According to aceinland, the national flag of Albania is a red and black double-headed eagle set against a field of red and white. The red and black double-headed eagle is a symbol that has been used by many countries in the region, but it is particularly important to Albania as it was the official emblem of the Albanian monarchy from 1913 until the end of World War II. The red and white stripes represent the two main ethnic groups in Albania, the Ghegs and Tosks. The flag was officially adopted in 1912, shortly after Albanian independence. The proportions of the flag are 1:2 with a width to length ratio of 2:3. The colors used for this flag are very vibrant, with bright red stripes and an almost golden yellow eagle set against a stark white background. This bold color combination serves to represent both the strength and courage of Albanians throughout their history as well as their commitment to freedom.
Presidents of Albania
The Presidents of Albania are the head of state of the Republic of Albania, elected by the Assembly of the Republic. The current president is Ilir Meta, who was elected in April 2017.
The President is vested with great powers, including that of appointing and dismissing government ministers and members of the High Council of Justice, and has authority to dissolve the Assembly. The President is also responsible for representing Albania on international matters, such as foreign policy and national security.
The first President was Ahmet Zogu who served from 1925 to 1928. He was followed by King Zog I from 1928 to 1939 who served as the first constitutional monarch in Albanian history. After World War II, a period of communist rule began in Albania and Enver Hoxha served as its leader until his death in 1985. Ramiz Alia took over after Hoxha’s death and served as President until 1992 when he resigned following a general election that saw Sali Berisha become Prime Minister.
Berisha served two terms as President from 1992 to 1997 and then again from 1997 to 2002 when he was succeeded by Alfred Moisiu who held office until 2007 when Bamir Topi was elected President for a five year term. In 2012, Bujar Nishani became the sixth president and held office until 2017 when Ilir Meta was elected president in April 2017.
Prime Ministers of Albania
The Prime Minister of Albania is the head of government and exercises executive power in the Republic of Albania. The current Prime Minister is Edi Rama, who was elected in 2013 and re-elected in 2017.
The first Prime Minister of Albania was Ismail Qemali, who served from 1912 to 1914. He was followed by a number of other leaders during the period between World War I and World War II, including Ahmed Bey Zogolli, Fan Noli, and Ahmet Zogu.
After World War II, a period of communist rule began in Albania and Enver Hoxha served as its leader until his death in 1985. Ramiz Alia took over after Hoxha’s death and served as President until 1992 when he resigned following a general election that saw Sali Berisha become Prime Minister.
Berisha served two terms as Prime Minister from 1992 to 1997 and then again from 1997 to 2002 when he was succeeded by Pandeli Majko who held office until 2005 when Fatos Nano became Prime Minister for two years before being replaced by Sali Berisha for a second term as Prime Minister from 2009 to 2013. In 2013, Edi Rama became the 8th prime minister of Albania and was re-elected in 2017 for a second term which is due to end in 2021.
