Democratic National Front Party Explained

Democratic National Front Party
Native Name:	Partia Balli Kombëtar Demokrat
Leader:	Artur Roshi
Foundation:	1998
Position:	Right-wing
Motto:	Patria jonë është Shqipëria (Our party is Albania)^[1] -->
Colours:	Red Black
Headquarters:	Tirana
Country:	Albania

The Democratic National Front Party (in Albanian: Partia Balli Kombëtar Demokrat) (PBKD), also sometimes referred to as the Right National Front or Right National Party,^[2] is a political party in Albania led by Artur Roshi. It was formed in 1998 by breaking away from the ultra-nationalist National Front. The PBKD is a right-wing group with nationalist policies which aim to create a Greater Albania. It remains closely linked to the National Front, but has made its policies more moderate.

In the 2005 elections, PBKD was part of the Alliance for Freedom, Justice and Welfare. PBKD got 0.6% of the proportional votes, and no seats.

In 2005 the congress of the National Front rejected a proposal to merge the two parties.

History

The party was formed in 1997-1998 as a result of personal disagreements between Hysen Selfo, then deputy leader of the National Front, and the National Front's leader Abaz Ermenji.^{[3] [4]}

The National Front parties trace their origins to the 1940s.^[5] Balli Kombëtar (English: The National Front) was an Albanian nationalist and anti-communist organization established in 1942.^[6] It was led by Ali Këlcyra and Mit'hat Frashëri.

In 1942 Balli Kombëtar entered into a fragile alliance with the Communist-led National Liberation Front, and acted as a resistance group against Italian and German occupation forces in Albania.^[7] However, when it appeared that the communists were to seize power in Albania, the organisation began collaboration with the Axis Powers during their occupation of Greece and Yugoslavia. In 1943 for example, members recruited by the organization participated alongside the Wehrmacht in burning villages in Albania and Greece^[8] and on the territory, which is today the modern North Macedonia.^[9]

References

1. Web site: Home . ballikombit.org.
2. Book: Political Handbook of the World 1999. 2000 . Arthur S. Banks . Thomas C. Muller . William Overstreet. 0-933199-14-7. 15.
3. Book: Party Politics in the Western Balkans. 2013 . Vera Stojarová . Peter Emerson. 978-1-135-23585-7. 187.
4. Book: Europa World Year. 2004. Taylor & Francis Group. 1-85743-254-1. 455.
5. Book: Historical Dictionary of Albania. 2010. Robert Elsie. 978-0-8108-6188-6. 360.
6. Barbara Jelavich, History of the Balkans p.274
7. Ficher, Brendt. Albania at War.
8. Mazower, Mark. After The War Was Over: Reconstructing the Family, Nation and State in Greece, 1943-1960. Princeton University Press, 2000,, p. 25. "Not surprisingly, when the Italians finally took control of mainland Greece in 1941, they found Cham activists willing to call for unification of the region with Albania. Several hundred were conscripted into the anti-communist Bal Komitare [sic] to act as local gendarmes. From the autumn of 1943, these armed bands took part alongside the Wehrmacht in burning Greek villages. Such actions, it seems, were not supported by many of the local beys, nor by the Mufti."
9. Балистичката организација во Македонија во Втората светска војна (1941 - 1944 година) Web site: Политика . 2012-09-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120226072845/http://www.makedonskosonce.com/broevis/2002/sonce433/Tekst16.htm . 2012-02-26 .