Timeline_of_Albanian_history_to_1993

Timeline of Albanian history

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This is a timeline of Albanian history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in Albania and its predecessor states. To read about the background to these events, see History of Albania. See also the list of Albanian monarchs and list of heads of state of Albania.

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[1] [1]
Madrugearu A, Gordon M. The wars of the Balkan peninsula. Rowman & Littlefield, 2007. p.146

[2] [2]
William Smith, LLD, Ed., Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, 1854. Ptolemy is the earliest writer in whose works the name of the Albanians has been distinctly recognized. He mentions (3.13.23) a tribe called ALBANI (Ἀλβανοί) and a town ALBANOPOLIS (Ἀλβανόπολις), in the region lying to the E. of the Ionian sea; and from the names of places with which Albanopolis is connected, it appears clearly to have been in the S. part of the Illyrian territory, and in modern Albania. There is no means of forming a conjecture on how the name of this obscure tribe came to be extended to so considerable a nation.

[3] [3]
The Loeb Editor's Notes, 28 Nova Epirus or Illyris Graeca

[4] [4]
A new classical dictionary of Greek and Roman biography, mythology, and geography: partly based upon the Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology by Sir William Smith,1851, page 392

[5] [5]
Catholic Encyclopedia - Durazzo

[6] [6]
Handbook of Ancient Geography and History by Ptz Wilhelm, ISBN 1-113-19974-1, The (734) southern portion, or Illyria Graeca, belonged to the province of Macedonia.

[7] [7]
Atlas of Classical History by R. Talbert, 1989, page 175: "... divided the diocese of Moesia into two, styled Thracia and Macedonia, the latter consisting of the provinces from Epirus Nova and Macedonia southward. But there is evidence that Constantine considered ..."

[8] [8]
Encyclopedia of ancient Greece by Nigel Guy Wilson, 2006, ISBN 0-415-97334-1, page 246

[9] [9]
Hendry, p. 299. The geography is entirely correct for Servius' time, since Diocletian's rearrangement of provincial boundaries included the creation of the province of Epirus Nova out of southern Illyricum with Dyrrachium (=Epidamnus) as its capital.

[10] [10]
Wilkes, J. J. The Illyrians, 1992,ISBN 0-631-19807-5, Page 210

[Elsie2003-11] [11]
Robert Elsie (2003). Early Albania: a reader of historical texts, 11th-17th centuries. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. p. 3. ISBN 978-3-447-04783-8. Retrieved October 20, 2011.

[12] [12]
The wars of the Balkan Peninsula: their medieval origins G - Reference, Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects Series Authors Alexandru Madgearu, Martin Gordon Editor Martin Gordon Translated by Alexandru Madgearu Edition illustrated Publisher Scarecrow Press, 2008 ISBN 0-8108-5846-0, ISBN 978-0-8108-5846-6 It was supposed that those Albanoi from 1042 were Normans from Sicily, called by an archaic name (the Albanoi were an independent tribe from Southern Italy), p. 25

[13] [13]
The wars of the Balkan Peninsula: their medieval origins G - Reference, Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects Series Authors Alexandru Madgearu, Martin Gordon Editor Martin Gordon Translated by Alexandru Madgearu Edition illustrated Publisher Scarecrow Press, 2008 ISBN 0-8108-5846-0, ISBN 978-0-8108-5846-6 It was supposed that those Albanoi from 1042 were Normans from Sicily, called by an archaic name (the Albanoi were an independent tribe from Southern Italy). The following instance is indisputable. It comes from the same Attaliates, who wrote that the Albanians (Arbanitai) were involved in the 1078 rebellion of... p. 25

[14] [14]
Comnena, Anna. The Alexiad, Book IV.

[:06-15] [15]
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Zickel, Raymond E.; Iwaskiw, Walter R., eds. (1994). Albania: a country study (2nd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. pp. xv–xxvi. ISBN 0-8444-0792-5. OCLC 29360048.

[charge-16] [16]
"Albania's new PM takes charge". The Independent. September 2, 2005. p. 22.

