Albanian communist leader Enver Hoxha planned an attack on Yugoslavia after the death of Josip Broz Tito, Zagreb's "Jutarnji list" announced.
According to "Jutarnji", the communist leaders of Albania, then the most closed European dictatorship, planned, in secret meetings in the late 1970s and early 1980s, a military operation to invade SFRY, called "Explosion".
The plan was that, after Tito's death (when, as they expected, a bloody clan struggle for power between "pro-Russian" and "pro-American" forces would begin in Yugoslavia), the Albanian army would quickly take over Kosovo, as well as parts of Macedonia and Montenegro. where the Albanian population is the majority.
This, based on the Albanian and Russian archives, the minutes from the meetings of the Politburo of the Party of Labor of Albania, as well as the recollections of the then Minister of Defense Velij Ljakaj, was published in his last text by the Russian historian Artjom Ulunjan, an expert on the communist movement in the XNUMXth century in the Balkans.
Ulunjan, a member of the Institute of General History of the Russian Academy of Sciences, published in the January issue of the Academy's magazine "Slavjanovedenje" the text "Secret operation 'Explosion': how Enver Hoxha prepared for 'chaos after Tito'".
Although Ulunjan writes that before, sporadic and sketchy (mainly in interviews with ex-Albanian communist officials) information about that military operation appeared, it is now evident from the available archival sources that Hoxha was obsessed with what would happen to Yugoslavia after Tito. The Albanian leader was at the same time in fear for his own regime, but he was feverishly thinking about how to get the most out of the whole situation and, if possible, get Kosovo.
Hoxha entrusted the plan to the inner party leadership at the beginning of December 1977, when serious secret preparations of the Albanian leadership for the case of Tito's death began.
Hoxha claimed that "we should not regret the funds for Kosovo because it will pay off sometime in the future".
Ulunjan says that Kosovo is one of the possible reasons why Albania was the only one that did not sign the final act of the Helsinki summit in 1975, which defined the borders of post-war Europe.
The Russian historian also cited the report of Interior Minister Kadri Hazbiju from November 1977, in which, "for the first and only time" in such an important document of Hoxha's regime, it is mentioned "that the government of Albania supports the idea of uniting all Albanians".
"As far as the circumstances allowed, we supported the Kosovars with all our might. And we are in favor of them uniting with Albania because that would ensure national unity," he wrote to Hazbi.
Hoxha claimed that "we should not regret the funds for Kosovo because it will pay off sometime in the future".
The scant information about the health problems of "Comrade Tito" emerged, unfortunately for the Albanian leaders, just as they clashed with their only ally, China (after Mao's death).
"Tito's death will cause unprecedented problems for us," Hoxha told members of the Politburo.
Albania was making war plans, but at the same time it was panickingly afraid of an attack on its territory. During the inspection of forces on the Yugoslav border on June 24, 1978, Hoxha warned the generals: "We are on the verge of war." Then he asked for reports on Albania's readiness to defend itself against attacks.
The generals, however, warned Hoxha that due to the abrupt termination of cooperation with China, the army was left without experts and necessary spare parts.
The plan was that, after Tito's death, a quick action by the Albanian army would take over Kosovo, but also the parts of Macedonia and Montenegro where the Albanian population is the majority
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