![Assembly of Vlorë](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Assembly_of_Vlor%C3%AB.jpg)
The Assembly of Vlorë ( sq, Kuvendi i Vlorës) was an
Albanian assembly constituted during the
All-Albanian Congress in
Vlorë
Vlorë ( , ; sq-definite, Vlora) is the third most populous city of the Republic of Albania and seat of Vlorë County and Vlorë Municipality. Located in southwestern Albania, Vlorë sprawls on the Bay of Vlorë and is surrounded by the foothi ...
, on November 28, 1912.
Background
The
All-Albanian Congress or ''Albanian National Congress'' or ''Albanian Independence Congress'' was a congress held in
Vlorë
Vlorë ( , ; sq-definite, Vlora) is the third most populous city of the Republic of Albania and seat of Vlorë County and Vlorë Municipality. Located in southwestern Albania, Vlorë sprawls on the Bay of Vlorë and is surrounded by the foothi ...
(then
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
, today
Republic of Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares l ...
) on November 28, 1912. At the beginning of the session,
Ismail Qemali
Ismail Qemal bey Vlora, mostly known as Ismail Qemali (; 16 January 184426 January 1919), was an Albanian diplomat, politician, rilindas, statesman and the Founding Father of modern Albania, and one of the most famous Southern Albanian perso ...
took the floor and, referring to the threatened Albanian rights resulting from the Albanian revolts of the previous four years, explained to the participants of the congress that they should do whatever was necessary to save Albania. After his speech they began by checking the documents.
The sessions of the Assembly of Vlorë
The constitution session of the Assembly of Vlorë
After the documents were checked, Ismail Qemali again took the floor and gave a speech stating that he believed that the only way to prevent division of the territory of the
Albanian Vilayet between the
Balkan allies was to separate it from the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
. Qemali's proposal was unanimously accepted and it was decided to sign the
declaration of independence
A declaration of independence or declaration of statehood or proclamation of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the ...
of Albania in the name of the constituted Assembly of Vlorë ( sq, Kuvendi i Vlorës). By the
declaration of Albanian independence the Assembly of Vlorë rejected the autonomy granted by the Ottoman Empire to the Albanian Vilayet, projected a couple of months earlier. The
consensus was for complete
independence
Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...
.
The sitting was then suspended and members of the newly constituted National Assembly went to the house of Ismail Qemali, who raised the flag of
Skanderbeg
, reign = 28 November 1443 – 17 January 1468
, predecessor = Gjon Kastrioti
, successor = Gjon Kastrioti II
, spouse = Donika Arianiti
, issue = Gjon Kastrioti II
, royal house = Kastrioti
, father ...
on the
balcony
A balcony (from it, balcone, "scaffold") is a platform projecting from the wall of a building, supported by columns or console brackets, and enclosed with a balustrade, usually above the ground floor.
Types
The traditional Maltese balcony is ...
of his house, in front of the gathered people.
The session held on December 4, 1912
The second session of the Assembly of Vlorë was held on December 4, 1912. During that session members of the assembly established the
Provisional Government of Albania
The Provisional Government of Albania ( sq, Qeveria e Përkohshme e Shqipërisë) was the first government of Albania, created by the Assembly of Vlorë on 4 December 1912. It was a paternal government, led by Ismail Qemali, until his resignatio ...
. It was a government that consisted of ten members, led by
Ismail Qemali
Ismail Qemal bey Vlora, mostly known as Ismail Qemali (; 16 January 184426 January 1919), was an Albanian diplomat, politician, rilindas, statesman and the Founding Father of modern Albania, and one of the most famous Southern Albanian perso ...
until his resignation on January 22, 1914. The Assembly established the
Senate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
( sq, Pleqësi) with an advisory role to the government, consisting of 18 members of the Assembly.
See also
*
Albanian Revolt of 1912
*
Albanian Vilayet
*
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War ( sr, Први балкански рат, ''Prvi balkanski rat''; bg, Балканска война; el, Αʹ Βαλκανικός πόλεμος; tr, Birinci Balkan Savaşı) lasted from October 1912 to May 1913 and invo ...
*
All-Albanian Congress
*
Provisional Government of Albania
The Provisional Government of Albania ( sq, Qeveria e Përkohshme e Shqipërisë) was the first government of Albania, created by the Assembly of Vlorë on 4 December 1912. It was a paternal government, led by Ismail Qemali, until his resignatio ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Assembly of Vlore
Albanian Declaration of Independence
1912 in Albania
1912 conferences