[Mystery_of_President_Bush's_watch_in_Albania-17] [17]
Owen, Richard (June 12, 2007). "Mystery of President Bush's watch in Albania". The Times. London. Archived from the original on September 3, 2011. Retrieved August 2, 2010.

[18] [18]
Albania's main opposition leaves parliament over Supreme Court row Archived June 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, SETimes.com, 13.06.2008

[19] [19]
"Albania PM re-election confirmed". BBC News. July 27, 2009. Archived from the original on July 28, 2011. Retrieved May 23, 2010.

[20] [20]
Deutsche Welle Archived January 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, May 5, 2010

[21] [21]
Albanian opposition leaves parliament again Archived June 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, SETimes.com, 29/10/2010

[22] [22]
EU Observer Archived June 18, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, November 10, 2010

[23] [23]
SETimes.com Archived June 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, January 10, 2011

[24] [24]
SETimes.com Archived March 7, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, January 16, 2011

[25] [25]
SETimes.com Archived November 20, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, January 21, 2011

[26] [26]
EU Observer Archived February 13, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, January 24, 2011

[27] [27]
Balkan Insight Archived September 11, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, May 11, 2011

[28] [28]
OSCE Releases Mixed Scorecard on Albania Poll Archived September 3, 2011, at the Wayback Machine – Balkan Insight, May 10, 2011

[29] [29]
Balkan Insight Archived September 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Archived September 3, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Archived September 3, 2011, at the Wayback Machine

[30] [30]
Balkan Insight Archived September 3, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, May 23, 2011

[31] [31]
International Crisis Group Archived May 24, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, The Dangers of Albania's Disputed Election, May 20, 2011

[32] [32]
(in Italian)Albania News Archived March 24, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, May 20, 2011

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Top Channel TV Archived March 12, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, May 21, 2011

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Year	Date	Event
150		Ptolemy's map shows the city of Albanopolis (located Northeast of Durrës).^[1] Ptolemy also mentions the Illyrian tribe named Albanoi, who lived around this city.^[2] The area was part of the Roman province of Macedonia.
244-311		Epirus Nova or New Epirus or Illyria Graeca^[3]^[4]^[5] or Illyris proper was a province of the Roman Empire established by Diocletian during his restructuring of provincial boundaries. The province, belonged to the Roman province of Macedonia.^[6]^[7] Later it became a theme^[8] of the Byzantine Empire. Dyrrachium was established as the capital of Epirus nova.^[9] The Roman administrative region of Epirus Nova corresponded to southern Illyria, which was in part subject to ancient Greek influence.^[10]
1000-1018		The Arbanasi people are recorded as being 'half-believers' (non-Orthodox Christians) and speaking their own language in the Fragment of Origins of Nations between 1000 and 1018 by an anonymous author in a Bulgarian text of the 11th century.^[11]
1043		In History written in 1079–1080, Byzantine historian Michael Attaliates referred to the Albanoi as having taken part in a revolt against Constantinople in 1043 and to the Arbanitai as subjects of the duke of Dyrrachium. It is disputed, however, whether the "Albanoi" of the events of 1043 refers to Albanians in an ethnic sense or whether "Albanoi" is a reference to Normans from Sicily under an archaic name (there was also tribe of Italy by the name of "Albanoi").^[12] However a later reference to Albanians from the same Attaliates, regarding the participation of Albanians in a rebellion in 1078, is undisputed.^[13]
1081–1118		Arbanitai of Arbanon are recorded in an account by Anna Comnena of the troubles in that region during the reign of her father Alexius I Comnenus by the Normans.^[14]
1190		The Principality of Arbanon was created.
1200		Local Albanian noble families began to emerge and Serbia occupies parts of northern Albania.

Year	Date	Event
1204		Fourth Crusade: Venice won control over most of Albania.
1204		Fourth Crusade: The Byzantines regained control of the southern portion of Albania and established the Despotate of Epirus.
1258		The Angevin Kingdom of Sicily seized the Albanian coast and much of the Epirus hinterland.
1272		Forces allied to Angevin Charles I of Naples occupied Durrës and established the Kingdom of Albania.
1280		Siege of Berat (1280–1281): An Angevin offensive against Constantinople was repulsed by the Byzantines.
1290		Albania began to come under Serbian attack.

