Page 62 - Crossroads of the Adriatic: Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Slovenia

When Yugoslavia and Greece were overtaken, many of the Albanian areas that were divided
in years past came under Italian control and were reunited with Albania. Following the
capitulation of Italy to the Germany forces, Albania was occupied by Germany in 1943. By
1944, however, a resistance movement successfully liberated Albania from the German forces
on November 29, 1944 with the help of Yugoslav forces.

Albania under Communism
Upon the liberation from Germany, Enver Hoxha took over as the leader of Albania, having
come from a high position in the Albanian Communist Party, which played a large part in the
resistance movement. In order to preserve his power, Hoxha began a reign of terror, killing all
of his political enemies. After distancing itself itself from Yugoslavia, Albania began forging
alliances with Stalin’s USSR, and eventually with China after Stalin’s demise. In 1967, the
Albanian government banned religion because they believed religious was the cause of the
divisiveness that had weakened Albania in the past.

Rise of Political Groups

Hoxha died in April 1985with Ramiz Alia named as his successor. Around this time,
communism was failing in many other parts of Europe and Alia was under pressure to allow
Z_SP] [ZWT_TNLW R]Z`[^ _Z MP QZ]XPO 4Y _SP PL]Wd $$ ^ _SP RZaP]YXPY_ ʭYLWWd NZY^PY_PO
to the formation of opposition parties. By 1992, elections were held and the communist
government was outvoted in favor of a Democratic government. Throughout this change,
Albania transformed and adopted a free-market system. Due to the lack of regulations and
inexperience with this type of market, many pyramid schemes were developed, leading many
,WMLYTLY^ _Z ʭYLYNTLW N]T^T^ LQ_P] _SPd WZ^_ LWW ZQ _SPT] ^LaTYR^ _Z _SP ^NSPXP^

In 1997, the Socialist Party came to power as a result of the unrest caused by the people’s
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democratic system and ensured their basic human rights.

Serbia

Facts & Figures

• Area: 29,913 square miles

• Capital: Belgrade

• Language: >P]MTLY T^ _SP ZʯNTLW WLYR`LRP ,WMLYTLY T^ LW^Z ^[ZVPY

• Location: Serbia is a landlocked country in central and southeastern Europe, covering
the central part of the Balkan Peninsula and the southern part of the Pannonian Plain.
Serbia borders Hungary to the north; Romania and Bulgaria to the east; the Republic
of Macedonia and Albania to the south; and Montenegro, Croatia, and Bosnia and
Herzegovina to the west.

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