Abstract

Although 1908 was a historic event, also it was special to the Albanian people. Albanians have never stopped their efforts for the freedom and independence of Albania. After the large loss of the Balkan territory, the Ottoman Empire gradually began to lose its influence over Albanian lands. The Albanians made efforts for national unity in order to be united in the face of the political and military circumstances that awaited them in the wake of the flood of rule by AbdylHamiti II. Among the traces of events in history is undoubtedly the Assembly of Ferizaj1908, which was organized by Albanians to oppose Ottoman reforms, and in particular the Austro-Hungarian concession to build a railway linking Sarajevo with Thessaloniki through Kosovo and Skopje. This event did not pass easily, influenced also by the Young Turk movement and the influence of the unhappy crowd, in order to benefit from this political measure, the Yong Turkeasily won the sympathy of the Albanian people. The Young Turks managed to turn the national war scenes into a peace center in the Balkans under the umbrella of the July 1908 Revolution, the Young Turks committees acted in Resen, Ohrid, Prespa, Skopje, Mitrovica, Ferizaj, Prizren etc. these were Albanians who had indirect links with the Albanian Committee “For the Freedom of Albania”. In the "Union and Progress" committee were Albanian patriots such as: Ibrahim Temo, Ismail Qemali, Dervish Hima, Hoxha Kadri Prishtina etc. Although Albanians support the Young Turk movement, they remain betrayed because, after the Young Turks came to power, they did not live up to their promises, but they did even worse than the previous power over the Albanians by imposing new taxes that were extremely impoverished Albanians, already economically devastated. Due to the inability to afford these high taxes they had to protest to oppose the purpose of the Young Turk power in the Albanian areas. The Secret Committee for the Freedom of Albania, which operated from 1905-1908, played a key role in this regard. It is worth noting that during 1908 the largest inter-Albanian rally was organized in Ferizaj.

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