Berisha: We will unite in Europe

Berisha immediately explained that he mentioned Preveza referring to its history before 1912, and that Albania had no territorial claims to any neighbour. When asked if he felt the absence of Greece in the celebrations, he said: “The French have an expression. Friends always shine in their absence”.

Berisha did not hesitate to talk about the national unification topic, when asked by Top Channel if this would mean the unification of Albania with Kosovo.

“Our motto is that we will unite with each other in Europe. I think that this is a just motto, for which every Albanian should work. We must work for our European project and for overcoming hundreds of obstacles that were placed in these 100 years. Regarding the question, the further recognition and the consolidation of the independence of Kosovo, and its regional and international role, will remain the national interest of all Albanians”, Berisha declared.

Although these declarations were found unpleasant for the Macedonian and Greek neighbours, Berisha did not hesitate to refer to the historic facts of the XIX century, when Albania had four “vilayets” under the ottoman rule, which were given to the Greek, Serbian and Montenegrin neighbours because of their international alliances, dividing this way the Albanian ethnic land.

Berisha made these declarations during the inauguration of a new road that was made in Tirana, and which was named after the Austrian Foreign Minister, Leopold Bertold, who supported the independence of Albania and was against its division.

“Cont Bertold, his government and his country, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, had always considered ethnic Albania as a country of 67.000 square km and the main nation in South-Eastern Balkan. But the Balkan Alliance and other factors didn’t allow the realization of this independent state. This is why he strongly supported Ismail Qemali when he declared the independence and founded the Albanian state, as a vital necessity to save the Albanians, that nation that he loved and respected, from disappearing from the map”, Berisha declared.

Top Channel