Speaker of Parliament Elisa Spiropali participated today in the ceremony at the European University of Tirana, where former President Alfred Moisiu was awarded the Honoris Causa title.

In her address, Spiropali praised Moisiu, saying, “Alfred Moisiu is one of the few who has shaped our history. We are fortunate to have him among us as part of the generation of antifascists and partisans of the National Liberation War, which he joined at a very young age.”

She congratulated the university for choosing such a meaningful day to honor him, stating, “There could be no more fitting day than today, as we mark Europe Day and the 75th anniversary of its significance. This day is always inspiring, but even more so this year, as Albania stands on the threshold of EU membership, with the strategic goal of joining within this decade,” Spiropali noted, highlighting the connection with May 8th, Victory Day over Fascism, which marks its 80th anniversary.

Spiropali emphasized the symbolic connection between the two dates: “These dates are linked not just by the calendar, but by the values they represent—freedom and antifascism, which form the foundation of the European Union.”

She went on to underline that, “In its nearly twenty-year history, the European University of Tirana has honored many notable figures, both from Albania and abroad. However, none of these cases carry the significance that today’s does. Alfred Moisiu’s life and legacy span three distinct periods. Each time, he has retired only to return to public life, driven by his exceptional qualities.”

Spiropali continued, “The first period, the war, was shared with his father, Spiro Moisiu, in one of the most remarkable instances of two generations fighting together in the partisan brigades—father as Commander of the Partisan Army and son as a young soldier who came of age in the war. I must also mention Spiro Moisiu, who, before becoming the Commander of the Partisan Army, made a heroic patriotic gesture by turning his battalion around when ordered by Fascist Italy to attack Greece via Albania.”

“The third period, the most significant in Alfred Moisiu’s life, saw him called back into public service after the democratic changes of the 1990s. He served as Minister of Defense in the Technical Government in 1991-1992, before retiring again in 1997. But in 2002, he returned to public life once more, becoming President of the Republic of Albania. As the first and only consensual President of the Republic, he served with unwavering commitment, recognized for his leadership, integrity, and ability to unite all parties for the benefit of Albania,” Spiropali concluded.