On November 1, 1878, the leaders of the Albanian League of Prizren convened the Assembly of Dibra.

The Assembly was presided over by Iljaz Pashë Dibra and Abdyl bey Frashëri and sought autonomy for the Albanians within the Ottoman Empire. The resolution drafted by Abdyl bey Frashëri, intended for delivery to the Sultan in Istanbul, comprised five key points:

1. Vilayet of Albania;
2. Albanian employees;
3. Albanian education;
4. The vilayet assembly;
5. Budgets for education and infrastructure

The first point of the resolution proposed the establishment of the Vilayet of Albania, which would be created by merging the four vilayets of the time: Shkodra, Kosova, Manastir, and Janina. Within this new Vilayet, Albanians would be appointed as civil servants, effectively ending discrimination and colonization. Additionally, the resolution stipulated that Albanian should be a mandatory subject taught in the schools established within the Vilayet.

As per the resolution, the vice-regents of the Vilayet would elect an assembly with several responsibilities, including setting the budget, appointing the government and the courts of the Vilayet, and implementing “beneficial reforms for the state and the nation.” In February 1879, an Albanian delegation conveyed these demands to the Ottoman Empire. However, the Empire chose to disregard the requests and responded with force.

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