The leader of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, has wished Albanians a happy November 28th, considering it the birth date of modern Albania.
Berisha emphasizes that if Ismail Bej Vlora and the other founding fathers of independence were to wake up today, they would not recognize anything of the Albania in which they declared independence.
Berisha’s statement:
“Today, I have a heartfelt wish for all the citizens of Vlora, for all Albanians: Happy Holiday of Holidays, the birth date, the new birth date of modern Albania, the day of Independence. This is the day when Ismail Bej Vlora, with his visionary genius and under conditions completely contrary to his dream and that of the Albanian people, raised the flag of Skanderbeg in Vlora, declared Independence in a salvific act for the existence of Albania and the Albanian nation. Ismail Bej Vlora and the other founding fathers of independence, if they were to wake up today, would not recognize anything of the Albania in which they declared independence. Albania is light years away from what it was back then. But, unfortunately, in terms of material and physical changes, the differences are light years apart; still, for worse luck, the similarities are inevitable. After the declaration of Independence, they rushed to take independence from Albania. They expelled the father of independence from the country. They signed treaties for its abolition. Albanians created principalities in service to foreigners. Albanian forces surged towards Vlora to expel Ismail Qemali and went against him.”
