Off the wire
• Afghan president appoints acting chiefs for defense ministry, intelligence agency  • IMF dramatically cuts Brunei's GDP forecast for 2016  • Philippine foreign reserves up to 83.47 bln dollars in April  • Deutsche Bank investigated in market-manipulation probe: Italian media  • 3rd LD Writethru: Scottish National Party wins parliamentary election in Scotland  • China on blue alert for rainstorms  • Roundup: Philippine bourse extends losses ahead of local elections  • Family members meet Bangladesh Islamist party chief on death row  • High volumes of visitors keen to see Chinese pandas lead to traffic jams in Belgium  • Spain reports first case of Zika-related birth defect  
You are here: 　 Home

Albania commemorates Martyrs' Day

Xinhua, May 6, 2016 Adjust font size:

Albanians commemorated the nation's Martyrs' Day on Thursday in Tirana to honor those who gave their lives for Albania's liberation during the Second World War.

Albanian Parliament Speaker Ilir Meta said that May 5 is not only a day of commitment and obligation to remember the martyrs, but is also a day for contribution to a better Albania.

"This is an important day for all Albanians, the day of eternal gratitude to the Albanian martyrs and heroes of the Anti-Fascist National Liberation War who gave their lives to liberate the country and for a better future," Meta said.

Opposition Democratic Party (DP) leader Lulzim Basha, accompanied by DP parliament members, placed wreaths at the monument of Mother Albania.

Basha said that the opposition was more determined and committed than ever for a democratic Albania, free from crime and corruption.

Also, the Albanian Communist Party representatives, holding photos of late leader Enver Hoxha and slogans, went to the monument of Mother Albania to honor Albanian martyrs.

Martyrs' Day in Albania, observed on May 5 every year, marks Qemal Stafa, a founding member of the Albanian Communist Party who was killed on May 5, 1942, in a house at the outskirts of Tirana by Italian fascist forces that occupied Albania during the Second World War.

It also commemorates those who gave their lives for Albania's liberation, especially the 28,000 people that perished during the Second World War. Endi