Patriotic fervor is increasing as Albania nears 100 years
of independence. EU goal remains top priority.
TIRANA, Dec 1 – Albanians marked the 99th anniversary of Albania’s declaration of independence on Nov. 28 with newly-found patriotic fervor, as hundreds of thousands took part in related events in Albania, the region and beyond. This year’s festivities also marked the start of a year-long calendar of activities which will culminate in the centennial celebrations of Nov. 28, 2012.
Beyond official coordination, there is clearly an increase in national sentiment in Albania, where national feelings had been lukewarm through the difficult years of transition that brought poverty and weak state. And with the rise of that sentiment, new political movements are trying to get a foothold. Rising patriotism aside, everyone involved wants a strong and proud Albania to continue its path toward European integration.
Rocking independence
Tirana found it self covered in red and black on Nov. 28, and the city had a busy day ranging from patriotic reenactments to concerts and a street fair, which City Hall, working together with local businesses, had organized to urge consumers to buy Albanian products.
Albanians view Nov. 28 as the most important event in their history. The declaration of independence in the southern port of Vlora ended four and a half centuries of Ottoman occupation and guaranteed an independent Albania would exist at a time when ambitions of neighboring countries called the country’s very existence into question. Albania’s founding fathers came together in Vlora from all Albanian territories to declare the new country free and independent.
“In the year of the 100th anniversary of Independence Day is a time of deep gratitude for hundreds and thousands of people who sacrificed themselves so that we are free,” said Prime Minister Berisha during the Tirana celebrations. “Also it carries gratitude for our friends worldwide that at crucial moments for our national history stood by our side and we won. It also carries gratitude for all the Albanians who by their striving made Albania more developed, proud and better than ever on this 100th anniversary.”
Nationalism rising
Saddled with a lot of problems ranging from political deadlock to corruption, Albania’s political scene has seen the arrival of at least two movements using a mix of nationalism and populism to hone in a message unity and progress.
The Red and Black Alliance, which is not a registered political party, but analysts suspect it could become one before the next elections, sports a pan-Albanian agenda that expands beyond Albania into Kosovo and Macedonia as well as countries with significant Albanian immigrant populations.
Its rallies in Vlora and Prishtina were the largest events outside officially-sponsored concerts, and media interest in the movement and its charismatic leader, Kreshnik Spahiu, has been growing.
Shortly before the independence day celebrations, the alliance took a massive flag in a journey from Vlora to Prishtina. Its activists say the goal is to bring all Albanians under the same colors and values. The union also calls for all Albanians in the region to be joined together through democratic means.
That, says Spahiu, was the dream of Albania’s first head of state and key founder, Ismail Qemali.
“We have come 99 years later after this wise man took the long journey to take Albania away from Anatolia and bring us into Europe,” he told a rally in Vlora. “Ismail Qemali’s dream continues because we have 99 years of independence, but not 99 years of state, because this is not the Albania Ismail Qemali and the other founders dreamed.”
The second new movement with nationalistic overtones, the Justice, Integration and Unity Party, or PDIU through its Albanian acronym, has more niche ambitions, as it serves mainly the Cham community, Albanians that were ethnically cleansed out of their homes in northern Greece at the end of World War II after being accused of collaborating with the invading German armies.
PDIU has two deputies in parliament and the party is a member of the ruling coalition, bit it too relies heavily on using national symbols and themes to rally its supporters, which took the party to parliament for the fist time in the last elections.
European overtones
The rise in Albanian national sentiment does not appear to be eurosceptic in nature, however, as the riding overtone is that the national interests demand European integration.
“When our founding fathers placed one century ago the foundations of the youngest state in Europe, there was no dilemma that their vision was for a free, integrated, democratic and European society and state. They could not predict the future filled of difficult times and joyous,” President Bamir Topi said during independence day celebrations in Vlora. “Albania enters the 100th year of its independence younger and more beautiful than ever in its history because the Albanians are free like never before and are building their future in freedom.”
Spectrum divided over liberation
In what has become a yearly ritual, the two sides of the political spectrum remain divided in their celebration of another important event, Albania’s liberation near the end of World War II. The center right Democratic Party always bundles the celebrations with Nov. 28. But the main opposition Socialist Party and other left wing parties like the Socialist Movement for Integration, part of the ruling coalition use Nov. 29 for the celebrations.
Historians have debated the date of when the last Nazi soldier left Albania. But the true nature of the fight is likely related to how the two sides of the political spectrum see their relation to the past and the outcome of communist domination following Albania’s liberation near the end of World War II.
“This is day that no one can erase from memory or from historical books,” said Socialist leader Edi Rama.
Officially Liberation Day still falls on Nov. 29, after being shifted twice – first to Nov. 28 when the Democrats first came to power in the 1990s, then back to Nov. 29 when Socialists regained power in 1997. The Democrats did not change it again when they won the elections of 2005. So today it is a national holiday, though the current government doesn’t promote it.
Kosovo’s Flag Day
After much debate over the role Nov. 28 should have in the newly-independent Kosovo and with public sentiment running high in its favor, Nov. 28 has been declared Flag Day and has once again been included in the list of official holidays.
Nov. 28 is also known as |Flag Day in Albania in honor of the raising of the flag in Vlora following the declaration of independence.
Previously the date has been removed from the list of Kosovo state holidays much to the dismay of Albanian nationalists in the new country.
However, this year there were a series of events sponsored by local municipalities to honor Flag Day, including a large rally and concert in the capital, Prishtina.
