Berisha: Albania's independence put the great powers before the fait accompli, it was a sovereign and independent state

Within the framework of the 111th anniversary of the Independence of Albania, the chief democrat Sali Berisha has organized the event "Pride of Heritage": A journey through time at the headquarters of the Democratic Party.

In his speech, Berisha emphasized that the Independence of Albania is the modern birthday of a nation and a day of inspiration. The chief democrat described Ismail Qemali as a visionary man who put the powers of the world before the fact that Albania was an independent and sovereign state.

"I stress once again, independence is the modern birthday of a nation. It is a day of inspiration because in the conditions when Ismail Qemali and the other fathers of independence, announced in Vlora, the independence of Albania, it was an act of courage, extraordinary vision.

It was an act when all but one of the great powers were against it. No one, except Austria-Hungary and Count Bertold, wanted an independent state in his lands. Ismail Qemali's government was not recognized until August 1913.

But if this great, visionary man did not rise with courage above the time, together with Isa Boletini and the other elite of the nation, to declare independence in Vlora, August 1913 would have decided the disintegration, the final fragmentation of the Albanian nation .

Ismail Qemali placed the powers of the world, who did not want an Albanian state, before the accomplished fact, that the Albanian state existed, that Albania existed as a sovereign and independent state.

In this context, if we go back to those times and think about this act, this act becomes a true legend.

But this act became decisive for the fate of the nation, at that time divided and occupied in almost 2/3 of its lands. This act was decisive for the free and independent Kosovo.

Without independence of Albania, there could never be independence of Kosovo. Without the independence of Albania, Albanians wherever they live in other countries in the Balkans would not be who they are today.

Therefore, if other nations have their independence as a gift, or sometimes as an accident of history, the Albanians have it from a superhuman act of Ismail Bey Vlora and the nation's elite. Of those fighters, politicians, popular leaders, who organized the great uprisings of Kosovo.

So the more you dwell on our independence, think about it, study it, read it, the more amazing, miraculous, fascinating and inspiring it becomes ," Berisha declared.