Ismail Kadare: Skanderbeg did not fight the Muslims, but the Ottomanism. Albania will become a first-class factor in the Balkans, ahead of Greece

Ismail Kadare and eni Vasili

 The well-known writer Ismail Kadare made his comments on the latest debates on Skanderbeg by rejecting the thesis that the Albanian national hero fought and persecuted the Muslims.

In an interview to Eni Vasili, Kadare said there is a gap left by communism about the debate about what Skanderbeg represents.

"Skanderbeg's figure embodies the West.

He did not fight to remove the Muslimism, he did it to remove the Albania from the Ottomanism.

If he wanted to remove the Albania from the Ottoman Empire, this honors us all.

There is a disturbing thing, this debate should not be existed, Albania should have clarified beforehand.

The communist country prevented some things from being clarified.

I have a definite opinion, Albania is a natural European country, not artificially, is European with land, language, habits, this is an objective reality.

Skanderbeg is an Albanian Christian and he is of all, and 500 years of Albanian history did not shaded his story, they are doing it today," said Kadare.

According to the writer, the arrival of communism diverted Albania's European approach, but according to him, Albanians are a clearly European people and will soon be a factor in the Balkans.

"Today, Albania can only be European, and for this we need to be persuaded, Albanians will soon become first-rate factors in the Balkans.

Greece does not have this caution because it has been held hostage by the Byzantine history.

We are in a very favorable moment now..."