Year	Date	Event
1304		The Angevins recaptured the Kingdom of Albania.
1368		Karl Thopia captured Durrës from the Angevins.
1385		Thopia invited the Ottoman Empire to intervene against his rival Balsha II.
1389		Battle of Kosovo: Albanians, as part of a Serbian-led Balkan, were crushed by Ottoman forces.^[15]

Year	Date	Event
1405		George Kastrioti, later Skanderbeg, was born.^[15]
1430		Gjon Kastrioti led an unsuccessful uprising against the Ottoman Empire.
1433		Gjergj Arianiti rebelled against the Ottoman Empire with some success.
1443		After being sent into battle near Niš, Skanderbeg entered Albania and reembraced Roman Catholicism, marking the beginning of a long war against the Ottoman Empire.^[15]
1444		Skanderbeg was proclaimed chief of the League of Lezhë.
1450		The Albanians, led by Skanderbeg, routed Ottoman forces.^[15]
1466		The Albanians, led by Skanderbeg, began the defense of Krujë against massive Ottoman armies.
1467		The defense of Krujë ended.
1468		Skanderbeg died.
1478		Fourth Siege of Krujë (1478): Krujë fell to the Ottoman Empire, causing many Albanians to flee to southern Italy, Greece, Egypt, and elsewhere.^[15]
1479		Shkodër fell to the Ottoman Empire in Fourth siege of Shkodra the Albanians were helped by Venice but still lost.

Year	Date	Event
1700		Some Albanians who converted to Islam found careers in the government and military services of the Ottoman Empire.
1700		A mass conversion of Albanians began which would see some two-thirds of them become Muslims.

Timeline_of_Albanian_history_to_1993

Timeline of Albanian history

Antiquity

2nd century AD to 12th century

13th century

14th century

15th century

17th century

18th century

19th century

20th century

21st century

See also

References

Bibliography

External links

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Year	Date	Event
1785		Kara Mahmud Bushati, an Albanian noble from the Bushati family based in Shkodër, attacked Montenegrin territory and was named governor of Shkodër by Ottoman authorities.
1800		Most Albanian conversion to Islam came to an end.

Year	Date	Event
1822		Albanian leader Ali Pashë Tepelena was assassinated by Ottoman agents for promoting an autonomous state.
1830		Five hundred Albanian leaders, accepting an invitation to meet with an Ottoman general in Monastir, were trapped and killed in an ambush.
1835		The Ottoman Sublime Porte divided Albanian-populated lands into the Ottoman-administered vilayets of Janina and Rumelia.
1848		Albanians rose up against the Tanzimat reforms.
1861		The first school known to use the Albanian language in modern times opened in Shkodër.
1877		Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878): The war began.
1878		Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878): The Ottoman Empire was defeated by its rival Russian Empire, seriously weakening Ottoman power over Albanian-populated areas.
1878		Albanian leaders meeting in Prizren formed the League of Prizren to advocate a unified Albania under Ottoman suzerainty.
1879		The Society for Printing of Albanian Writings, composed of Roman Catholic, Muslim, and Eastern Orthodox Albanians, was founded in Constantinople.
1881		Ottoman forces crushed Albanian resistance fighters at Prizren. The leaders of the League of Prizren and their families were arrested and deported.
1897		Ottoman authorities disbanded a reactivated League of Prizren.

