Editing History of Albania (section)

=== Financial crisis ===

In 1932 and 1933, Albania could not make the interest payments on its loans from the Society for the Economic Development of Albania. In response, Rome turned up the pressure, demanding that [[Tirana]] name Italians to direct the Gendarmerie; join Italy in a customs union; grant Italy control of the country's sugar, telegraph, and electrical monopolies; teach the [[Italian language]] in all Albanian schools; and admit Italian colonists. Zog refused. Instead, he ordered the national budget slashed by 30 percent, dismissed the Italian military advisers, and nationalized Italian-run Roman Catholic schools in the northern part of the country. In 1934, Albania had signed trade agreements with Yugoslavia and Greece, and Mussolini had suspended all payments to Tirana. An Italian attempt to intimidate the Albanians by sending a fleet of warships to Albania failed because the Albanians only allowed the forces to land unarmed. Mussolini then attempted to buy off the Albanians. In 1935 he presented the Albanian government 3 million gold francs as a gift.<ref>Giovanni Villari, "A Failed Experiment: The Exportation of Fascism to Albania." ''Modern Italy'' 12.2 (2007): 157–171 [https://www.academia.edu/download/53975552/Giovanni_Villari_-_A_Failed_Experiment_The_Exportation_of_Fascism_to_Albania.pdf online]{{dead link|date=July 2022|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}.</ref>

Zog's success in defeating two local rebellions convinced Mussolini that the Italians had to reach a new agreement with the Albanian king. A government of young men led by [[Mehdi Frasheri]], an enlightened [[Bektashi]] administrator, won a commitment from Italy to fulfill financial promises that Mussolini had made to Albania and to grant new loans for harbor improvements at Durrës and other projects that kept the Albanian government afloat. Soon Italians began taking positions in Albania's civil service, and Italian settlers were allowed into the country. Mussolini's forces overthrew King Zog when [[Italian invasion of Albania|Italy invaded Albania]] in 1939.<ref name="Interwar Albania" />