Misplaced Pages

#772227

122-522: As of 2024, the parties of the CEFTA agreement are: Albania , Bosnia and Herzegovina , Kosovo , Moldova , Montenegro , North Macedonia and Serbia . Former parties are Bulgaria , Croatia , Czech Republic , Hungary , Poland , Romania , Slovakia , and Slovenia . Their CEFTA memberships ended when they became member states of the European Union (EU). Kosovo was originally represented by

244-490: A Greek text written in the 4th century BC. The Bryges were also present in central Albania, while the south was inhabited by the Epirote Chaonians , whose capital was at Phoenice . Other colonies such as Apollonia and Epidamnos were established by Greek city-states on the coast by the 7th century BC. The Illyrian Taulanti were a powerful Illyrian tribe that were among the earliest recorded tribes in

366-575: A centralised authority over most of the non-conquered territories, becoming the Lord of Albania . The Ottoman Empire's expansion ground to a halt during the time that Skanderbeg's forces resisted, and he has been credited with being one of the main reasons for the delay of Ottoman expansion into Western Europe , giving the Italian principalities more time to better prepare for the Ottoman arrival . However,

488-453: A diverse political evolution, transitioning from a monarchy to a communist regime before becoming a sovereign parliamentary constitutional republic . Governed by a constitution prioritizing the separation of powers, the country's political structure includes a parliament , a ceremonial president , a functional prime minister and a hierarchy of courts. Albania is a developing country with an upper-middle income economy driven by

610-689: A flag-raising ceremony at Áras an Uachtaráin , the Irish presidential residence. At the same time, citizens across Ireland enjoyed a nationwide celebration styled as the Day of Welcomes . President Romano Prodi took part in celebrations on the Italian-Slovenian border at the divided town of Gorizia / Nova Gorica , at the German-Polish border, the EU flag was raised and Ode to Joy was sung and there

732-568: A framework that ensures transparent trade relations between the Parties that can enable the businesses to improve their capacities for different markets. All former participating countries had previously signed association agreements with the EU, so in fact CEFTA has served as a preparation for full European Union membership. Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia joined

854-462: A high priority on the diversification of the economy through Soviet-style industrialization, comprehensive infrastructure development such as the introduction of a transformative railway system , expansion of education and healthcare services, elimination of adult illiteracy, and targeted advancements in areas such as women's rights. Albania's diplomatic history under Hoxha was characterized by notable conflicts. Initially aligned with Yugoslavia as

976-651: A matrix of bilateral free trade agreements in the framework of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe . On 6 April 2006, at the South East Europe Prime Ministers Summit in Bucharest , a joint declaration on expansion of CEFTA to Albania , Bosnia and Herzegovina , Moldova , Serbia , Montenegro and UNMIK (on behalf of Kosovo ) was adopted. Accession of Ukraine has also been discussed. The new enlarged agreement

1098-485: A military invasion of Albania, resulting to the exile of Zog and the creation of an Italian protectorate . As World War II progressed, Italy aimed to expand its territorial dominion in the Balkans, including territorial claims on regions of Greece ( Chameria ), Macedonia, Montenegro and Kosovo. These ambitions laid the foundation of Greater Albania , which aimed to unite all areas with Albanian-majority populations into

1220-398: A non-binding referendum on 8 March 2003 ; the narrow Yes-vote prompted a snap election on 12 April 2003 fought on the same question and after which the pro-EU Nationalist Party retained its majority and declared a mandate for accession. Poland held a referendum on 7 and 8 June 2003 : Voting Yes by a wide margin of about 77.5% with a turnout of around 59% The Treaty of Accession 2003

1342-457: A particular reason for grouping the A8 countries was an expectation that they would be the origin for a new wave of increased migration to wealthier European countries. They initially proved to be the origin of a new wave of migration, with many citizens moving from these countries to other states within the EU, later giving a way to newer EU members, like Romania, Bulgaria, and increasing migration from

SECTION 10

#1732783429773

1464-464: A satellite state, the relationship deteriorated as Yugoslavia aimed to incorporate Albania within its territory. Subsequently, Albania established relations with the Soviet Union and engaged trade agreements with other Eastern European countries, but experienced disagreements over Soviet policies, leading to strained ties with Moscow and diplomatic separation in 1961. Simultaneously, tensions with

1586-402: A secular way of life, and embrace socialist ideology. After four decades of communism paired with the revolutions of 1989 , Albania witnessed a notable rise in political activism, particularly among students, which led to a transformation in the prevailing order. After the first multi-party elections of 1991 , the communist party maintained a stronghold in the parliament until its defeat in

1708-491: A single country. In 1943, as Italy's control declined, Nazi Germany assumed control of Albania, subjecting Albanians to forced labor, economic exploitation and repression under German rule . The tide shifted in 1944 when Albanian partisan forces, under the leadership of Enver Hoxha and other communist leaders, successfully liberated Albania from German occupation. The establishment of the People's Republic of Albania under

1830-604: A varied range of climatic, geological, hydrological and morphological conditions. Albania's landscapes range from rugged snow-capped mountains in the Albanian Alps and the Korab , Skanderbeg , Pindus and Ceraunian Mountains , to fertile lowland plains extending from the Adriatic and Ionian seacoasts. Tirana is the capital and largest city in the country, followed by Durrës , Vlorë , and Shkodër . In ancient times,

1952-431: A vision to institute a Western-style constitutional government, abolish feudalism, counter Italian influence, and enhance critical sectors, including infrastructure, education and healthcare. He faced resistance from former allies, who had assisted in the removal of Zog from power, and struggled to secure foreign aid to implement his agenda. Noli's decision to establish diplomatic ties with the Soviet Union, an adversary of

