Albania Rejects Moscow’s Regrets at Hoxha’s Death
Albania today rejected a Soviet message of condolence over the death of Communist Party chief Enver Hoxha, whose four decades of stern Stalinist rule virtually isolated Albania from the rest of the world.
An Albanian Embassy spokesman in Vienna said Albania had officially “turned back” the Soviet message that was sent to the Albanian capital of Tirana on Thursday hours after Hoxha’s death was announced.
“We regard the Soviet Union as an aggressive state that endangers peace in the world. We have nothing to do with the Soviet Union. For these reasons the message of condolences was turned back as unacceptable,” the spokesman said.
Hoxha, the longest-serving communist leader in the world, died Thursday after a long illness.
No foreign leaders or dignitaries have been invited to attend the funeral and the Western press also has been barred.
The government proclaimed a week of mourning beginning today in the Balkan nation of 3 million situated between Yugoslavia and Greece. Flags were ordered flown at half-staff, and sporting and cultural events were canceled.
Hoxha’s body will lie in state in the Hall of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly in the capital city of Tirana until Monday, when he will be buried in Albania’s Cemetery for the Martyrs of the Homeland.
A spokesman for the Albanian Embassy in Vienna said thousands of Albanians are converging on the capital from the countryside to view the body.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
