(11 Mar 1997) English/Nat
Albanian monarch in exile, King Leka I, has spoken out on the crisis in his country of birth. He believes Albanians are in favour of a monarchy and has offered to return to the country to take up his position as monarch if Albanians votes for such a move.
The 57 year old monarch has lived in South Africa since 1980. He has only visited Albania once for a brief 24 hour period after he left the country as an infant.
King Leka I, the pretender to the Albanian throne, is forced to keep up with Albania's spiral into anarchy by fax from his modest bungalow in South Africa.
A sidearm is not unusual for Johannesburg but it also bears witness to his military upbringing at Sandhurst, Britain's top military academy.
King Leka's parents, King Zog I and Queen Geraldine left Albania following the Italian invasion in 1939.
The family lived in Greece, Turkey, England and Egypt for short periods. They later settled in Paris until the death of King Zog in 1961.
King Leka and his family moved to South Africa in 1980 after leaving then Rhodesia.
Speaking from his Johannesburg home, King Leka expressed his concern over the situation in Albania. He believes a monarchy could mean the end to the countries problems. He is willing to return to
his country of birth if Albanians want that.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Yes, I will be the monarch but until such time as the Albanian people have decided through a referendum whether they want a monarchy or a republic. If they decide for the monarchy I'll serve. If they decide for a republic, I will serve as a simple citizen."
SUPER CAPTION: King Leka I of Albania
If he were ever to be an active monarch of Albania, King Leka has his plans and priorities in place to reconstruct the country.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Looking at the situation internally is disastrous. We have to look at rebuilding our economy right from the start, and right from scratch. We have to give stability to the country because the only way you can build an economy is by having a stable country where other nations want to invest. And that will produce jobs."
SUPER CAPTION: King Leka I of Albania
But King Leka's world in Johannesburg is a far cry from the crisis in his home country. Rebel soldiers in control of southern Albania say they won't lay down their arms until President Sali Berisha fulfils his promise to give power to a coalition government and hold early elections.
Berisha offered the concession in an attempt to quell the rebellion, which grew in recent weeks from protests over failed high-risk investment schemes.
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