KING FOR ALBANIA.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 198, 23 August 1928, Page 7

KING FOR ALBANIA.

Proposed Elevation Of President. IF MUSSOLINI APPROVES. (Australian and N.Z. Press Association.) LONDON, August 22. A message from Durazzo, Albania, say a the Constituent Assembly is expected very shortly to proclaim the President, Ahmed Bey Zogu, King of Albania, with the approval of Signor Mussolini, Prime Minister of Italy.

Ahmed Zogu, the Albanian politician, is a native of the country, in the central part of which he owns much land. He first came into prominence after the end of the world war, when, under bis leadership, the Albanians drove out the foreign troops which bad been occupying the country. His political career began, however, after the murder of Essad Pasha in 1920, when

lie became leader of a Conservative People's party, which upheld the

old Albanian constitution, and was friendly to Yugoslavia, in contrast to the Democratic Progressive party, under Fan Noli, which had strong leaning towards Italy. At the end of 1923 Zogu overthrew Fan Noli's Cabinet, which had been in power since late in 1921, but which had been prevented by a military clique from carrying out the reforms it had promised, and so had lost ground. In March, 1926, the shortlived Shefket Verlaci Cabinet took office, and in June Zogu was ousted by Fan Noli with the aid of the Italians. Zogu fled to Belgrade, where he organised a force of his Albanian adherents. Serbs and remnants of Wrangle's army. With these he invaded Albania in December, 1924, and drove out Fan Null. He then settled the question of Albania's constitution. Hitherto a Regency Council had ruled in place of Prince William (of Wied), who was not allowed to govern, but who had not abdicated.. A constituent assembly met on January 21, 1925, to proclaim a republic, and on February 2 elected. Zogu President for a term of seven years. Since then he seems to have brought about a rapprochement with his opponents, so that in September, 1925, he was able to remodel his Cabinet on conciliatory lines. In January, 1926, it was rumoured that Zogu cherished the ambition of niarrving an Italian princess and making himself King of Albania.