| For
the many decades under his domination, Hoxha created
and destroyed relationships with Yugoslavia, the
Soviet Union, and China. The country was isolated,
first from the West (Western Europe, North America
and Australasia) and later even from the communist
East.
In
1985, Hoxha died and Ramiz Alia took his place.
Initially, Alia tried hard to follow in Hoxha's
footsteps, but softened his politics in response
to the democratic change that was already sweeping
Eastern Europe. In 1992 general elections were
held and won by the new Democratic Party with
62% of the votes. Alia resigned and Sali Berisha
was the first post-communist president elected.
In
the general elections of 1996 the Democratic Party
tried to win an absolute majority and manipulated
the results. Confidence in the government reached
a new low in 1997 when a rash of pyramid schemes
jolted the economy and caused widespread rioting.
In the ensuing period of anarchy and militia rule,
a new government of national unity was formed.
The Socialist Party won the early elections of
1997 and Berisha resigned as president.
The
power feuds raging inside the Socialist Party
led to a series of short-lived Socialist governments.
The country was flooded with refugees from neighboring
Kosovo in 1998 and 1999 during the Kosovo War.
In June 2002, a compromise candidate, Alfred Moisiu,
a former general, was elected to succeed President
Rexhep Meidani. Parliamentary elections in July,
2005 brought back to power Sali Berisha, Leader
of the Democratic Party, mostly owing to Socialist
infighting and a series of corruption scandals
plaguing the government of Fatos Nano.
Since
1990 Albania has been diplomatically oriented
towards the West-it was accepted to the Council
of Europe and has requested membership in NATO.
The workforce of Albania has continued to migrate
to Greece, Italy, Germany and other parts of Europe,
and North America.
|
