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The island of Sazan, the most critical point in Europe, why Enver Hoxha said that "we have the key to Otranto"

2024-03-19 13:01:06Aktualitet SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
The island of Sazan, the most critical point in Europe, why Enver Hoxha said
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During the Cold War period, Sazani, together with the naval base of Pasha Liman, in Orikum of Vlora, became one of the key points of the Soviet and Albanian Red Army in the Mediterranean.

Four torpedo boats, coastal artillery, etc. were mainly stationed on the island at that time.

During that period, the island was inhabited by about 10,000 inhabitants who were mostly family members of the officers who served on the island.

The island of Sazan together with the bay of Vlora were considered the most difficult front for the army in case of war.

For this reason the people who served on the island had special treatment from the government of that time.

Militarily, Sazani controls the entire Albanian coast as well as the Otranto channel.

This is the reason why Enver Hoxha called the island of Sazan as one of the most critical points not only of Albania and the Balkans, but also of the whole of Europe, saying the famous expression that "we have the keys to Otranto".

After the fall of Communism in 1992, after 5 years, in 1997, several patrol boats and ships of the Italian naval forces were stationed on the island to assist in the fight against illegal traffic and to help rebuild the operational capacities of the Albanian naval forces and border police.

In 2009, after a full 12 years of stay on the island, the Italian naval forces leave Sazani, which in the plans of the Albanian Ministry of Defense will continue to serve as a naval base.

Former Islanders: Our Life in Sazan…

To give a complete overview of the island of Sazan, you need to dig into the archives, from the early history, to arrive at the testimonies of the people who lived and worked there in the time of socialism in the naval military base, who, as they say , preserve beautiful and impressive memories.

They remember a small town built there with all the necessary infrastructure that has a residential center, with service premises and other social-cultural facilities. In this city in the middle of the deep waters of the Adriatic, life was the same as everywhere else in Albania. There was close company, weddings, death.

To tell the truth, they say, life on the island was difficult. First, because you were isolated, had some trouble or disaster on earth, you would wait for the departure of the (war) ship, which only left twice a week for Vlora.

In the same way, when there was an emergency, the whole island would be raised, permission would be obtained for the movement of vehicles to the ministry, but the sea could also be rough. There was also difficulty with water, it came by truck and was used sparingly, especially for washing.

Farewell Sazan!

In the notes of the old military sailor, Diogen Gjergji, published by DITA, we find this diary fragment, where he talks about the removal of a part of the military and military equipment from the island, in which the values ​​of a united society and community amid difficulties are seen and sacrifices such as work and living. Here is what he writes among other things:

“…On January 3, 1965, we would finally leave Sazan Island. In the evening, Robert Bali, Kristaq Čito and later Perikli Xixho come to my ship, as they would leave for Durrës at dawn the next day. Paskal Kote and Mihallaq Papadhopuli are also coming to meet and part. When the time came for them to leave, Pericles said to me: Diogenes, I will never forget you. I started crying like a baby. Berti and Kristaqi conquered me like they did. I heard Kristaq who said: Leave him, he is right! At that moment, Polo Guga also came, saw the whole scene and said: Yes, what are you doing, we'll be in the Fleet! We will meet again.

I parted with them longingly and with great emotion. After 24:00 that night, the signal was given to prepare the ships that would go to Durrës. Everyone woke up, the crew and sailors of the ships that would stay in Sazan. Nobody went home. We would accompany the shipmates, who would go to a naval base, on the coast of the homeland. They left the base one after the other: the minesweeper, the two naval gunners, the minesweepers, the torpedo boats...

The base and Sazan Island itself seemed to shake and move out of place. That island was bombarded by sirens and fireworks (signal flares). They were touching moments. Sazan, a good part was separated from his body, that's why it seemed that the earthquake hit several foreheads. Moments of sharing tools and people. The whole island, wards and families on foot, watched this historic departure and escort of the marine caravan to the north, which was already placed in a common sailing formation. They floated until we could no longer see them. Happy sailing, our friends! Safe sailing, our ships!

We parted, but the friendship remained intact. Again it seemed to us as if the island groaned together with the mouth of Hell, that of Arusha, the cave of Haxhi Ali and the entire bay of Vlora for that departure. Even the famous Sazan rabbits had left their burrows and were watching this unrepeatable scene. They were watching those "ships" that were sailing towards the north, in the Adriatic Sea..."/ Dita


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