Greater Albania

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  • Pelagonija
    Member
    • Mar 2017
    • 533

    #31
    I always find the "in the context of the EU" comment interesting, we hear this a fair bit from the Albanian populace. I think what the Albanians are saying is that once the Balkans are in the EU they will become the preferred vassal state of the Balkans, they can then do away with the "others" hence crystallise the greater Albanian project. This tactic worked really well under the Ottoman Empire. Albanians held top political and military positions and locals served in the army which committed appalling atrocities against local Christian civilians, ultimately the Albanians expanded eastward towards the Vardar in significant numbers hence the status quo. Do Albanians ever ask themselves why today's Albanians in Kosovo/ROM are 99% Muslim and not Albania? These territories that were once part of the Kosovo Villayet..

    Perhaps we could start a seperate thread on participation of Albanians in atrocities and ethnic cleansing of Christians in the Balkans the last time Albanians were preferred vassals in the Balkans. We could even throw in NAZI occupation.

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    • Soldier of Macedon
      Senior Member
      • Sep 2008
      • 13669

      #32
      For the sake of clarification, here is a short summary of information relating to "Greater Albania" (or "Ethnic Albania" as per the Albanian nationalist perspective). After the Ottomans conquered the Balkans, a significant segment of the ethnic Albanian population converted to Islam. As members of the ruling Muslim community, ethnic Albanians held privileged positions above the Christian communities in the Ottoman Empire. They had little desire or motivation to create their own country so long as they retained this unfair dominance. Throughout the 19th century, Christian communities in the Balkans began to obtain independence or autonomy. The Muslim Albanians began to feel that the Ottoman authorities were conceding too much territory and as such, were losing faith in their ability to adequately protect their interests and dominant status. So, they organised the so-called 'League of Prizren' and met in Kosovo to form a collective Albanian approach to the matter. Most of the participants at the meeting were Muslims. Initially they sought only to preserve the Ottoman Empire (and in doing so, their privileged status), but eventually, they began to ask for a reclassification of the Ottoman provincial system and afterwards an autonomous region of their own - this is where the notion (the actual name would come later) of a "Greater Albania" was first conceived. It wasn't even their first choice - most of them would've rather preserved a Muslim Empire so they can continue dominating over the Christians if they felt that they could rely on the support of the Ottoman authorities. This provincial reclassification or autonomous region would create a single geographic unit which includes most areas of the Ottoman Empire inhabited by ethnic Albanians, even though they weren't the majority in all such areas. This includes much of today's Macedonian republic west of the river Vardar and other Macedonian-majority areas such as Lerin, Kostur, etc.

      Anyway, to cut a long story short, due to their increasing non-conformity with contemporary Ottoman political strategy (or concessions) and the growing nationalism of some members who sought to cut across the religious divide in their community, the 'League' came into conflict with the Ottomans and were defeated by them shortly thereafter - but not before they managed to fight some tough battles. The Ottomans were able to overcome the members of the 'League' with the assistance of other Muslim Albanians who disagreed with the direction that the 'League' had taken. Nevertheless, that concept of having all or most ethnic Albanians living in one defined geographical unit is the blueprint for what today is referred to as "Greater Albania". When Fascist Italy established their protectorate in Albania and parts of Macedonia and Serbia, it wasn't without significant support from the local ethnic Albanians. Even these days, in the 21st century, it is an idea supported by the majority of ethnic Albanians, not just their politicians. I will say this though, I somehow doubt the enthusiasm of many Christian Albanians about living in a state with even more Muslims (and Muslims which appear far more religiously inclined than those in Albania itself).

      New survey shows that most Albanians in the Balkans dream of being united into one state, though few expect this to happen any time soon.

      17 November, 2010

      Poll Reveals Support for 'Greater Albania'

      The poll, conducted by Gallup in cooperation with the European Fund for the Balkans, showed that 62 per cent of respondents in Albania, 81 per cent in Kosovo and 51.9 per cent of respondents in Macedonia supported the formation of a Greater Albania.
      In the name of the blood and the sun, the dagger and the gun, Christ protect this soldier, a lion and a Macedonian.

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      • Skolovranec
        Junior Member
        • Mar 2017
        • 52

        #33
        Originally posted by Albo View Post
        The facts are that Albania wasn't partitioned nor was Macedonia..
        Albania wasn't, Macedonia was. Deal with it.

        Originally posted by Albo View Post
        because they were never unified states to begin with ..
        Unified state? You can say then that there was no unified state in the Balkans at all, no matter what people we refer to. Define unified state for me pls.

        Originally posted by Albo View Post
        The only solution is the EU.. where borders become irrelevant and living standards improve!
        Globalism never helped anyone, it sure didn't help EU with terrorism. You know how easy it is to go from Portugal to Poland without being noticed, if you have the simplest of know-how to do it?
        Anti-EU Pro-Guns National-Libertarian Trekkie Minarchist
        Anti-NATO Pro-United MK Agnostic Secularist Magick Occultist
        Anti-UN Pro-Military Meritocratic Integrationist Altruistic Socio-Darwinist
        Anti-Globalist Pro-Choice Intellectual Pirate Spiritual Vagabond

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