2074-426: A wave of evacuations of foreign nationals and refugees. The crisis led both Aleksandër Meksi and Sali Berisha to resign from office in the wake of the general election. In April 1997, Operation Alba , a U.N. peacekeeping force led by Italy, entered Albania with two goals: to assist with the evacuation of expatriates and secure the ground for international organizations. The main international organization involved

2196-531: A widespread campaign targeting religious clergy of various faiths, resulting in public persecution and executions, particularly targeting Muslims, Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox adherents. In 1946, religious estates underwent nationalization, coinciding with the closure or transformation of religious institutions into various other purposes. This culminated in 1976, when Albania became the world's first constitutionally atheist state. Under this regime, citizens were forced to renounce their religious beliefs, adopt

2318-636: A work by Michael Attaliates , who referred to the Albanoi as having taken part in a revolt against Constantinople . At this point the Albanians were fully Christianised. After the dissolution of Arbanon, Charles of Anjou concluded an agreement with the Albanian rulers, promising to protect them and their ancient liberties. In 1272, he established the Kingdom of Albania and conquered regions back from

2440-408: Is around 29.% of the total land area, equivalent to 788,900 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, up from 788,800 hectares (ha) in 1990. Of the naturally regenerating forest 11% was reported to be primary forest (consisting of native tree species with no clearly visible indications of human activity) and around 0% of the forest area was found within protected areas. For the year 2015, 97% of the forest area

2562-625: Is extremely rare for such a southerly latitude. 2004 enlargement of the European Union The largest enlargement of the European Union (EU), in terms of number of states and population, took place on 1 May 2004. The simultaneous accessions concerned the following countries (sometimes referred to as the "A10" countries ): Cyprus , the Czech Republic , Estonia , Hungary , Latvia , Lithuania , Malta , Poland , Slovakia , and Slovenia . Seven of these were part of

SECTION 20

#1732783429773

2684-767: Is home to extensive mountain ranges, including the Albanian Alps in the north, the Korab Mountains in the east, the Pindus Mountains in the southeast, the Ceraunian Mountains in the southwest, and the Skanderbeg Mountains in the center. In the northwest is the Lake of Shkodër , Southern Europe's largest lake. Toward the southeast emerges the Lake of Ohrid , one of the world's oldest continuously existing lakes. Farther south,

2806-582: Is not recognised by the EU, the entire island excluding the British overseas territory of Akrotiri and Dhekelia is a member of the EU as part of the Republic of Cyprus, though the de facto situation is that the Government is unable to extend its controls into the occupied areas. Efforts to reunite the island continue as of 2022. European Union membership forced the country to suspend its membership in

2928-437: The 2013 and 2017 parliamentary elections . As prime minister , he implemented numerous reforms focused on modernizing the economy , as well as democratizing state institutions, including the judiciary and law enforcement . Unemployment has steadily declined, with Albania achieving the 4th-lowest unemployment rate in the Balkans. Rama has also placed gender equality at the center of his agenda; since 2017 almost 50% of

3050-567: The A8 , sometimes also referred to as the EU8 . They are grouped separately from the other two states that joined Union in 2004, i.e. Cyprus and Malta , because of their relatively similar ex-Eastern block background, per capita income level, Human Development Index level, and most of all the geographical location in mainland Europe , where the two other states from aforementioned 2004 batch are Mediterranean isles. These countries are: According to BBC

3172-743: The Aurignacian culture . The Neolithic era in Albania began around 7000 BC and is evidenced in finds which indicate domestication of sheep and goats and small-scale agriculture. A part of the Neolithic population may have been the same as the Mesolithic population of the southern Balkans like in the Konispol cave where the Mesolithic stratum co-exists with Pre-Pottery Neolithic finds. Cardium pottery culture appears in coastal Albania and across

3294-769: The Battle of Novšiće , the league was forced to retreat from their contested regions. The league was later defeated by the Ottoman army sent by the sultan. Albania declared independence from the Ottoman Empire on 28 November 1912, accompanied by the establishment of the Senate and Government by the Assembly of Vlorë on 4 December 1912. Its sovereignty was recognized by the Conference of London . On 29 July 1913,

3416-855: The Congress of Durrës sought Paris Peace Conference protection but was denied, further complicating Albania's position on the international stage. Territorial tensions escalated as Yugoslavia, particularly Serbia, sought control of northern Albania, while Greece aimed dominance in southern Albania. The situation deteriorated in 1919 when the Serbs launched attacks on Albanian inhabitants, among others in Gusinje and Plav , resulting in massacres and large-scale displacement . Meanwhile, Italian influence continued to expand during this time, driven by economic interests and political ambitions. Fan Noli , renowned for his idealism , became prime minister in 1924, with

3538-661: The Despotate of Epirus . The kingdom claimed all of central Albania territory from Dyrrhachium along the Adriatic Sea coast down to Butrint . A catholic political structure was a basis for the papal plans of spreading Catholicism in the Balkan Peninsula. This plan found also the support of Helen of Anjou , a cousin of Charles of Anjou. Around 30 Catholic churches and monasteries were built during her rule mainly in northern Albania. Internal power struggles within

3660-472: The Franco-German engine behind the EU, as its relatively newer members, Poland and Sweden, set the policy agenda, for example Eastern Partnership . Despite fears of paralysis, the decision-making process had not been hampered by the new membership and if anything the legislative output of the institutions had increased, however justice and home affairs (which operates by unanimity) had suffered. In 2009

3782-725: The Illyrians inhabited northern and central regions of Albania, whilst Epirotes inhabited the south. Several important ancient Greek colonies were also established on the coast. The Illyrian kingdom centered in what is now Albania was the dominant power before the Rise of Macedon . In the 2nd century BC, the Roman Republic annexed the region, and after the division of the Roman Empire it became part of Byzantium . The first known Albanian autonomous principality, Arbanon ,

