Ilir Ikonomi, former journalist for the Voice of America, has promoted another volume about Fan Noli, this time presenting him as “Rebel”. This is based on his activity from the found documents. Ikonomi has brought another interesting and fresh account of Fan Noli’s life in the “hornets’ nest” of the 1920s, where he does not hesitate to say that he had Bolshevik tendencies as he goes further when he says that he attempted to establish relations with Russia by opening a legation in Albania, something that Russia wanted for the subsequent spread of Bolshevism.
"From an exclusive document that I found, Noli was interested in the Bolshevik system in 1923, when he was a member of parliament. He went to the Soviet embassy in Vienna and Berlin, to become a bishop and to get a Russian visa, and after he went, they noticed that he was interested in the Bolshevik system. As we know, during his government, he established relations with the Soviet Union and made a big mistake because at that time it was sacrilege for Albania to establish relations with the Soviet Union. But there was a secret here that historians do not tell, Stalin received a telegram from his Foreign Minister Chicherin who told him that we could not wait to establish a Soviet legation in Albania and Noli had started working to establish it. Chicherin went further when he told Stalin that we needed the legation to spread Bolshevism in the Balkans, so it was not just about establishing diplomatic ties. The Russians rushed to establish these ties, but thanks to the intervention of the English and Italian ministers, Noli was allowed to establish the consulate.
"Then Noli also visited the UN in 1927, so he had these tendencies. Later, when Enver Hoxha came to power, he became a kind of his ambassador to the United Nations, he advised him, as an advisor, and he continued these tendencies until recently."
Ikonomi said he is working on the 3rd volume on Noli's life from the time he left the country until 1965 when he passed away.
"I intend to finish another volume about Noli, which will be the 3rd and final volume, where I will describe Noli's life from 1925 when he left Albania until 1965 when he died. It's 40 years, the problem is that there is a lot of material and I don't know if I can fit it all into one book, I'll try," said Ikonomi.
Ilir Ikonomi chose to promote "Rebel" in Pogradec, as he has a special connection to the city. He was born in Pogradec and the lakeside city remains special in his life. (A2 Televizion)
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