Calendar – July 24

On July 24, 1908, Abdul Hamiti II of the Ottoman Empire, put into force the Constitution, announced in Thessaloniki and in Manastir (present day Bitola). Immediately after the recognition of the Constitution by the Sultan, the government of the Young Turks was formed. This event, which was then called Hyrjet (freedom), was welcomed by the Albanians, hoping that the Young Turks would remain loyal to the Constitution.
On July 24, 1930, Bajo Topulli, Renaissance activist, Hero of the People, passed away. He was born in Gjirokastra in 1868. He was educated in Istanbul. He worked as a high school teacher in Thessaloniki and then in Manastir. In 1905, he founded the secret committee “For the Freedom of Albania” and organized and led the armed squad, which operated in the province of Korça. In the years 1908-1912, he worked for the establishment of Albanian schools in Gjirokastër, Janina, Korçë. He was one of participants of the Congress of Manastir, in 1908, which decided on the Alphabet of Albanian language.
On July 24, 1946 Vinçenc Prennushi, 61 years old, was appointed Administrator of the parish of Shna Prendes and the parish of Skuraj. A year later, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison, but pased away on March 19, 1949 from asthma. Vinçenc Prenushi was deklared “Martyr of Democracy” on May 8, 1993.
/a.p./



