From: http://www.tiranatimes.com/
News:
Muslim Community rejects opposition to Mother Theresa’s statue
TIRANA, March 21 – The head of the Albanian Muslim Community, the only official organization representing all Albanian Muslims, said on Monday opposition to placing a statue of Mother Teresa at the entrance of the northwestern city of Shkodra did not represent its official stance. Community leader Selim Muça also said placing the bust is within the powers of authorities and would not damage religious harmony in Shkodra. “Mother Teresa is the honor of our nation and we respect all distinguished figures of our nation” Muça said, adding the bust “does not damage religious harmony.” >>
It would be sheer nonsense.
Yet, when Albanians appropriate Mother Theresa or Skenderbey it is called history.
Mother Theresa was born in Skopje, Macedonia in 1910. Albania was created in 1912 and Macedonia was not part of it.
Her father was a Tzintzar, not an Albanian. Mother Theresa made her career in India. Albanians may be proud of her because of her maternal lineage, but she can not be a distinguished figure of Albanian nation . She can be only distinguished figure of Shqip people. And this is not the same. German J.S. Bach can not be Austrian national figure, although Austrians can be proud of him as an example of German genius.
Appropriation of Mother Theresa as an "Albanian national figure" is an example of brazen theft of history.
Good catch, Gerald. Perhaps the original article was lifted from Serbianna or the NYT.