Central European Free Trade Agreement - Misplaced Pages Continue

3904-476: The Kingdom of Albania , which became Greater Albania , and then a protectorate of Nazi Germany during World War II . After the war, the People's Socialist Republic of Albania was formed, which lasted until the Revolutions of 1991 concluded with the fall of communism in Albania and eventually the establishment of the current Republic of Albania. Since its independence in 1912, Albania has undergone

4026-483: The Korab Mountains are recognised as the coldest areas in the country. Throughout the year, the average monthly temperatures fluctuate, ranging from −1  °C (30  °F ) during the winter months to 21.8 °C (71.2 °F) in the summer months. Notably, the highest recorded temperature of 43.9 °C (111.0 °F) was observed in Kuçovë on 18 July 1973, while the lowest temperature of −29 °C (−20 °F)

4148-461: The Köppen classification , Albania encompasses five primary climatic types, spanning from Mediterranean and subtropical in the western half to oceanic , continental and subarctic in the eastern half of the country. The coastal regions along the Adriatic and Ionian Seas in Albania are acknowledged as the warmest areas, while the northern and eastern regions encompassing the Albanian Alps and

4270-655: The Republic of Albania (Albanian: Republika e Shqipërisë ), is a country in Southeast Europe . It is located in the Balkans , on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea , and shares land borders with Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, North Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south. With an area of 28,748 km (11,100 sq mi), it has

4392-609: The Sanjak of Prizren as representatives of the central authorities and no delegates from Vilayet of Scutari . Signed by only 47 Muslim deputies, the league issued the Kararname that contained a proclamation that the people from northern Albania, Epirus and Bosnia and Herzegovina are willing to defend the territorial integrity of the Ottoman Empire by all possible means against the troops of Bulgaria , Serbia and Montenegro . Ottomans authorities cancelled their assistance when

4514-607: The Treaty of London delineated the borders of the country and its neighbors, leaving many Albanians outside Albania, predominantly partitioned between Montenegro , Serbia , and Greece . Headquartered in Vlorë, the International Commission of Control was established on 15 October 1913 to take care of the administration of Albania until its own political institutions were in order. The International Gendarmerie

4636-1003: The UNMIK , but began representing itself in 2024. Former Poznań Declaration criteria: Current criteria since Zagreb meeting in 2005: The original CEFTA agreement was signed by the Visegrád Group countries, that is by Poland, Hungary and Czechia and Slovakia (at the time parts of the Czechoslovakia ) on 21 December 1992 in Kraków , Poland. It came into force in July 1994. Through CEFTA, participating countries hoped to mobilize efforts to integrate into Western European institutions and through this, to join European political, economic, security and legal systems, thereby consolidating democracy and free-market economics. The agreement

4758-586: The United Kingdom and Austro-Hungarian Empire consequently blocked the arrangement and caused the Treaty of Berlin . From this point, Albanians started to organise themselves with the goal to protect and unite the Albanian-populated lands into a unitary nation, leading to the formation of the League of Prizren . The league had initially the assistance of the Ottoman authorities whose position

4880-667: The parliamentary elections of 1992 directed by the Democratic Party . Considerable economic and financial resources were devoted to pyramid schemes that were widely supported by the government. The schemes swept up somewhere between one sixth and one third of the population of the country. Despite the International Monetary Fund 's warnings, Sali Berisha defended the schemes as large investment firms, leading more people to redirect their remittances and sell their homes and cattle for cash to deposit in

5002-402: The "new" Member States were recruited after the enlargement, these new conditions affected all of them (although they also affect nationals of the former 15 Member States who have been recruited after 1 May 2004). Before the 2004 enlargement, the EU had twelve treaty languages: Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Irish, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish. However, due to

Central European Free Trade Agreement - Misplaced Pages Continue

5124-519: The 17th century, while Orthodox Albanians followed suit mainly in the following century. Since the Albanians were seen as strategically important, they made up a significant proportion of the Ottoman military and bureaucracy. Many Muslim Albanians attained important political and military positions and culturally contributed to the broader Muslim world . Enjoying this privileged position, they held various high administrative positions with over two dozen Albanian Grand Viziers . Others included members of

5246-462: The 2004 enlargement, nine new official languages were added: Polish, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Hungarian, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian and Maltese. A 2021 study in the Journal of Political Economy found that the 2004 enlargement had aggregate beneficial economic effects on all groups in both the old and new member states. The largest winners were the new member states, in particular unskilled labor in

5368-590: The 7th century. In the 11th century, the Great Schism formalised the break of communion between the Eastern Orthodox and Western Catholic Church that is reflected in Albania through the emergence of a Catholic north and Orthodox south. The Albanian people inhabited the west of Lake Ochrida and the upper valley of River Shkumbin and established the Principality of Arbanon in 1190 under

5490-630: The Adriatic after 6500 BC, while the settlements of the interior took part in the processes which formed the Starčevo culture . The Albanian bitumen mines of Selenicë provide early evidence of bitumen exploitation in Europe, dating to Late Neolithic Albania (from 5000 BC), when local communities used it as pigment for ceramic decoration, waterproofing , and adhesive for reparing broken vessels. The bitumen of Selenicë circulated towards eastern Albania from

5612-451: The Albanians became primarily widespread from the 17th century and continued into the 18th century. Islam offered them equal opportunities and advancement within the Ottoman Empire. However, motives for conversion were, according to some scholars, diverse depending on the context though the lack of source material does not help when investigating such issues. Because of increasing suppression of Catholicism, most Catholic Albanians converted in

