Abstract
The Impact of the Ethnic Albanians to the Albanian Foreign Policy
The ethnic Albanian population that is living in the Balkans today establish the absolute majority in Kosovo and at it’s other neighboring countries (Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia, and Greece) they compose an important part of the minorities. The Albanians that are living in these countries after the Cold War era affect the foreign policy of Albania. The idea of national unity, also known as the “Greater Albania” idea, is a political project designed by the Albanian patriots since the Ottoman-Russian War (1877-1878) and the Treaty of Berlin (1878) when were defined the political borders in the Balkans. Therefore, this project is not unfamiliar today and it has an intense impact in Albania's foreign policy. After the proclamation of the independence of Kosovo, Albania abdicated the isolationist policy that pursued during the Communist period towards the Albanians living in the Balkans. Albania increasing the economic cooperation with neighboring countries and the removal of the obstacles to the presence of Albanians in the Balkans have marked the beginning of an integration process. In this article will be explained the Albanian activities especially in the post Cold War era; the Albanian government’s unbiased stance towards these movements and the shaping of its foreign policy in this direction. In other words, it will be analyzed the possibility of the creation of an Albanian States Federation that could change the Balkan’s borders. <
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