In this interesting debate protocol from the year of 1862, we find the transcribed speech of Mustafa Bey of Janina, an Albanian native of Podgorica, debating in the Ottoman parliament on the subject of Montenegrin annexation of Albanian territories. Mustafa Bey mentions various Albanian villages under Ottoman authorities which risk being lost.

Cited:

“Mustafa Bey (Ioannina): “Speaking and expressing opinions now may seem excessive. However, what compels me to speak is that newspapers show that the Montenegrins have made certain agreements, such as the ceding of certain lands and ports. This is precisely why this would be so harmful.

Although it will be stated when the matter is referred to our Assembly, it must be clearly stated in my response that we will sacrifice our property and lives to protect our independence and interests.” Thereupon, Yusuf Efendi (Shkodër) took to the public address and presented his article:

“According to what has been seen in the newspapers and heard for a long time, the peace treaty with the Montenegrins requires the cession to the Kuch district, with a population of 50,000, and the annexed districts of Ispuji and Zibyak, as well as the villages of Selce, Kirnitsa, Shestan-i Bala, Shestan-i Zir, Gurra, and Reyka, Zeviçe, Togimil-i Bala, Togimil-i Zir, Shushan, and Birçe, as well as the Ispiç district and port, which include two castles—that is, the recognition and acquisition of the Moraça River, which is a privileged line.

Since I am a representative for Shkodër and, in fact, a native of Podgorica, I have traveled and seen every inch of the region, I would like to offer some explanations on this matter.” I recommend that you consult the map of Montenegro in order to fully understand the explanation I will give.

Although the Kuç district, consisting of 20 villages, was left to the Karadağlı and the Moraça River line was granted privilege, the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth castles, each of which was the size of a castle and was built with a great expense and stood like a barrier against the encroachments of bandits, were built in Medon, İspuji, Zibyak, Aleksandra, İspiç, and Sotorman, and the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth castles, and Derviş Paşa, İsmail Paşa, Pazarişta, Bron, Bluçe, Serdar, Hıfzıye, Avniye, Aziziye, Şevketiye, Çengel, Soğuksuy, Stenoglaf, and Maksud, Kırmıjur, Manastır, Tuğla, Rebnak, and Çırnıkan, Belibrık, and Ploça towers, and the towns of İspuji and Zibyak, and the towns of Kıriba, Dilam, Levşan and Memşik.

The villages of Vidanik, Leşkopole-i Zir, Leşkopole-i Bala, Kokot, Lefik, Gırbafçe, Kokça-i Zir, Korpoçe, Bunar, Baniye, Durmişe, Yeriş, and Viranina will be abandoned to them. Allow me to explain the ensuing gravity of this: The Montenegrins assigned one or two officials to the Dersaadet (Istanbul Technical University) for the areas they had not been able to capture with the force of the Ottoman Empire until now, and by convincing the administrative staff through the manipulation of their minds, they thus took many of our places.

However, thanks to the sultan, those gates were closed, and all the Ottomans, in the name of unity and concord, were able to take control of a handful of our western Ottoman borders, which were located in Basra.”

Mustafa Bey continues:

“Our security is assured because such a cry will not be heeded at a time when the enemy is willing to sacrifice his wealth and life for the preservation of his land. It is natural that the province of Shkodra, including its annexation, will belong to whoever ignores the fortresses and towers and wishes to seize control of the Montenegrins. The conquered lands will fall into Montenegrin hands.

Because they will bring cannons to the Maluyer region and pound the town of Podgorica and the plain, and thus, it will be impossible to reside in Podgorica. After capturing Podgorica and inheriting the Kovach district, the people of Kuruta, Hot, Kalimand, Kosrat, Hoblik, and Jiceloha—who are called the “cibal-i sitte malisiyaya” (the people of the city)—will, out of necessity, submit to the Karadagli, and the Shala, Shoshe, and Postadebye will fall to them.