5734-734: The Arbanitai as subjects of the Duke of Dyrrachium . In the Middle Ages, Albania was denoted as Arbëri or Arbëni by its inhabitants, who identified themselves as Arbëreshë or Arbëneshë . Albanians employ the terms Shqipëri or Shqipëria for their nation, designations that trace their historical origins to the 14th century. But only in the late 17th and early 18th centuries did these terms gradually supersede Arbëria and Arbëreshë among Albanians. These two expressions are widely interpreted to symbolise "Children of

5856-509: The Byzantine Empire in the 14th century enabled Serbs' most powerful medieval ruler, Stefan Dusan , to establish a short-lived empire that included all of Albania except Durrës. In 1367, various Albanian rulers established the Despotate of Arta . During that time, several Albanian principalities were created, notably the Principality of Albania , Principality of Kastrioti , Lordship of Berat and Principality of Dukagjini . In

5978-628: The Commission saw the enlargement as a success, but thought that until the enlargement was fully accepted by the public future enlargements would be slow in coming. In 2012 data published by the Guardian showed that that process is complete. The internal impact has also been relevant. The arrival of additional members has put an additional stress on the governance of the Institutions, and increased significantly overheads (for example, through

6100-420: The EU on 1 May 2004 , with Bulgaria and Romania following suit on 1 January 2007 . Croatia joined the EU on 1 July 2013 . Montenegro , Serbia , Albania, and North Macedonia have been undergoing EU accession talks since 2012, 2014 and 2022. Albania Albania ( / æ l ˈ b eɪ n i ə , ɔː l -/ a(w)l- BAY -nee-ə ; Albanian : Shqipëri or Shqipëria ), officially

6222-547: The EU. To achieve this, however, they must fulfil the appropriate conditions." Those conditions (known as the Copenhagen criteria, or simply, membership criteria) were: At the Luxembourg summit in 1997, the EU accepted the commission's opinion to invite Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Estonia and Cyprus to start talks on their accession to the EU. The negotiation process started on 31 March 1998. Poland finished

SECTION 50

#1732783429773

6344-407: The Eagles" and "Land of the Eagles". Mesolithic habitation in Albania has been evidenced in several open air sites which during that period were close to the Adriatic coastline and in cave sites. Mesolithic objects found in a cave near Xarrë include flint and jasper objects along with fossilised animal bones, while those discoveries at Mount Dajt comprise bone and stone tools similar to those of

6466-516: The Greek colony of Epidamnos . The Illyrian Ardiaei tribe, centred in Montenegro, ruled over most of the territory of northern Albania. Their Ardiaean Kingdom reached its greatest extent under King Agron , the son of Pleuratus II . Agron extended his rule over other neighbouring tribes as well. Following Agron's death in 230 BC, his wife, Teuta , inherited the Ardiaean kingdom. Teuta's forces extended their operations further southwards to the Ionian Sea. In 229 BC, Rome declared war on

6588-670: The IE-ization of Albania involves a man with predominantly Yamnaya ancestry buried in a tumulus of northeastern Albania which dates to 2663–2472 calBC. During the Middle Bronze Age, Cetina culture sites and finds appear in Albania. Cetina culture moved southwards across the Adriatic from the Cetina valley of Dalmatia . In Albania, Cetina finds are concentrated around southern Lake Shkodër and appear typically in tumulus cemeteries like in Shkrel and Shtoj and hillforts like Gajtan (Shkodër) as well as cave sites like Blaz, Nezir and Keputa (central Albania) and lake basin sites like Sovjan (southeastern Albania). The incorporated territory of Albania

6710-421: The Non-Aligned Movement with Government of Cyprus insisting on maintaining close ties with the NAM. Accession of Poland to the European Union took place in May 2004. Poland had been negotiating with the EU since 1989. With the fall of communism in 1989/1990 in Poland, Poland embarked on a series of reforms and changes in foreign policy, intending to join the EU and NATO . On 19 September 1989 Poland signed

6832-523: The Ottomans were gaining a firm foothold in the region, Albanian towns were organised into four principal sanjaks . The government fostered trade by settling a sizeable Jewish colony of refugees fleeing persecution in Spain. The city of Vlorë saw passing through its ports imported merchandise from Europe such as velvets, cotton goods, mohairs, carpets, spices and leather from Bursa and Constantinople . Some citizens of Vlorë even had business associates throughout Europe. The phenomenon of Islamisation among

6954-438: The Republic of Cyprus with the majority being Greek-speaking Cypriots and the northern areas under Turkish military occupation (the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus). The Republic of Cyprus is recognised as the sole legitimate government by every UN (and EU) member state except Turkey, while the northern occupied area is recognised only by Turkey. Cyprus began talks to join the EU, which provided impetus to solve

7076-513: The Serbian elite, ignited allegations of bolshevism from Belgrade. This in turn led to increased pressure from Italy and culminated in Zog's restoration to authority. In 1928, Zog transitioned Albania from a republic to a monarchy that garnered backing from Fascist Italy , with Zog assuming the title of King Zog I. Key constitutional changes dissolved the Senate and established a unicameral National Assembly while preserving Zog's authoritative powers. In 1939, Italy under Benito Mussolini launched

7198-560: The West heightened due to Albania's refusal to hold free elections and allegations of Western support for anti-communist uprisings . Albania's enduring partnership was with China; it sided with Beijing during the Sino-Soviet conflict , resulting in severed ties with the Soviet Union and withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact in response to the invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. But their relations stagnated in 1970, prompting both to reassess their commitment, and Albania actively reduced its dependence on China. Under Hoxha's regime, Albania underwent

7320-420: The accession negotiations in December 2002. Then, the Accession Treaty was signed in Athens on 16 April 2003 ( Treaty of Accession 2003 ). After the ratification of that Treaty in the 2003 Polish European Union membership referendum , Poland and other 9 countries became the members of EU on 1 May 2004. Eight of the 10 countries that joined the European Union during the 2004 enlargement are grouped together as

