Albanians in Europe by Becoming Europe

Such are,I believe,the hopes of the Albanian people inspired by the new European order;such are,
I believe,the hopes of the small peoples inspired by the new democratic order,that will be called the United Europe
of peoples,or the United Europe of regions.Still,it should not be forgoten that the hopes of the small people have
many times during history ended up in despair.This does mean that the same may happen this time too,but that such
a possibility for their disappointment in the new European processes notice the conservative structures,that are still
preserved in Western Europe,on the one hand, and the dogmatic,antidemocratic structures that are still preserved in
the postcommunist countries of Eastern Europe,on the other hand,do not show understanding for new European national
entities.The ruling nations in international federations,that are politically and economically privileged in them,that are
carriers of oppression in them,do not look with simpathy at the united Europe,no matter with what pathos we speak
sometimes of it,because they do not want the creation of new subjects in Europe,that at the same time means the
unmaking of those federations.
Europe is not very simple geography,but Europe is a very complex history,that did not take in the same
direction all of its peoples.In the European continent hopes have often been changed into tragical illusions.
Considering such expectations in the European political tradition,noted European intellectuals take the liberty of calling
the united Europe a big illusion.History has never ceased being a teacher of life.And,this teacher of life teachs us that the
Great European Powers have always determined their interests dependingon or against the interests of the small
peoples.
Can something like that happen once again?
It is not easy now to give an answer to this question.It can be said,therefore,that in the common European
palace,the rooms of which are being made,but will not have a roof so soon,all its members will not have tha same
rooms.
Someone will enter sooner,ans someone later;someone will take the upper floor,and someone the lower one;someone
will have the roof-top,ans someone the basement;someone will be at the waiting room,and someone in the hall!
And,the place that someone will take in this palace,most probably,will depend less on its size,and more on its scale of
development - of its inhabitants.By all means,in no moment may we forget that wellbeing in this European palace
cannot be given.Europe does not give anything.It has never given anything.Those that have won all those things in
continous competitions of power,deftness,wisdom,aptness cannot be expected to work for those that do not work,
to think for those that are late in thinking.
In the hymns of the Great Powers of European victories and greatness are sung,but Europe has heard hymns without
any remorse of the small nations,in which it is spoken about sufferings and sacrifices!Who doesn't know and who
doesn't say that Europe was a continent of most brutal contraditions,of most different ideologies! In its spaces genious
people were born like Pope Pio 2nd,Kant,and Hugo,hundreds of years before they projected "our common home",
but even the racists like Gobion,Lapaus,and Chamberlain - that threw the seed of racial divisions.In its horizons
racionalism and Mysticism,Liberalism and Fascism were born;parliamentary democracy and one-party totalitarism.
Its minds have dreamed the Eternal Peace,created The Declaration on Human and Citizen's Rights,but also the Mein
Kampf!Along the great creative genious,such as Shakespeare,Gothe,and Balsac,it gave birth to great inquisitors
such as Hitler,and Mussolini.The continent of ingenious inventions that has given progress to the human life was also
a continent of the trade with people and nations,of persecutions,terrors and unprecedented violence.Here, in the name
of justice injustices have often been commited; in the name of the good,bad deeds have been made;in the name of
brotherhood - the worst crimes, and in the name of equality - the wildest pogroms.The right of the strong and the
winner has for so many times supressed all the other rights: ethnic,national,human and democratic of the weak one.
It is not written in vain."Europe is a communion of peoples that have for 1000 years been playing roulette in an
unmerciful and bloody manner,not being able to get away from the table they are sitting at."
The given word in there often end up in treason;politics in demogagy;diplomacy in deception;devotion in submission.
The Holy Aliance of Vienna (1815);the Congress of Berlin (1878);the Conference of Ambassadors in London (1913);
the Conference of Peace in Paris (1919);the Conference of Yalta (1945) - are but some sessions of roulette,in which
the right and the fate of the small nations were used instead of banknotes.Laughter and cynisism,wooing and decisivness,
charm and stuborness,fondle and bullet - here are some of the means that usually have been used in that political and
diplomatic roulette.And,they served the same aim: the victory of the strongest,ruling of the greatest,enriching the rich!
Thus,in the continent of Europe,more loyaly than in any other continent,laws of war for existence have been manifested
endlessly in Europe.Here,sayings have been tested,and I am afraid will be tested:poor small man;poor small nation;
poor small culture! They may become even smaller,or even disappear entirely if they do not fulfill their smallness with
virtues that make them resistant:with wisdom,talent,firmness,and most of all work,work,and work.
In Europe of the Mind,power has,nevertheless,always been valued as a condition of peace.
I know that such opinions are not heard with pleasure these days.And,they may not be heard with pleasure
for two reasons:the first,because they remind us of conditions from which we not only want but also hope to have
departed forever,and,the second,because our hopes which Europe of the future is inspiring in us are great.
Without them life would seem unbearable to us under these conditions already unbearable.
Naturally,such thoughts I myself do not want to believe.By uttering them,however,I want to give my
contribution to the belief that: our endeavours to enter Europe and become its subject,equal with the others and
likwise honored,may become successful only if we make paralell endeavours to priviosly bring Europe in our own life.
But,we will not bring Europe in our life: if we do not dismiss anti - Europe from our life;if we do not make general
changes in the Albanian society based on the upbringing of the people,on free creativity,on new moral principles;
if we do not turn disorder and disorganisation to order and organisation;if the naive belief that freedom will be given
to us from Europe we do not substitute with the belief that freedom will be won by ourselves.
And,I will conclude.
The ancient Albanian word has proven to be more powerful than the threats made against it during
centruies,but the Albanian people is not happy yet.It is said that big nations are That which thay have themselves
created out of history;but,We,as a divided people,are still That what history has made out of us.By dividing us as
a people,Europe has violated our freedom,has cut our wellbeing in half,has postponed our happiness.
We have survived the killing march of history,but a great wall with Europe has remained.The meaning of
our endeavours of today are seen in the ruining of that wall,and by preseving,and even developing and enriching our
spiritual and cultural identity,which kept us until today,and will keep us from today and on.
We have survived the killing march of history,but the tragic wall that has cut our people in half has
remained.The meaning of our history I see in breaking down that damn wall,because its breaking down is a precondition
that our people become a free,rich,and happy people.
And,the day of the breakdown will come as a historical necesitty!