Situation in Albania
In March 1997 riots spread all over Albania after the breakdown of the financial system which drove the country into a serious economical and social crisis. This crisis culminated in the so-called Lottery Uprising. Thousands of people had lost their entire savings after all pyramids of the usurers had collapsed. The people took their rage against the state on the streets. After army and police weapons depots were looted by the insurgents, the danger for foreign citizens in Albania increased enormously. During the uprising, some 1500 people had been killed. On March 11 all foreigners were told to leave Albania, and Italian and American forces carried out first evacuation operations. On midday of March 13, it was not longer possible to leave the country by conventional means since the rioters had broken down national peace and order. With nowhere to go, 98 persons fled into the German embassy, which had not been evacuated yet.
Read more about this topic: Operation Libelle
Famous quotes containing the words situation in and/or situation:
“It is necessary to turn political crisis into armed crisis by performing violent actions that will force those in power to transform the military situation into a political situation. That will alienate the masses, who, from then on, will revolt against the army and the police and blame them for this state of things.”
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“The abjection of our political situation is the only true challenge today. Only facing up to this situation in all its desperation can help us get out of it.”
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