7442-455: The agreement for trade and trade co-operation with the (then) European Community (EC). Polish intention to join the EU was expressed by Polish Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki in his speech in the European Parliament in February 1990 and in June 1991 by Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Krzysztof Skubiszewski in Sejm (Polish Parliament). On 19 May 1990 Poland started a procedure to begin negotiations for an association agreement and

SECTION 60

#1732783429773

7564-473: The area. They lived in an area that corresponds much of present-day Albania. Together with the Dardanian ruler Cleitus , Glaucias , the ruler of the Taulantian kingdom, fought against Alexander the Great at the Battle of Pelium in 335 BC. As the time passed, the ruler of Ancient Macedonia, Cassander of Macedon captured Apollonia and crossed the river Genusus ( Albanian : Shkumbin ) in 314 BC. A few years later Glaucias laid siege to Apollonia and captured

7686-426: The chapter fs  – finished screening f  – frozen chapter o  – open chapter x  – closed chapter As of May 2011, there are no longer any special restrictions on the free movement of citizens of these new member states. With their original accession to the EU, free movement of people between all 25 states would naturally have applied. However, due to concerns of mass migration from

7808-412: The communist states began their transition to free market democracies , aligning to Euro-Atlantic integration , the question of enlargement into the continent was thrust onto the EEC's agenda. The Phare strategy was launched soon after to adapt more the structure of the Central and Eastern European countries ( Pays d'Europe Centrale et Orientale (PECO) ) to the European Economic Community . One of

7930-410: The dispute. With the agreement of the Annan Plan for Cyprus, it was hoped that the two communities would join the EU together as a single United Cyprus Republic . Turkish Cypriots supported the plan. However, in a referendum on 24 April 2004 the Greek Cypriots rejected the plan. Thus, a week later, the Republic of Cyprus joined the EU with political issues unresolved. Legally, as the northern republic

8052-426: The early 5th millennium BC. First evidence of its overseas trade export comes from Neolithic and Bronze Age southern Italy . The high-quality bitumen of Selenicë has been exploited throughout all the historical ages since the Late Neolithic era until today. The Indo-Europeanization of Albania in the context of the IE-ization of the western Balkans began after 2800 BC. The presence of the Early Bronze Age tumuli in

8174-421: The east, Greece to the south, and the Ionian Sea to the southwest. It is between latitudes 42° and 39° N and longitudes 21° and 19° E . Geographic coordinates include Vërmosh at 42° 35' 34" northern latitude as the northernmost point, Konispol at 39° 40' 0" northern latitude as the southernmost, Sazan at 19° 16' 50" eastern longitude as the westernmost, and Vërnik at 21° 1' 26" eastern longitude as

8296-444: The easternmost. Mount Korab , rising at 2,764 m (9,068.24 ft) above the Adriatic , is the highest point, while the Mediterranean Sea, at 0 m (0.00 ft), is the lowest. The country extends 148 km (92 mi) from east to west and around 340 km (211 mi) from north to south. Albania has a diverse and varied landscape with mountains and hills that traverse its territory in various directions. The country

8418-409: The eight members had been dropped by all members except Germany and Austria. Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia became members on 1 May 2004, but some areas of cooperation in the European Union will apply to some of the EU member states at a later date. These are: Since 1974 Cyprus has been divided between the free and legitimate areas of

8540-544: The end of August 1914. Prince Wied's regime collapsed, and he left the country on 3 September 1914. The interwar period in Albania was marked by persistent economic and social difficulties, political instability and foreign interventions. After World War I , Albania lacked an established government and internationally recognized borders, rendering it vulnerable to neighboring entities such as Greece, Italy, and Yugoslavia, all of which sought to expand their influence. This led to political uncertainty, highlighted in 1918 when

8662-470: The enlargement, a study showed that increases in E8 migrants in Western Europe over the last ten years had been accompanied by a more widespread acknowledgement of the economic benefits of immigration. Following the 2007 enlargement, most countries placed restrictions on the new states, including the most open in 2004 (Ireland and the United Kingdom) with only Sweden, Finland and the 2004 members (minus Malta and Hungary). But by April 2008, these restrictions on

8784-474: The establishing, CEFTA has been deepening the areas of cooperation based on the needs of the businesses and strengthening trading relations between the Parties. From achieving the full liberalisation of trade in goods and further liberalisation in trade in services, via reducing trade related costs, harmonising the policies within the Parties based on the EU legislation, to expediting trade between Parties through electronic exchange of information, CEFTA has proven as

8906-651: The expanse includes the Large and Small Lake of Prespa , some of the Balkans' highest lakes. Rivers rise mostly in the east and discharge into the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. The country's longest river, measured from mouth to source, is the Drin , which starts at the confluence of its two headwaters, the Black and White Drin . Of particular concern is the Vjosë , one of Europe's last intact large river systems. In Albania forest cover

9028-621: The failure of most European nations, with the exception of Naples, in giving him support, along with the failure of Pope Pius II's plans to organize a promised crusade against the Ottomans meant that none of Skanderbeg's victories permanently hindered the Ottomans from invading the Western Balkans. Despite his brilliance as a military leader, Skanderbeg's victories were only delaying the final conquests. The constant Ottoman invasions caused enormous destruction to Albania, greatly reducing

9150-428: The fears, migration within the EU concerns less than 2% of the population. However, the migration did cause controversy in those countries which saw a noticeable influx, creating the image of a " Polish Plumber " in the EU, caricaturing the cheap manual labour from A8 countries making an imprint on the rest of the EU. The extent to which E8 immigration generated a lasting public backlash has been debated. Ten years after