Year	Date	Event
2001		Growth in gross domestic product is 7.3%, just slightly less than the 7.8% registered in 2000. Unemployment drops from 17.1% in 1999 to 13.3% in 2001, thanks to a government-supported job creation program that includes infrastructure-development projects within the framework of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe.
		Although Albania has made strides toward democratic reform and maintaining the rule of law, serious deficiencies in the electoral code remain to be addressed, as demonstrated in the June 2001 parliamentary elections. International observers judged the 2001 elections to be acceptable, but the Union for Victory Coalition, the second-largest vote recipient, disputed the results and boycotted parliament until January 31, 2002. The Socialists re-elected Ilir Meta as Prime Minister in August 2001, a post which he held till February 2002, when he resigned due to party infighting. Pandeli Majko was re-elected Prime Minister in February 2002.
	March	The large ethnic Albanian minority in neighbouring Macedonia stages an armed rebellion. Although Albania's prime minister Ilir Meta supports international peace negotiations (which lead to a truce and a peace settlement in late August), there is evidence to suggest that Albanian border guards have at first failed to seal the border completely to arms smugglers supplying the rebels in Macedonia.
	April	The government is strongly criticized for its unsuccessful policy toward human trafficking. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) joins Save the Children in highlighting the trade in eastern European women and even Albanian children, and accuses local Albanian police of colluding in the lucrative industry. IOM points out that there have been fewer prosecutions of smugglers than of victims of the trade.
	April 18	The government announces that legislative elections will take place on June 24.
	June 24	In the first round of the parliamentary elections (turnout 54.9%), the ruling Socialist Party, with a reform-oriented program, wins 31 seats; the opposition Union for Victory coalition, formed by the Democratic Party, receives 16 seats. In the second round on July 8, the Socialist Party wins another 44 and the Union for Victory 30. The opposition had been split since 2000, when the New Democrat Party was formed, whose leader, Genc Pollo, charged Berisha with failing to offer convincing answers to the country's essential problems. Pollo's leadership appealed to many voters who were looking for a group among the opposition that could demonstrate some political competence. The new party wins six seats in the new parliament.
	July 30	The opposition Democratic Party (PDS) announces that it will not accept the results of the "farcical" legislative election and that it will consequently stay away from the People's Assembly. According to final results announced on August 21 the ruling Socialist Party won a clear majority of 73 seats in the 140-seat Assembly, while the Union for Victory won only 46. Observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe disagree with the PDS and describe the poll as free and fair.
	September 3	The Democratic Party boycotts the opening session of the People's Assembly in defiance of the government's recent electoral victory.
	September 12	Parliament gives Prime Minister Ilir Meta's new government a vote of confidence. Within the governing coalition the Socialist Party controls all key ministries. Arta Dade becomes foreign minister (the first woman in Albanian history to hold that post), Ilir Gjoni interior minister, and Pandeli Majko defense minister; Anastas Angjeli remains finance minister. The chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Skënder Gjinushi, takes charge of labour and social affairs, while another Social Democrat, former foreign minister Paskal Milo, becomes minister of Euro-Atlantic integration. Former justice minister Arben Imami becomes minister of local government and decentralization, pledging to focus on strengthening the role of cities and towns; Niko Kacalidha (of the Union Party, which represents many ethnic Greeks) is appointed to the new post of state minister for minorities and the diaspora. For his part, Prime Minister Meta pledges to upgrade power supplies, proceed with privatization, fight corruption and organized crime, improve ties with Western Europe and neighbours in the Balkan region, and promote free trade.
	December	Five cabinet members resign after a concerted campaign by Fatos Nano, the leader of the ruling Socialist Party, to bring about a reshuffle. Nano has accused the government of high-level corruption.
2002		Albania is working to conclude free-trade agreements with Macedonia, Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, and Croatia. The economy suffers a slight setback. Unemployment creeps up during the year. A United Nations Development Project report estimates that one-third of the population lives in poverty, earning less than $1 per capita per day. Large segments of the population live from subsistence agriculture and do not receive unemployment benefits.
	January 29	Prime Minister of Albania Ilir Meta resigns in anger over a continuing row with the leader of his Socialist Party, Fatos Nano, who has been resisting the appointment of ministers to vacant cabinet positions. Earlier that day the opposition Democratic Party ended its four-month boycott of the People's Assembly.
