second round in zones without a winner on 7 and 14 of april).
Though the PD celebrated important victories in urban areas including the outskirts of Tirana; the president of the republic, Ramiz Alia lost these elections.
The global results meant an important triunf for the government, obtaining 169 seats PTA against 75 for the democrats, and 6 to other minority parties (5 of which went to the Omonia of the greek-albanians).
This showed that in a rural country which Albania was, the majority of the people were not prepared to adapt the necessary changes in the urban areas and preferred voting in favor of the actual leaders.
In a climate of strike and anarchy, the government, strengthened by the electoral triunf, continued it's reform program. One of the first iniciatives was to draw a new constitution, which meant Albania was no longer a popular socialist republic. Because of the continuous problems of the distinct communist governments, the PTA accepted to form a new government of national stability, presided by the communist Ylli Bufi, but with representatives of the opposition (democrats, republicans and independent personalities).
At the same time, the PTA celebrated it's 10th congress and decided to rename itself Socialist Party of Albania, presided by Patos Nano, who was prime minister from february until june of the same year. Between december 1990 and march 1991, thousants of albanians crossed the border with Greece or escaped to Italy. In August 1991, the exodus reached a dramatic aspect, converting into an autentic invasion by sea to Italian ports, which provocated chaos in the city of Bari (Italy), and an enrgic action of the Italian authoroties.
The government of national reconciliation could not impone itself in a country dominated by confusion and the economic misery (the winter of 1991-92 was terrorific for a population depending more and more each day on help received from abroad).
In december Bufi resigned and two weeks later a new government was formed, presided by the, until then, minister of nutricion Vilson Ahmeti, considered an independent technocrat.
Finally president Alia accepted elections in 1992.
They took place on March 22nd and the Democratic Party (PD) won, which meant the end of the communist regime and all restrictions, which were kept by the IMF and the World Bank (organizations Albania joined in december 1991), were taken away.
On april 3rd 1992 Ramiz Alia, the last communist leader in Europe, resigned. The leader of the PD, Sali Berisha, became president on april 14th and named the first non-communist government in 40 years, which had to solve the problems of an economic situation caracterized by 50% unemployment, a devastated industry and an exterior debt of approximately 700 million U.S. dollars.
In 1993, the government solicited to join NATO, during the visit of presodent Berusha to the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
·USA and Albania sign a treaty on military cooperation which includes programs of education and exchange of personnel. It's the first military treaty between USA and an ex-communist country.
·In february 1994, the albanian president travels to Brussels to sign the so called Association for Peace treaty.
The recovery of the Albanian economy experienced in 1994, was only because of transfers of albanians who work in Greece or Italy.
The unemployment level stayed high, the economic growth in 1994 was considered to be the highest in the region and the inflation was brought down to 22,6%.
These results don't hide the country's poverty.
On june 19, 1995 Albania joined the Council of Europe. The relation with Greece were getting better after some alarming tensions in 1993-1994. Greece lifted it's veto on a EU loan of 43 million Dollar to Albania. USA and other western countries still don't supply Albania with a decisive financial help, mainly because of human right violations.
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World Atlas
last updated: 14 november 1997