9272-476: The first Albanian cabinet. In November 1913, the Albanian pro-Ottoman forces had offered the throne of Albania to the Ottoman war minister of Albanian origin, Ahmed Izzet Pasha . The pro-Ottoman peasants believed that the new regime was a tool of the six Christian Great Powers and local landowners, who owned half of the arable land. In February 1914, the Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus

9394-832: The first half of the 15th century, the Ottoman Empire invaded most of Albania, and the League of Lezhë was held under Skanderbeg as a ruler, who became the national hero of the Albanian medieval history. With the fall of Constantinople , the Ottoman Empire continued an extended period of conquest and expansion with its borders going deep into Southeast Europe . They reached the Albanian Ionian Sea Coast in 1385 and erected their garrisons across Southern Albania in 1415 and then occupied most of Albania in 1431. Thousands of Albanians consequently fled to Western Europe, particularly to Calabria , Naples , Ragusa and Sicily , whereby others sought protection at

9516-531: The former Eastern Bloc (of which three were from the former Soviet Union and four were and still are member states of the Central European alliance Visegrád Group ). Slovenia was a non-aligned country prior to the independence, and it was one of the former republics of Yugoslavia (together sometimes referred to as the "A8" countries), and the remaining two were Mediterranean island countries, both member states of Commonwealth of Nations . Part of

9638-522: The intenser amount of precipitation, whilst the northeastern and southwestern highlands as well as the Western Lowlands the more limited amount. The Albanian Alps in the far north of the country are considered to be among the most humid regions of Europe, receiving at least 3,100 mm (122.0 in) of rain annually. Four glaciers within these mountains were discovered at a relatively low altitude of 2,000 metres (6,600 ft), which

9760-641: The kingdom for extensively plundering Roman ships. The war ended in Illyrian defeat in 227 BC. Teuta was eventually succeeded by  Gentius  in 181 BC. Gentius clashed with the Romans in 168 BC, initiating the Third Illyrian War . The conflict resulted in Roman conquest of the region by 167 BC. The Romans split the region into three administrative divisions. The Roman Empire

9882-488: The leadership of Enver Hoxha was a significant epoch in modern Albanian history. Hoxha's regime embraced Marxist–Leninist ideologies and implemented authoritarian policies, including prohibition of religious practices, severe restrictions on travel, and abolition of private property rights. It was also defined by a persistent pattern of purges, extensive repression, instances of betrayal, and hostility to external influences. Any form of opposition or resistance to his rule

10004-549: The leadership of Progon of Kruja . The realm was succeeded by his sons Gjin and Dhimitri. Upon the death of Dhimiter, the territory came under the rule of the Albanian-Greek Gregory Kamonas and subsequently under the Golem of Kruja . In the 13th century, the principality was dissolved. Arbanon is considered to be the first sketch of an Albanian state, that retained a semi-autonomous status as

10126-473: The league, under Abdyl Frashëri , became focused on working towards Albanian autonomy and requested merging four vilayets , including Kosovo , Shkodër , Monastir and Ioannina , into a unified vilayet, the Albanian Vilayet . The league used military force to prevent the annexing areas of Plav and Gusinje assigned to Montenegro. After several successful battles with Montenegrin troops, such as

10248-824: The major tools of this strategy was the Regional Quality Assurance Program ( Programme Régional d'Assurance Qualité (PRAQ) ) which started in 1993 to help the PECO States implement the New Approach in their economy. The Acquis Communautaire contained 3,000 directives and some 100,000 pages in the Official Journal of the European Union to be transposed. It demanded a lot of administrative work and immense economic change, and raised major cultural problems – e.g. new legal concepts and language consistency problems. Malta held

10370-429: The ministers have been female, the largest number of women serving in the country's history. During the 2021 parliamentary elections , the ruling Socialist Party led by Rama secured its third consecutive victory, winning nearly half of votes and enough seats in parliament to govern alone. On 26 November 2019, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake ravaged Albania, with the epicenter about 16 km (10 mi) southwest of

10492-489: The multiplication of official languages). Furthermore, there is a division of staff, since the very same day of the enlargement was chosen to enact an in-depth reform of the Staff Regulation, which was intended to bring significant savings in administrative costs. As a result, employment conditions (career & retirement perspectives) worsened for officials recruited after that date. Since by definition officials of

10614-835: The negotiations officially began in December 1990. About a year later, on 16 December 1991 the European Union Association Agreement was signed by Poland. The Agreement came into force on 1 February 1994 (its III part on the mutual trade relations came into force earlier on 1 March 1992). As a result of diplomatic interventions by the central European states of the Visegrád Group , the European Council decided at its Copenhagen summit in June 1993 that: "the associate member states from Central and Eastern Europe , if they so wish, will become members of

10736-683: The new members to the old EU-15, some transitional restrictions were put in place. Mobility within the EU-15 (plus Cyprus) and within the new states (minus Cyprus) functioned as normal (although the new states had the right to impose restrictions on travel between them). Between the old and new states, transitional restrictions up to 1 May 2011 could be put in place, and EU workers still had a preferential right over non-EU workers in looking for jobs even if restrictions were placed upon their country. No restrictions were placed on Cyprus or Malta. The following restrictions were put in place by each country; Despite

10858-600: The often inaccessible Mountains of Albania . The Albanians, as Christians, were considered an inferior class of people, and as such they were subjected to heavy taxes among others by the Devshirme system that allowed the Sultan to collect a requisite percentage of Christian adolescents from their families to compose the Janissary . The Ottoman conquest was also accompanied with the gradual process of Islamisation and

10980-520: The population and destroying flocks of livestock and crops. Besides surrender, there was no possible way Skanderbeg would be able to halt the Ottoman invasions despite his successes against them. His manpower and resources were insufficient, preventing him from expanding the war efforts and driving the Turks from the Albanian borders. Albania was therefore doomed to face an unending series of Ottoman attacks until it eventually fell years after his death. When

