| Legaliteti | |
|---|---|
| Participant in World War II | |
Coat of arms of the Albanian Kingdom |
|
| Active | 1941-1945 |
| Ideology | Monarchy, nationalism |
| Leaders | Abaz Kupi |
| Headquarters | Mat |
| Area of operations |
Albania |
| Allies | Allies, Great Britain |
| Opponents | Albanian partisans |
| Battles/wars | Albanian Resistance of World War II |
The Legaliteti (English: Legality Movement) were an Albanian royalist and pro-monarchy faction founded in 1941. It was led by Abaz Kupi.[1]
The Legaliteti sought the return of King Zog, who had fled the country on the eve of the Italian invasion.[2] The Legaliteti consisted of supporters from mostly the northern mountain tribes, particularly the Mati region.[3] The Legaliteti were anti-communist. Despite being nationalistic, the Legaliteti were against the Balli Kombetar as the Balli Kombetar were the patriots and pro-republic while the Legaliteti were loyalists and royalists.[4] The Balli Kombetar believed that the cession of Sveti Naum to Yugoslavia by King Zog to be a criminal act. The Legaliteti believed in the ideas of King Zog and Essad Pasha, while the Balli Kombetar believed in the ideology from the likes of Naim Frasheri, Avni Rustemi, Fan S. Noli and Luigj Gurakuqi.[5][6]
The negative action of the Albanian Communists on the Kosovo issue alienated a significant number of its adherents from that border region. Following November 1943, Abaz Kupi, until the Mukaj agreement, was a member of the Central Council of the NLM, withdrew with others to form the Legaliteti.[7] Kupi was a respected Gheg chieftain who had commanded King Zog's troops in Durres when the Italians invaded Albania. In the early 1940s, three new political factions emerged within Albania after the Italians were defeated: the Albanian Communists, Balli Kombetar(National Front), and Legaliteti (Legality). The Allied forces originally supported the Legaliteti. Being the smallest faction with no significant influence in Albania, the Allies broke aid with the Legaliteti and aided the Yugoslav partisans, who in turn backed the Albanian communists.[8] In 1945, the Albanian communists assumed control over Albania at the end of World War II. Most Legaliteti members were executed or had escaped to the west.[8]