September 14, 1998: The day that sealed the tragic fate of the Albanians

The day of September 14, 1998, the day when the funeral of the murdered MP Azem Hajdari was supposed to take place, marked a turning point in the modern history of Albania. The funeral turned to an armed uprising where the government  and public television building became targets of heavily armed angry gangs. Bullets of AK47, bazookas and granades showered the building of Prime Ministry that soon afterwards was set on fire. The then prime minister, Fatos Nano, had been already evacuated and taken to a secure location. Some say he found shelter in the neighboring Macedonia. The other government buildings fell quickly in the hands of the insurgents. The fall of public television building was tragic, because the employees had not been evacuated and some of them were tortured and scared to death. Some bombs were dropped there to tell the employees that the gangs really meant business. A representative of the insurgents, now occupying the position of deputy-minister, appeared on TV to announce that the government had fallen and the insurgents were designing a new government.
But the swift reaction of the United States which warned the leader of the opposition, the former President of the Republic and the incumbent prime minister, either to retreat or face the military reaction of the American government brought an end to the military coup. Two days later the order was restored and Fatos None went to his burned-out office.
This event was classified as a coup d’etat by the entire international community. It was supposed to change Albania forever, but it didn’t. No one was brought to trial and justice was never made.
This back day in the history of Albania was actually the day that proved that Mr. Berisha was “untouchable” by all powers and laws. It warned of darker days to come for the people and the nation that are so being proved today as Albania has lost every democratic trait.

A.Kola