Statutes of Shkodra published in Albanian

TIRANA, Feb. 21 – The Statutes of Shkodra, one of the eldest documents of medieval Albania has recently been published in two languages, in Albanian and Italian. The new edition of the Statutes of Shkodra, one of the oldest legal documents, gives scholars and historians the possibility to create a better idea on the way law and order functioned in the Albania of 1400. Italian scholar Lucia Nadin suggests that these rare documents should be given special importance.
“The importance of these statutes does not consist only in the legal and historic aspects, but these testimonies are very interesting because they show the social aspect and the way the civil life functions in the medieval Albania,” said writer Lucia Nadin.
The statutes of Shkodra, Durres, Drishti, Tivari and Budva are a rare testimony of the creation and the way the city-states functioned in the medieval Albania.
Statutes of Shkodra, the outcome of a long-term research work mainly in the archives of Venice, contains laws through which the city was governed since 14th century, and marks an important chapter in the history of Albania.
“The facts and documents indicate Albania’s European roots. The laws, applied at the time, were based on freedom, democracy, and respect of the law,” Mrs. Nadin said.
The Italian researcher underlined that it is very important for Albanians to be active in protecting their history and their roots, in this way make Albania step outside of the stereotypes. She highlighted that in her research she has found evidence indicating that Durres and Vlora, too, had such statutes to exercise their power.
“It is a full corpus organized with a remarkable language and efficiency, which shows the whole area was part of a European system,” the author pointed out.