	February 7	Defense Minister Pandeli Majko receives the backing of the various warring factions within the ruling Socialist Party to be the country's next prime minister. Nominated by outgoing premier Meta, Majko agrees to accommodate supporters of party leader Nano in a new cabinet. The previous deadlock led the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to freeze aid payments until the situation was resolved. On February 16 President Meidani accepts Majko's proposed cabinet, including Kastriot Islami as finance minister, Luan Rama as defense minister, and Stefan Çipa as interior minister; Arta Dade is to remain as foreign minister. The cabinet is approved by Parliament on February 22.
	June 24	Parliament elects Alfred Moisiu as president (97–19). He is sworn in July 24. On July 25 Prime Minister Majko resigns. On July 31 Parliament approves (81–48) a new government with Socialist Party Chairman Fatos Nano as prime minister, Majko as defense minister, Ilir Meta as foreign minister, and Luan Rama as interior minister; Kastriot Islami remains finance minister. Nano's appointment marks the end of a power struggle between the party leader and his two younger challengers Meta and Majko, both of whom had served as prime minister since Nano resigned the post during a period of civil unrest in 1998. Media analysis suggests that Nano elbowed Meta and Majko aside in a grab for power after realizing that he was too controversial a figure to aspire to the presidency. The European Parliament had urged Albanian legislators to elect a president who would be acceptable to both the governing coalition and the opposition. Moreover, Meta and the outgoing president, Meidani, both openly opposed Nano's candidacy for the presidency. The election of Moisiu essentially sealed the Socialist legislators' compromise with the opposition led by the Democratic Party. Nano and Berisha say that the deal signals that the two rival party leaders have put years of fighting behind them. Moisiu, a 73-year-old retired general, served as president of the Albanian North Atlantic Treaty Association and is considered friendly by the opposition.
	August 29	The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's chief of mission, Geert-Hinrich Ahrens, praises Albania in his end-of-mission address to the OSCE Permanent Council, reporting that the country is "in the forefront of reform in the region" and adding that recent achievements have "brought Albania to the threshold of opening negotiations for a Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Union." Finnish diplomat Osmo Lipponen succeeds Ahrens on September 1.
2003	February 12	Albania opens negotiations with the European Commission on a Stabilization and Association Agreement, the first step towards membership of the European Union. (to February 13)
	2 May	U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell signs a partnership agreement with Albania, Macedonia, and Croatia intended to help them achieve NATO membership.
	July 18	Angered by Nano's comments during a cabinet meeting, Foreign Minister Meta resigns in protest at Nano's "nihilistic, tendentious, and denigrating" criticism. On July 22 Marko Bello is nominated to be foreign minister, but he is rejected by parliament on July 28. On July 29 Luan Hajdaraga is named acting foreign minister.
	October 12	The Socialist Party wins a narrow victory over the Democratic Party in local elections. Turnout is around 50%.
	October 17	Interior Minister Luan Rama is sacked. He has been accused of punching the editor-in-chief of Vizion Plus television, Ilir Babaramo, in a Tirana restaurant on October 14 because of criticism broadcast by the TV station two months ago. On October 23 Prime Minister Nano's nominees for foreign minister, Namik Dokle, and for interior minister, Fatmir Xhafa, are rejected by parliament. On October 25 Nano picks Igli Toska to be acting interior minister.
	October 19	In Tiran, more than 2,000 people hold a "people's marathon" to celebrate the beatification of Mother Teresa, who was born to Albanian parents in what is now North Macedonia.
	December 29	Parliament finally approves new ministers for the vacant posts. Kastriot Islami becomes foreign minister, Arben Malaj succeeds him as finance minister, and Igli Toska becomes interior minister.
2004	January	A national day of mourning is called after 20 people dies in a shipwreckage during an illegal attempt to cross the Adriatic sea and reach Italy.
2004	February 7	Some 2,000 protesters gather at Prime Minister Nano's office. Stones are thrown and an attempt to storm the building is repelled by guards. Earlier in the day over 4,000 demonstrators rallied in Tirana's central square and, led by Democratic Party leader Berisha, called for Nano to quit.
2005	July 3	Parliamentary elections end with a victory for the opposition Democratic Party (PD) and its allies, prominently the Republican Party (PR). Former president Sali Berisha became prime minister as a result of the election.^[16]
2005	September	After two months of political wrangling, former president Sali Berisha emerges as the victor in July's general election
