Italian-Albanian Treaties and Agreements

a series of treaties and agreements signed in 1926, 1927, and 1936. The Tirana pact on friendship and security was signed in Tirana on Nov. 27, 1926, for a period of five years. In accordance with the pact, Italy became Albania’s “guarantor” while Albania was in effect deprived of the capacity to conduct independent policy. The treaty of 1927 (the Tirana defensive alliance pact) was signed in Tirana on Nov. 22, 1927, for a period of 20 years. Italy received the right to exercise control over Albania’s armed forces. The treaty provided for the appointment of Italian counselors and instructors in all sections of the Albanian army and in many important ministries. Albania’s dependence on fascist Italy increased still more. The agreements of 1936 were signed in Tirana on March 19. The Italians wrote off Albania’s indebtedness under a previously concluded loan and granted it a new loan of 9 million Albanian francs and a yearly credit of 3.5 million Albanian francs to maintain its army, on condition that all foreign advisers and instructors in the state apparatus and Albanian army would be replaced by Italians. Albania granted Italy new petroleum concessions and the right to construct a number of military fortifications. With respect to trade, the treaty provided for the limitation of Albanian exports to Italy and for free Italian export to Albania. The treaties and agreements promoted Albania’s dependency, to all intents and purposes, on fascist Italy; they were an outright betrayal of the national interests of Albania by the country’s ruling circles, and they facilitated the occupation of Albania by fascist Italy in 1939. The treaties and agreements were annulled in 1944 by the decision of the anti-fascist National Liberation Council of Albania.