Riots in Albania (1997)

Following the collapse of the financial pyramid network in January 1997, Albania faced the most severe crisis in the post-communist period. From the actions of banks affected more than 300 thousand people. The population has lost from 1.5 to 2 billion $ . The first protests began on the same day that the “financial pyramids” were declared bankrupt. Starting January 15, in the cities of Tirana , Lushnya and Vlore, there were performances by deceived investors, demanding that the government return their savings. However, the government refused to compensate for the loss of population, limiting itself to banning the activities of the "pyramids" ^[2] .

In late February, an uprising began in the south of the country, in the cities of Vlore and Saranda , where the population seized weapons from army depots. The resignation of the government, announced on March 1, and the introduction of a state of emergency in the country could not stop the uprising. On March 2, parliament declared a state of emergency in the country. Sali Berisha ordered the troops to occupy the rebellious cities, but they refused to open fire and partially switched to the side of the people. The rebels began to freely capture all the southern cities and by mid-March were on the outskirts of Tirana. The evacuation of diplomatic missions (operations "Dragonfly" and ) has begun. A new wave of refugees surged into Greece and Italy. Further expansion of the uprising was halted only after authorities broke into army depots in Tirana, Durres and Kawai and distributed weapons to their supporters in central and northern Albania.

At the end of March, the Albanian government requested the Western European powers to intervene in order to prevent a civil war. On March 28, the UN Security Council decided to send the 7,000-strong contingent of UN multinational forces under the leadership of Italy to Albania to provide protection during humanitarian operations on food distribution. Foreign troops were stationed in all major port cities and at the international airport near Tirana. Multinational forces remained in Albania until August 14, 1997. During the three months of the confrontation, 1,500 people were killed and 3,500 were injured.

On March 11, 1997, President Sali Berisha fired the head of government, Alexander Mexi . He was replaced by the representative of the Socialist Party Bashkim Fino . In the parliamentary elections in June, the Socialist Party won, Recep Meidani was elected president , the government was led by Fatos Nano . Thus, the riots of 1997 actually led to a change of power in Albania.

As a result of these riots, army depots were looted, in which huge stockpiles of weapons accumulated over the entire existence of the communist regime were stored, and up to 610 thousand small arms were stolen. ^[4] Most of these weapons were in the hands of Albanian rebels in Kosovo. ^[1]

From the very beginning of the unrest in Albania, a version of a well-planned action arose. The Italian news agency APSA noted: “It is clear that the contours of the secret scenario are emerging behind the external chaos into which the country would seem to be immersed. Someone clearly controls a rebellion, which at first glance can be mistaken for a spontaneous rebellion. " ^[3]

Many facts speak in favor of the secret scenario. The transition to the control of the rebels of more and more cities took place according to the same pattern: the rebels practically without resistance took control of military facilities and warehouses with weapons and ammunition. Units of the regular army left a rebellious town without a single shot. After this, a local committee was created, which was headed, as a rule, by former officers of the Albanian army, who were dismissed from it about six months ago during the reform of the armed forces. ^[3]

According to the informed newspaper of the business circles of Italy “Sole-24 ore,” the uprising did not happen by chance in the south of the country. The Greek ethnic minority living here has always feared for its security and sought protection from neighboring Greece. In addition, General Kicho Mustaki, who served as Minister of Defense of Albania until 1991, took refuge in Athens. Since Mustaki came from the South Albanian clan Enver Hoxha , who had lost power over Albania after the overthrow of the communist regime, Sole-24 ore suggested that the rebellion was directed against Sali Berisha, the enemy of the Communists. ^[3]

The assumptions of the Italian media were subsequently confirmed by Albanian officials.

On March 23, 1997, Sali Berisha, when asked by La Repubblica newspaper whether he suggested that any foreign special services were involved in the events in Albania, answered as follows: “I can’t be silent about the rebellion scenario, which is gradually spreading in the country is not an Albanian scenario. Our policy has always been interfered with. I know very well who organized all this. ” ^[5]

A statement by the country's president was also confirmed by the former head of the Albanian secret police, Bashkim Ghazidede , who was removed from this post after the outbreak of mass riots. During a meeting with a group of Albanian parliament deputies from the ruling Democratic Party, Ghazidede said that George Tenet , the new director of the CIA , was involved in organizing the rebellion in southern Albania. Gazidede's statement was circulated by leading Italian newspapers. According to the ex-head of the Albanian secret service, the rebellion in the south of Albania was organized by the "Greek Orthodox lobby" , which enjoys significant influence in the United States. According to Gazidede, Tenet was also involved in organizing the mutiny, who recently held the post of deputy director of the CIA. The tenet, Gazidede said, is himself a native of southern Albania. According to a former head of the Albanian secret service, Tenet's father was born in the town of Himara , about 40 kilometers southeast of Vlora, which became the center of the uprising, and emigrated to Greece at a young age. According to Gazidede, recently Tenet has visited Albania at least four times. He stated that he had documents confirming all his words. ^{[5] [6]}

Indirect confirmation that the uprising in southern Albania has a “Greek footprint” was given by Andonis Samaras, appointed Minister of Culture of Greece in 2009 . In an interview with the Greek radio station, Samaras stated that "Macedonia will soon fall apart and cease to exist as a single entity in international relations . " ^[7] . At the same time, Samaras believes that Greece does not need to fear the creation of Great Albania and Great Bulgaria. According to RIA “New Region” , in fact, the Minister of Culture of Greece, and possibly the entire current Greek government, believes that the presence of Macedonia poses a greater threat to Greece than the nascent “Great Albania”. ^[8]

• Unrest in Albania (2011)