By: Agron Islami

There is no doubt that June 10, 1878 - the Albanian League of Prizren - marks one of the most important events of the creation of the Albanian state and nation.

It all started with the Albanian elites who were an active part of the political and cultural life in Istanbul, who designed the first Albanian political platform.

The main points that constitute the program cream of the Albanian League of Prizren, were initially part of the activity of the Albanian Cultural Association in Istanbul, founded in 1864. Later, these patriotic ideas - aimed at raising national consciousness, through the development of language and culture - became topics in the sessions of the Ottoman Parliament in 1877-'88.

It was the Albanian MP, the representative of Ioannina, Abdyl bej Frashëri, who in the session of December 1877 presented a detailed report on the education reform.

Frashëri placed the main emphasis on the low level of education in Albanian lands and on the necessity of drafting a general educational policy, so that the Albanian population could be educated and reach a certain level of civilization.

The other Albanian MP, Mihal Harito,

In the sessions of January 1878, the topics of territorial defense and the situation of the Muhajireen who were forcibly expelled from their lands in the area of ​​the Sandzak of Nis, were in the focus of the deputy Mustafa efendi Kosova (mufti of Prishtina), then Zejnel Abidini, Abdyl Bej Frashërit etc.

As it is known, the Russo-Ottoman war and the losses suffered by the Ottoman Empire, led to the signing of the agreement of St. Stephen (Aya Stefanos) on March 3, 1878, an agreement which provided that a large part of Albanian lands be given to the Bulgarian states, Serbian, Montenegrin and Greek.

But when Russia declared war on the Ottoman Empire, all members of the Ottoman Parliament, Muslim and non-Muslim, united to oppose Russian expansion.

The sessions continued until February 14, 1878, when the Sultan suspended the work of Parliament.

The March agreement between the Ottomans and the Russians, which severely damaged the Ottoman Empire and in particular affected Albanian lands, led to the establishment of the Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Albanians - which was the continuation of the diplomatic elite's diplomatic war to protect lands within of the Ottoman Empire.

The Treaty of St. Stephen also upset the balance of power created at the Paris Conference (1856), as well as violating the agreements signed with Austria-Hungary and Germany.

Thus, Russia had violated the agreement which provided for the surrender of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

At the same time, the creation of a large Bulgarian principality also violated the condition that prohibited the creation of a large state in the Balkans.

On the other hand, the surrender to Russia of the eastern lands of the Ottoman Empire (Kars, Ardahan and Batum), directly threatened English interests in the Far East region.

As a result, it was decided that in June 1878, in Berlin, once again the powers of that time would gather to consider the treaty of St. Stephen.

The most tangible change that took place in the Berlin Congress is that of the borders of the Bulgarian principality.

Thus, as a result of this decision, the Vilayet of Eastern Rumelia (Rumel iark Vilayeti) and Macedonia were established.

The first territory would be ruled by a Christian governor (vali), while the second remained under Ottoman jurisdiction, but on the condition that the reforms proposed to Crete in the 1867 nizamnamen be implemented.

The objections expressed by the Albanian elite to the St. Stephen Agreement - which provided for the territories inhabited by Albanians to be given to Montenegro and Greece - were not taken into account by the delegations of the Berlin Congress.

Even the German chancellor, Bismarck (Otto von Bismarck), denied the existence of the Albanian nation and he proposed that Muslim Albanians be recognized as Turks, while Orthodox Albanians be recognized as Greeks.

The decisions of the Congress of Berlin left no other door open for the Albanians - except to experience the same fate as that of the Ottoman Empire, or to fight to defend themselves against the neighbors who were supported by the great powers of that time.

Thus, the reaction in the form of petitions addressed to the representatives of the Great Powers, very quickly by the Albanians turned into a military movement for defense.

This movement was initially supported by Sultan Abdylhamit II, who tactically aimed to take advantage of the Albanian uprising.

On this political tactic, he ordered the prefects of Gjakova, Peja and Prizren to remain neutral towards the Albanian movement.

Thus, on June 10, 1878, the first meeting of the League was held, with representatives from all over Albania and without any intervention by law enforcement in Prizren.

The Albanian elite had well understood the unfavorable position in the international arena.

Therefore, to preserve the lands, the only way was to wage a political struggle for autonomy within the borders of the Ottoman Empire.

On this basis, branches of the League of Prizren were established in Albanian cities, which operated according to program directives coming from Prizren.