11102-461: The possibility of historical continuity. The precise relationship among these historical references and the question of whether Albanopolis was synonymous with Albanon remain subjects of scholarly debate. The Byzantine historian Michael Attaliates , in his 11th-century historical account, provides the earliest undisputed reference to the Albanians, when he mentions them having taken part in a revolt against Constantinople in 1079. He also identifies

11224-564: The prominent Köprülü family , Zagan Pasha , Muhammad Ali of Egypt and Ali Pasha of Tepelena . Furthermore, two sultans, Bayezid II and Mehmed III , both had mothers of Albanian origin. The Albanian Renaissance was a period with its roots in the late 18th century and continuing into the 19th century, during which the Albanian people gathered spiritual and intellectual strength for an independent cultural and political life within an independent nation . Modern Albanian culture flourished too, especially Albanian literature and arts , and

11346-513: The rapid construction of mosques. A prosperous and longstanding revolution erupted after the formation of the League of Lezhë until the fall of Shkodër under the leadership of Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg , who consistently defeated major Ottoman armies led by Sultans Murad II and Mehmed II . Skanderbeg managed to unite several of the Albanian principalities, amongst them the Arianitis , Dukagjinis , Zaharias and Thopias , and establish

11468-450: The region by 31 December 2010. CEFTA 2006 aims at expanding regional trade in goods and services, creating an attractive environment for investment, and contributing to economic development and cooperation within the Parties. Laying down on the principles of WTO rules and procedures and harmonising its policies with the EU legislation, CEFTA provides an effective instrument for the Parties to accelerate their European integration agenda. Since

11590-465: The same wave of enlargement was the accession of Bulgaria and Romania in 2007 , who were unable to join in 2004, but, according to the commission, constitute part of the fifth enlargement. With the end of World War II in May 1945, Europe found itself divided between a capitalist Western Bloc and a communist Eastern Bloc , as well as Third World neutral countries. The European Economic Community (EEC)

11712-634: The savior of Albania and Islam. To gain the support of the Mirdita Catholic volunteers from northern Albania, Prince Wied appointed their leader, Prênk Bibë Doda , foreign minister of the Principality of Albania. In May and June 1914, the International Gendarmerie was joined by Isa Boletini and his men, mostly from Kosovo , and the rebels defeated northern Mirdita Catholics, capturing most of Central Albania by

11834-569: The schemes. The schemes began to collapse in late 1996, leading many of the investors to join initially peaceful protests against the government, requesting their money back. The protests turned violent in February 1997 as government forces responded by firing on the demonstrators. In March, the Police and Republican Guard deserted, leaving their armories open. These were promptly emptied by militias and criminal gangs. The resulting civil war caused

11956-413: The service sector, with manufacturing and tourism also playing significant roles. After the dissolution of its communist system the country shifted from centralized planning to an open market economy . Albanian citizens have universal health care access and free primary and secondary education. The country is an official candidate for membership in the European Union. The historical origins of

12078-422: The southern Europe struck by the global financial crisis. In a limelight of Brexit , the attractiveness of United Kingdom, a market that used to hold the largest share in immigration from A8 states, has sharply declined, and number of EU citizens leaving UK has hit its record heights. At 12 years after the enlargement, the EU was still "digesting" the change. The influx of new members had effectively put an end to

12200-604: The term "Albania" can be traced back to medieval Latin , with its foundations believed to be associated with the Illyrian tribe of the Albani . This connection gains further support from the work of the Ancient Greek geographer Ptolemy during the 2nd century AD, where he included the settlement of Albanopolis situated to the northeast of Durrës . The presence of a medieval settlement named Albanon or Arbanon hints at

12322-515: The town of Mamurras . The tremor was felt in Tirana and in places as far away as Taranto , Italy, and Belgrade , Serbia, while the most affected areas were the coastal city of Durrës and the village of Kodër-Thumanë . Comprehensive response to the earthquake included substantial humanitarian aid from the Albanian diaspora and various countries around the world . On 9 March 2020, COVID-19

12444-537: The vicinity of later Apollonia dates to 2679±174 calBC (2852-2505 calBC). These burial mounds belong to the southern expression of the Adriatic-Ljubljana culture (related to later Cetina culture ) which moved southwards along the Adriatic from the northern Balkans. The same community built similar mounds in Montenegro (Rakića Kuće) and northern Albania (Shtoj). The first archaeogenetic find related to

12566-545: The western extremity of the Byzantine Empire , under the Byzantine Doukai of Epirus or Laskarids of Nicaea . Towards the end of the 12th and beginning of the 13th centuries, Serbs and Venetians started to take possession over the territory. The ethnogenesis of the Albanians is uncertain; however, the first undisputed mention of Albanians dates back in historical records from 1079 or 1080 in

12688-562: Was a laser show in Malta among the various other celebrations. Limerick, Ireland's third largest City, hosted Slovenia as one of ten Cities and Towns to individually welcome the ten accession countries. The then Slovenian Prime Minister Anton Rop was Guest Speaker at a business luncheon hosted by Limerick Chamber. EU Association Agreement type: Europe Agreement for the states of the Fifth Enlargement. s  – screening of

12810-506: Was amended by the agreements signed on 11 September 1995 in Brno and on 4 July 2003 in Bled . Slovenia joined CEFTA in 1996, Romania in 1997, Bulgaria in 1999, Croatia in 2003 and Macedonia in 2006. All of the parties of the original agreement had now joined the EU and thus left CEFTA. Therefore, it was decided to extend CEFTA to cover the rest of the Western Balkans, which already had completed

