By Xheladin Zeneli
The decision to return the Valdanos olive grove in Ulcinj to its owners or heirs is undoubtedly welcome news which shows that justice, although delayed, is finally coming. As is already known, properties in Valdanos were confiscated in unjustly and arbitrarily in 1978 by the power of the time for the needs of the then Yugoslav army and the battle for their return lasted a full 43 years.
First of all, it should be noted that an important and primary role in the approval of the Law on Restitution of Property in the Parliament of Montenegro on June 11, 2021, was played by the Deputy Prime Minister, the Albanian politician from Ulcinj, Mr. Dritan Abazovi dhe and his governing partners, while MP Genc Nimanbegu as the proposer of this Law, together with other representatives of Albanians in MZ and the NGO “Mogul” etc., have the merit for their determined commitment to the realization of this right. vital for a part of the citizens of Ulcinj.
MP Nimanbegu in his press conference on the occasion of this decision, rightly emphasized the fact that the issue of Valdanos and its realization has not started now, but much earlier.
So, the awareness of this issue, not only started many years ago, but at the same time we should not forget the fact that in addition to the Albanian and non-governmental domestic political factor, a contribution in this regard has given the Albanian-American Lobby, respectively the League Albanian American Citizen (LQSHA) which is led by former Congressman Joseph DioGuardi.
As in the case of the Municipality of Tuzi, so in the case of the return of properties in Valdanos, LQSHA has been constantly engaged in lobbying with American lawmakers.
Awareness and internationalization of the issue of the rights of Albanians, including their property rights, began with the historic visit of the LQSHA delegation led by Congressman Tom Lantos to the Albanian territories in Montenegro, as the first such visit and meeting with some intellectuals and experts in their respective fields, a meeting which was held at the hotel “Albatros” in Ulcinj in August 2003 where, among other things, the issue of denial of property rights was presented to some citizens. of Ulcinj. The visit of the LQSHA delegation will be followed later by the exchange of letters between Congressman Lantos and the then Prime Minister of Montenegro, Milo Djukanovic, and other government officials. Through these letters, Lantos has clearly emphasized his concerns regarding many issues that concerned Albanians in Montenegro at the time, including the right to return property to residents of Valdanos. One of these letters is dated July 11, 2005 and was sent by The office of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the American Congress, which was then headed by Henry Hyde, chairman and Tom Lantos, vice chairman of this Committee, is notified to the then Prime Minister of Montenegro, among other things, the denial of the right of ownership of the property by the local inhabitants of Ulcinj, which was alluded to in the Valdanos olive grove.
Also in 2005, the next visit of the LQSHA delegation to Ulcinj and Tuz took place, now under the leadership of Congressman Dana Rohhrabacker, a visit carried out in the framework of the fact-finding and direct information mission regarding the position of Albanians in Mal. Montenegro, always in order for any violations and injustices observed to that mission, to be later communicated to the Montenegrin government authorities. the issue of property.
So, regarding the issue of property restitution or the attainment of other rights of Albanians in Montenegro, American lawmakers, friends of LQSHA, have from time to time put pressure on previous Montenegrin governments.
However, whenever it comes to the realization of a right or the fulfillment of a certain request of the Albanians in Montenegro, there is an ignorance or denial of the role and contribution of the Albanian Diaspora and its Lobby. This has been evident in the case of the realization of the Municipality of Tuz.
It is unclear whether the underestimation of the work of the Albanian Lobby in the US is done intentionally or in the absence of information but it is enough to take a look at the work of LQSHA and other Albanian organizations in the US, especially during the last two decades and will see an activity their consistent and consistent awareness of the issue of the rights of Albanians in general in Montenegro, including the issue which is the subject of this article.