2006	April	Speedboats are banned in coastal waters, in order to fight people and drug smuggling
2006	June	A Stabilisation and Association Agreement is signed between Albania and the European Union
2007		Despite the political situation, the economy of Albania grew at an estimated 5% in 2007. The Albanian lek has strengthened from 143 lekë to the US dollar in 2000 to 92 lekë in 2007, mainly due to the depreciation of the US dollar, but also thanks to the overall improvement of the Albanian economy.
	June 10	US President George W. Bush visited Albania, the first sitting US president to do so. While Mr Bush was glad-handing cheering crowds, it appears as if his wristwatch is stolen. TV footage of the President being mobbed, taken by the Albanian TV station News24, was broadcast on Italian TV news bulletins and watched by thousands on YouTube.^[17] It was later reported that Bush had given the watch to a guard.
	July	Bamir Topi, ruling party chairmanpresident, is elected by the Parliament as President of Albania, after three failed round highlighted the risk of snap elections.
2008	March 15	An explosion in a badly-maintained arms depot causes 16 deaths and over 300 injured, damaging Tirana airport. Defense minister Fatmir Mediu resigns.
2008	June 12	Opposition Socialist Party leaves the Parliament, accusing the ruling Democratic Party of postponing voting on five new members of the Supreme Court awaiting appointment by President Bamir Topi.^[18]
2009	April	Albania joins NATO and submit application for membership in the European Union
	July	Sali Berisha's centre-right Democratic Party wins 2009 parliamentary elections by a narrow margin. Prior to the election, the electoral law was changed to a regional proportionally system.Berisha's alliance won enough seats to form a government, though it fell one seat short of a majority during the elections of Jun 28, 2009, having to join forces with a splinter socialist party, the Socialist Movement for Integration of Ilir Meta, whom Berisha appointed to the post of Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs, and later Minister of Economy, Trade and Energy. It is the first time since the start of multi-party democracy in 1991 that a ruling party has been forced into a coalition through not winning enough seats on its own.^[19]
	November	Protests begin in Tirana, led by opposition Socialist Party leader Edi Rama, against allegedly rigged vote counting in the 2009 elections. Berisha has refused any recount of the votes, on the ground that the Albanian Constitution do not foresee such procedure. The political crisis between government and opposition has worsened over time, with the Socialists abandoning parliamentary debates for months and staging hungerstrikes to ask for internal and international support.
2010	May	The Socialist Party starts a civil disobedience campaign against the government, asking for a new count of votes, and including hunger strike of opposition leaders^[20]
	September	Economy minister Dritan Prifti resigns after being involved in a corruption scandal.
	October 28	The opposition Socialist Party again walks out of the Parliament^[21]
	November	The European Union rejects Albania's request for EU candidate status, but visa are liberalized. The ongoing political crisis was one of the reason of the refusal of granting Albania official candidacy status^[22]
2011	January 7	The Central Election Commission begins burning the ballots of the 2009 parliamentary elections, in a routine process leading to the 8 May local elections, making a second count (repeatedly requested by opposition) impossible. The Socialist Party has accused the CEC and the Berisha government to attempt hiding vote manipulation.^[23]
	January 14	Economy and Trade Minister Ilir Meta resigns after being involved in a corruption scandal.^[24]
	January 21	Clashes break out between police and protesters in an anti-government rally in front of the Government building in Tirana. Three people are shot dead.^[25] The EU issues a statement to Albanian politicians, warning both sides to refrain from violence.^[26]
	8 May	Local elections see the victory of the Socialist Party of Albania (PS) in the main cities outside Tirana, Lezha and Scutari;^[27] The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe released a mixed evaluation of the electoral process, which was considered "competitive and transparent, but took place in an environment of high polarization and mistrust".^[28] In Tirana, the match was between Edi Rama, incumbent mayor and PS leader, and Lulzim Basha, DP minister of the interior. After a long process of votes counting, Rama was first declared winner for a tight margin of 10 votes. Then, the DP-led Central Electoral Commission decided to add to the count some of the votes misplaced in the wrong boxes, a move on doubtful legal grounds that was contested by the opposition^[29] as well as by the OSCE. Basha was finally declared winner for 83 votes.^[30]^[31] The European Commission president José Manuel Barroso consequently cancelled his visit to Tirana;^[32] the Nobel-prize Ismail Kadaré pledged him to withdraw his candidacy to avoid the "collapse" and "isolation" of Albania.^[33]
2012	September 21	September 2012 Hunger strike of former politically persecuted in Albania (2012)