Factors in an Albanian Annexation of Kosovo

I think that as the last thread about this is six years old I can safely post it without it being seen as a Sea Lion. What factors do you see in Kosovo being unified with Albania either be referendum, an offer, or a declaration? Would it be considered an act of war against Serbia and how would the other countries who face Greater Albanian claims see it? Would their be another jihad or infatda by the Bosniacs and Muslim terrorists against Serbs? Who would the United States support? If you think this should go in non-political Chat please give your opinion and I may ask a mod to move it.
 
I say it could happen if Italy (whose King was ruling Albania) remained neutral during World War II. I seem to remember Albania annexing Kosovo.
 

archaeogeek

Banned
I say it could happen if Italy (whose King was ruling Albania) remained neutral during World War II. I seem to remember Albania annexing Kosovo.

Half of Kosovo was annexed to Albania by the Italians, plus the western counties of Macedonia. Basically it more of less corresponded to the ethnic reality of the time with some Albanian exclaves outside and in Epirus (but the Italians wanted a Vlach state in Epirus and Thessaly). The Italians also grabbed Montenegro (and the Sandjak of Novipazar) for direct administration under pressure of the queen of Italy.
 
I meant for modern day, but this is interesting too. I'll ask in the chat for the other thing. Now I am not seeing how Kosovo would necessarilly go to Albania considering Yugoslavia being a likely alternative to an Italian alliance (or not. Just as good butchered for the other Axis.) by the Germans, with Umberto getting offered the Albanian crown in exchange for offering not invading and expanding Albanian territory. If Yugoslavia gets on the wrong side of the war would their maybe be the chance for Albania getting Albanian populated land in Serbia, Greece and Yugoslavia, with Greece being traded some of Macedonia? I expect that setting the King of Montenegro back up and giving him Novipazar and Herzovigina would be interesting. Though is the Albanias had Novipazar it would lead them straight to their coreligists in Bosnia.
 
I'm speculating in a TL I'm writing that a stalemate in WWI, followed by a slightly messier collapse of A-H which includes an independent Bosnia, leads to a Serbian invasion of Bosnia. That causes a coalition of Bulgaria, Greece, Albania and later Croatia and Montenegro (after the Serbs invade Herzegovina through Montenegro, Nova Pazar and Dubrovnik). Serbia loses the war, and has Kosovo, Macedonia and Novi Pazar stripped from it and given to Albania, Greece/Bulgaria and Montenegro respectively. Russia BTW is in a messy situation at the time, while Austria is supporting Croatia, Hungary ends up invading Slavonia at the time and Romania is Serbia's only ally.
 
One factor to keep in mind regarding the annexation of Kosovo is the religious issue. Though, from a western point of view, Albania is one of the most ethnically homogeneous nations in the Balkans (due to it's small size), religiously it is quite heterogeneous. With a religious breakdown of roughly 70% Muslim (20% of those belonging to a liberal sect known as the Bektashi), 20% Orthodox, and 10% Catholic religion has the potential to become a bit of an issue. And indeed as evidenced by Greek Orthodox involvement in the near Civil war of the mid 1990's it has in OTL.

Now Kosovo's religious breakdown is more simple. The vast majority of Albanian Kosovars are Sunni Muslim with only a very small number of Catholics. Thus the annexation of Kosovo would fundamentally alter the religious composition of Albania giving the Sunni Muslims a sizeable majority and therefore the potential to threaten the rights and lives of the other religious minority communities (at least in their own minds). If you add in the Serbian community, this makes things even more complicated.

HOWEVER: I think one of the best, most overlooked POD's for a "Greater Albania" is found in the late 1940's with the ascension of Enver Hoxha. It's common knowledge that immediately after WWII Albania and Yugoslavia were quite close, so close that plans had been all but finalized to incorporate Albania into Yugoslavia as the 6th Republic. The Albanian Republic was to be given Kosovo, a slice of Southern Montenegro, and the Western Counties of Macedonia in addition to a great deal of local autonomy. This plan was ultimately derailed by the ascension of Enver Hoxha who overthrew the pro-Yugoslav wing of the Albanian communist party and instead pursued a policy of fear mongering and isolationism, generously described as "bat-shit crazy" for the next 40 years or so.
 

archaeogeek

Banned
One factor to keep in mind regarding the annexation of Kosovo is the religious issue. Though, from a western point of view, Albania is one of the most ethnically homogeneous nations in the Balkans (due to it's small size), religiously it is quite heterogeneous. With a religious breakdown of roughly 70% Muslim (20% of those belonging to a liberal sect known as the Bektashi), 20% Orthodox, and 10% Catholic religion has the potential to become a bit of an issue. And indeed as evidenced by Greek Orthodox involvement in the near Civil war of the mid 1990's it has in OTL.

Actually Albania is over 60% atheist. The Hoxhaists are not the first massively secular regime in Albania, either; Zog's kingdom of Albania was openly secular and some of his first actions involved breaking the power of the religions.
 
Actually Albania is over 60% atheist. The Hoxhaists are not the first massively secular regime in Albania, either; Zog's kingdom of Albania was openly secular and some of his first actions involved breaking the power of the religions.

These are very interesting numbers. I just recently did a term paper on the current religious situation in Albania and nowhere in my research did these numbers come up. The highest numbers I saw for atheists in Albania was a 1994 study that pegged them at 24% of the population, however the small sample size and location made me doubt the accuracy of numbers to reflect the larger population.

Undoubtedly, the Hoxhaists certainly left their mark on Albania as there remain a large number of skeptics and a good deal of skepticism has crept into religious practices as of late. But I was unaware that so many Albanians openly identified as atheists.

That being said, I'm not trying to be mean or bash you. As someone interested in the region I'd just like to see your source(s)...

Of course Religion has always been an element in Albanian politics, and has constantly been pushed aside or neglected to serve the larger goals of the Albanian people. That being said, the religious issues are still there even if they are secondary to larger nationalist aims. With the annexation of Kosovo threatening to massively change the religious makeup of Albania one should keep this in mind.

Never heard about it before.

Apologies, I just finished a term paper on Albania. I often forget that not everyone has done as much reading about the country as I have.
 
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