Northern Epirote Declaration of Independence

Northern Epirote Declaration of Independence

Part of the Declaration of Independence document
Date	February 28 – March 2, 1914
Location	Gjirokastër (Argyrokastro), Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus (Albania)
Participants	Delegates of the "Panepirotic Assembly of Argyrokastro"
Outcome	Establishment of the Provisional Government of Northern Epirus, Armed uprising of "Northern Epirus" against incorporation into Albania,

The Northern Epirote Declaration of Independence occurred on February 28, 1914, as a reaction to the incorporation of Northern Epirus into the newly established Principality of Albania. The region of Northern Epirus, which corresponds to modern-day southern Albania, came under the control of the Greek forces during the Balkan Wars of 1912–13. However, the subsequent Protocol of Florence assigned it to the newly established Albanian state, a decision that was rejected by the local Greek population. As the Greek army withdrew to the new border, a Panepirotic Assembly was organized by the representatives of Northern Epirus in Gjirokastër (Greek: Argyrokastro). Given the fact that union of Northern Epirus with Greece had already been dismissed by the European Great Powers, they decided that only autonomy or alternatively an international occupation would be appropriate for the region. Finally, Georgios Christakis-Zografos, the head of the assembly, declared the independence of the Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus.

In a proclamation to the people of Northern Epirus, Zografos maintained that their aspirations were ignored, since the Great Powers had rejected self-government within the Albanian state. Following negotiations between Albanian and Northern Epirote representatives in early May, and with the intervention of the Great Powers, the was signed. According to this agreement, Northern Epirus would be an autonomous, fully self-governing part of Albania under the suzerainty of the Albanian prince. However, the Protocol, which recognized the Greek character of the region, was never implemented due to political instability in Albania that time.

During the First Balkan War (1912-1913), the Greek Army breached the Ottoman defences in the Epirus front and advanced further north. Thus, after the end of the war Greece controlled the historical region of Epirus. However the Treaty of London (May 1913) and the Protocol of Florence (December 1913) awarded the northern part to the newly established Principality of Albania. This area which rouphly coincided to the former Ottoman provinces (sanjaks) of Ergiri and Görice, became then known by the Greeks as Northern Epirus (Greek: Βόρειος Ήπειρος Voreios Ipiros'). This decision by the European Great Powers was unpopular among the local Greek population.