Thus, Mirdita, already prone to rebellion, will unite with the Karadagli, and within a short time, the fire of revolution and rebellion will reach the Prizren Sanjak and the Gulf coast. In this way, the Montenegrins will have access to all kinds of external help and resources. Alexander, Kirmijur, Monastir, Maksud, and the Brick castles and towers, which leave the Karadagli no opportunity for committing acts of treason on Lake Shkodra.

Even though it was given to the Karadağlı, they would invade the Bi-perva Lake and damage the city of Shkodra. If the villages of Şelçe, Kamiçe, and other villages, as well as the Port of İspiç, were captured, they would be unable to resist even the Morik and Kırabin and be forced to ally with them, thus making the journey by bar route impossible. The Russian State would also have acquired a port in Bahrisefid. The area where the Bayana River flows into the sea would also be taken into their custody, and the Karadağlı’s demand would be fulfilled.

In this particular situation, and since the Karadağlı’s insistence on his demand stems from his understanding that he could invade the region in this way, it is essential not to be given the slightest consideration for his demand, while it is clear as daylight. If Montenegro’s demand is rejected, do you think he has the power to fight again? Even if he were to engage in battle, there is no doubt that he would not gain anything, but rather suffer heavy losses, God willing.

While we have the right to complain about some of the officials who caused them to become so spoiled, I have postponed them. In short, if Montenegro is given a single span of space beyond his previous ranks, since the matter will be left to the judge of Shkodra along with its inclusion, I call your attention once again to this matter.

If the Montenegrins speak of poverty and hardship, let them look at the happiness and state of the fifty Montenegrin households settled in the Kavaya district a few years ago, thanks to His Excellency the City, and take heed. Let them abandon their servitude and embrace the compassion of the sovereign state. In that case, the state will settle them in fertile places.

I wonder why he would become rich if the Kuch district, which is a mere stony place and incapable of being governed and established, along with Selçe and Kırnista and other similar villages, as well as the castles of Alexandretta, Sotorman, İspiç, Zibyak, Medon, and İspuji, along with about thirty other substantial and fortified castles, were left to him?

This clearly shows that the areas they seek are not out of necessity, but rather to capture and occupy Shkodra and unite its borders with Bulgaria and Serbia. Rest assured, if even a small request is shown to the Sultan, that is, if only Koç and Kamiçe are given to him, he will be granted this in a very short time. I believe that if the military commanders who know these places and are familiar with the art of war were asked, they would confirm my sincere statement.

With this in mind, there is no man in Pokgoriçe, İspuji, Zibyak, or any other place who would choose a fifty-room palace in Rumelia, Anatolia, and Arabia over a one-room house inherited from his father, and yet abandon his homeland. For he has seen his father and brother surrender their lives for the preservation of that worthless house, even though they were drowned in blood.

Now, apart from abandoning that house, they will not leave their blessed graves under the feet of the enemy. Be assured that they will never suffer the honor of facing the bullets and martyrs of the Montenegrins, even down to their children, for the sake of their homeland, and of dying gloriously and bloodily, like their father and brothers.

Know that this is a very important matter that has been referred to us all beforehand. Whatever happens and how the decision is made, the nation will know from us. I repeat, please examine the maps carefully and carefully. This guidance is like the key to Rumelia. I hope, we will not fall into the pit dug by the enemy. I hope and pray for your consent in this matter.”

Bey continues:

“He stated: “Since the Montenegro issue has not been officially referred to our delegation, speaking on this matter now may seem redundant. However, the reason that compels me to speak on this topic today is the article I see in the newspapers every day about our state’s unreasonable demands, such as the cession of the Naqshbandi and Kulashin sides of Montenegro from Bosnia, the cession of the Moraca River from Shkodra, and the cession of the Port of Ispiç to them in order to transport Montenegro to the sea.

It is well known how such demands affect all Ottomans, and the material and moral harm that the abandonment of the lands they are seeking will, God willing, be presented and explained in detail when the Montenegro issue is officially referred to our delegation. Let this be our definitive answer now.”

It seems appropriate to warn you now, even if only briefly, that our committee has never accepted these and similar claims regarding our independence and property, and that we are determined to preserve the independence of this lofty seat of the mighty state by sacrificing our lives and property.”