The demands of the League of Prizren were: the administration of Albanian lands in a single vilayet;

officials of the Albanian Vilayet to be familiar with the language of the country;

once every four years to hold elections for the parliament of the Albanian Vilayet;

extension of the education system and use of the Albanian language (with Latin alphabet) as a school language;

The Ottoman newspapers in Istanbul treated the demands of the Albanians as a betrayal against the Caliphate;

in fact, the question was often asked how the Albanians - who are just over a million - would defend themselves against Russia, which defeated the great Ottoman Army.

It was Sami Frashëri who made the opinion to the Ottoman readers and necessarily the one who argued with his colleagues who wrote against the platform of the League of Prizren (which had already been made public by Sami, in the newspaper he headed,

.

In December 1878, responding to these nationalist articles in the newspaper

, among other things, stressed that the Albanians were not traitors, but that their goal was to protect their lands from enemy occupation.

According to him, this was done through the creation of an Albanian Vilayet which would include all lands in this administrative unit.

He even wrote that the Albanians did not ask for help from Europe, but from the Sultan, and that this is proof of loyalty to the state.

In fact, Sami Frashëri's approach was the platform of the League of Prizren.

Always - given the political circumstances in which the Albanians found themselves - they demanded autonomy and not independence.

The gentle approach of the Albanians prevented the Sultan from taking the League's demands very seriously.

Even, from the international pressure to hand over the Albanian territories to Montenegro, he sent Mehmet Ali Pasha Maxharri to Kosovo, to convince the Albanians to accept the agreements.

As it is known, the Albanians did not agree with him, but they first killed the postman in Prizren and then asked the pasha sheltered in Gjakova to leave the city.

Because he ignored the summons, he was killed on October 6, 1878.

The assassination of Mehmet Ali Pasha Maxharri created even more divisions between Albanians and Ottomans, but had a positive effect on the unification of opinions within the Albanian League, where there were members divided on the conservative and nationalist sides.

At the same time, the danger of the fragmentation of Albanian lands between Montenegro and Greece - which came as a result of the international agreement of the Berlin Congress - caused a reflection of non-Muslim Albanians, of those who were influenced by Greeks and Italians.

The League already came up with the new platform of action and officially notified the High Gate and the Western Powers that they had no land to lose.

Thus, in February 1879, when talks were taking place on the demarcation of the new Ottoman-Greek border, the Albanians sent armed forces to the border.

As a result, it was decided to postpone the talks for another time.

According to the Berlin Congress, Ottoman forces liberated Plava and Guca.

But when the Montenegrin occupation of these areas began, they faced the forces of the League of Prizren.

The Montenegrins denounced the Sultan to the internationals - for non-cooperation.

The sultan sent Ahmet Muhtar Pasha, but even he failed to convince the Albanians.

Thus, on April 2, 1880, representatives of the countries participating in the Berlin Congress gathered to review the situation on the ground.

The representative of Italy, Count Corti (Luigi Corti), proposed that instead of Plava and Gucia, the region of Hoti, Gruda and Kelmendi be annexed.

The count made this proposal hoping that there would be no resistance, as these areas were inhabited by Albanians of the Christian faith.

However, this time too the Montenegrins encountered strong resistance.

The failures of the Montenegrins at Hot and Grude led, in June 1880, the Western powers to demand from the Sultan that Ulcinj be surrendered instead of these regions.

Sultan Abdylhamiti II, who in a way remained indifferent to the forces of the League of Prizren, this time would face the threat that in case of failure to surrender Ulcinj, then Izmir would be occupied.

This threat prompted the Sultan to send special troops to surrender Ulcinj.

In October 1880, Ulcinj fell from the ground control of the Ottoman forces, as well as the military fleet of the Great Powers that controlled the sea.

The League of Prizren - led by Ymer Prizren - seeing the High Gate attempts to break the Albanian resistance, declared itself an interim government, while creating an army of 20,000 men commanded by Sulejman Vokshi.

The League government took control of the entire territory of Kosovo, as well as Skopje.

The Sultan's expeditions against the League of Prizren will begin after the solution of the problem of the Ottoman-Greek border (March 25, 1881).

Thus, the Albanian resistance will be broken by the actions led by Dervish Pasha, during the months of March-April.

However, the League of Prizren, both as a platform and as an organization, is the first foundation of the Albanian state.

For the first time the Albanians united against the High Gate and the European powers, to defend their lands.

The platform of the League of Prizren became known to the entire international diplomatic choir.

At the same time, the break-up of the Montenegrin forces in Ulcinj is an indicator of the good military organization of the military forces by the government formed by the Albanians.

Thus, although for a very short time, the League of Prizren is a unique case that has not happened before during the Ottoman rule.

/ Telegraphy /