12932-527: Was based on the religious solidarity of Muslim people and landlords connected with the Ottoman administration . They favoured and protected the Muslim solidarity and called for defence of Muslim lands simultaneously constituting the reason for titling the league Committee of the Real Muslims . Approximately 300 Muslims participated in the assembly composed by delegates from Bosnia, the administrator of

13054-400: Was confirmed to have spread to Albania. From March to June 2020, the government declared a state of emergency as a measure to limit the virus's spread. The country's COVID-19 vaccination campaign started on 11 January 2021, but as of 11 August 2021, the total number of vaccines administered in Albania was 1,280,239 doses. On 21 September 2024, it was reported that Prime Minister Rama

13176-618: Was created in 1957 between six countries within the Western Bloc and later expanded to twelve countries across Europe. European communist countries had a looser economic grouping with the USSR known as Comecon . To the south there was a non-aligned communist federated country – Yugoslavia . Between 1989 and 1991, the Cold War between the two superpowers was coming to an end, with the USSR's influence over communist Europe collapsing. As

13298-403: Was established as the Principality of Albania 's first law enforcement agency. In November, the first gendarmerie members arrived in the country. Prince of Albania Wilhelm of Wied (Princ Vilhelm Vidi) was selected as the first prince of the principality. On 7 March, he arrived in the provisional capital of Durrës and began to organize his government, appointing Turhan Pasha Përmeti to form

13420-414: Was established in the 12th century. The Kingdom of Albania , Principality of Albania and Albania Veneta were formed between the 13th and 15th centuries in different parts of the country, alongside other Albanian principalities and political entities. In the late 15th century, Albania became part of the Ottoman Empire . In 1912, the modern Albanian state declared independence . In 1939, Italy invaded

13542-587: Was frequently linked to the influences of the Romanticism and Enlightenment principles. Prior to the rise of nationalism , Ottoman authorities suppressed any expression of national unity or conscience by the Albanian people. The victory of Russia over the Ottoman Empire following the Russian-Ottoman Wars resulted the execution of the Treaty of San Stefano which assigned Albanian-populated lands to their Slavic and Greek neighbours. However,

13664-532: Was historically inhabited by Indo-European peoples , amongst them numerous Illyrian and Epirote tribes. There were also several Greek colonies . The territory referred to as Illyria corresponded roughly to the area east of the Adriatic Sea in the Mediterranean Sea extending in the south to the mouth of the Vjosë . The first account of the Illyrian groups comes from Periplus of the Euxine Sea ,

13786-629: Was initialled on 9 November 2006 in Brussels and was signed on 19 December 2006 at the South East European Prime Ministers Summit in Bucharest. The agreement went into effect on 26 July 2007 for Albania, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro and Macedonia, on 22 August for Croatia, on 24 October for Serbia, and on 22 November 2007 for Bosnia and Herzegovina. The aim of the agreement was to establish a free trade zone in

13908-419: Was met with expeditious and severe consequences, such as internal exile, extended imprisonment, and execution. The regime confronted a multitude of challenges, including widespread poverty, illiteracy, health crises and gender inequality. In response, Hoxha initiated a modernization initiative aimed at attaining economic and social liberation and transforming Albania into an industrial society. The regime placed

14030-769: Was planning to create the Sovereign State of the Bektashi Order , a sovereign microstate for the Order within Tirana. Albania lies along the Mediterranean Sea on the Balkan Peninsula in South and Southeast Europe , and has an area of 28,748 km (11,100 sq mi). It is bordered by the Adriatic Sea to the west, Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, North Macedonia to

14152-539: Was proclaimed in Gjirokastër by the local Greek population against incorporation to Albania. This initiative was short-lived, and in 1921 the southern provinces were incorporated into the Albanian Principality. Meanwhile, the revolt of Albanian peasants against the new regime erupted under the leadership of the group of Muslim clerics gathered around Essad Pasha Toptani , who proclaimed himself

14274-532: Was reached in 2009, when the country attained membership in NATO, marking a pioneering achievement among the nations of Southeast Europe . In adherence to its vision for further integration into the EU, it formally applied for membership on 28 April 2009. Another milestone was reached on 24 June 2014, when the country was granted official candidate status . Edi Rama of the Socialist Party won both

14396-454: Was recorded in Shtyllë, Librazhd on 9 January 2017. Albania receives most of the precipitation in winter months and less in summer months. The average precipitation is about 1,485 millimetres (58.5 inches). The mean annual precipitation ranges between 600 and 3,000 millimetres (24 and 118 inches) depending on geographical location. The northwestern and southeastern highlands receive

14518-403: Was reported to be under public ownership , 3% private ownership and 0% with ownership listed as other or unknown. The climate of Albania exhibits a distinguished level of variability and diversity due to the differences in latitude, longitude and altitude. Albania experiences a Mediterranean and Continental climate , characterised by the presence of four distinct seasons. According to

14640-700: Was signed on 16 April 2003, at the Stoa of Attalus in Athens, Greece, between the then-EU members and the ten acceding countries. The text also amended the main EU treaties , including the Qualified Majority Voting of the Council of the European Union . The treaty was ratified on time and entered into force on 1 May 2004 amid ceremonies around Europe. European leaders met in Dublin for fireworks and

14762-654: Was split in 395 upon the death of Theodosius I into an Eastern and Western Roman Empire in part because of the increasing pressure from threats during the Barbarian Invasions . From the 6th century into the 7th century, the Slavs crossed the Danube and largely absorbed the indigenous Greeks, Illyrians and Thracians in the Balkans ; thus, the Illyrians were mentioned for the last time in historical records in

14884-661: Was the Western European Union 's multinational Albanian Police element, which worked with the government to restructure the judicial system and simultaneously the Albanian police. After its communist system disintegrated, Albania embarked on an active path toward Westernization with the ambition to obtain membership in the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). A notable milestone

#772227