Albanian-Bulgarian Protocol (1932)

This recognition would involve Albania deeper in the conflict between Sofia and Belgrade on the Macedonian Slavs.

In Albanian Macedonia, due to the bulgarophile sentiments of the Slavic-speaking locals, the pro-Bulgarian, paramilitary Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization had its bases, from where it launched attacks into the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

[4] Yugoslavia was suspicious of the recognition of a Bulgarian minority there and was concerned this would hinder its policy of forced Serbianisation in Serbian Macedonia.

As a result, King Zog was convinced that opposing Yugoslavia over this problem was not in his interest.

Albanian-Bulgarian relations deteriorated completely during 1933 because in March 150 Bulgarian families were deported from the villages of Gorna and Dolna Gorica.