Final words and toponyms

This Ottoman parliamentary statement (likely from the Meclis-i Mebusan, ca. 1860s–1870s) records debates over the cession of northern Albanian and Montenegrin borderlands after the 1862 war and before the 1878 Berlin Treaty. Most of the place names fall within today’s Podgorica–Spuž–Lake Shkodër–Kuči–Shestan region — a frontier where Albanian, Ottoman, and Montenegrin forces clashed.

It reflects how Ottoman MPs from Shkodër and Ioannina viewed these territories as vital Albanian-populated buffer zones whose loss to Montenegro would endanger Ottoman control of northern Albania.

Ottoman Albanian toponyms and their likely modern equivalents

Ottoman / Transcribed Name	Likely Modern Equivalent	Confidence	Notes
Kuch district (Kuç)	Kuči (tribal region in eastern Montenegro, near Podgorica)	High	Refers to the well-known Kuči tribal area, historically Albanian-speaking.
Ispuji	Spuž (town near Podgorica, Montenegro)	High	Very likely Spuž, a fortress settlement by the Zeta River.
Zibyak	Žabljak Crnojevića	Medium	The phonetic match is close; Žabljak Crnojevića was an Ottoman fort near Lake Shkodër.
Selce / Şelçe	Selcë / Selca (several in northern Albania)	Medium	Common Albanian toponym; likely one near Shkodër.
Kirnitsa / Kırnista	Kernicë	Low
Shestan-i Bala / Shestan-i Zir	Upper and Lower Shestan (Shestani i Epërm / i Poshtëm)	High	“Bala/Zir” = “Upper/Lower”; matches the Shestan region near Lake Shkodër.
Gurra	Gurrë / Gura	Medium	Common Albanian place name (“spring, rock”).
Reyka	Reç / Reçka	Medium	Reç is a known village north of Shkodër.
Zeviçe	Possibly Zevce / Zevcë	Low	Phonetically similar; uncertain.
Togimil-i Bala / Togimil-i Zir	Togëmil)	Low
Shushan	Shushanj / Shushë	Low	Might refer to modern Shushanj near Bar or a Shushë village in northern Albania.
Birçe	Birçë / Birça	Medium	Exists as an Albanian toponym.
Ispiç (district and port)	Ispić / Spić	Low
Medon	Medun (ancient fortress near Podgorica)	High	The match is exact—Medun Fortress was a key Ottoman stronghold.
Aleksandra	Possibly Aleksandrovac or a local fort named for “Alexander”	Low–Medium	May refer to a fortification built or renamed in the 19th century.
Sotorman	Sutomore (Montenegro, coastal area)	Low
Bron, Bluçe, Serdar, Hıfzıye, Avniye, Aziziye, Şevketiye, Çengel, Soğuksuy, Stenoglaf, Maksud, Kırmıjur, Manastır, Tuğla, Rebnak, Çırnıkan, Belibrık, Ploça	Various Ottoman fortifications around Lake Shkodër	Medium	Many are Ottoman-given names for small forts; Ploča, Manastir, and Maksud are attested.
Vidanik	Vidanj / Vidnik	Low	Possibly Vidnik, though not clearly identified.
Leşkopole-i Zir / Bala	Leškopolje (Lower / Upper)	Medium	“Leškopolje” was a known highland region near the Kuči border.
Kokot	Kokot / Kokoti	Medium	Still exists near Podgorica.
Lefik	Possibly Lëfik / Lefik	Low	Uncertain; could be an archaic local name.
Gırbafçe (Grabafçe)	Grabavë / Grabavci / Grabavče	Medium	Matches Grabavë (Grabavce), village near Podgorica and Lake Shkodër.
Kokça-i Zir	“Lower Kokçë / Kokot”	Low–Medium	Probably related to Kokot/Kokë.
Korpoçe	Possibly Korpëç / Korpoc	Low	No clear match yet.
Bunar	Bunar (lit. “well” – many such toponyms)	Medium
Baniye	Banaj / Banije	Low	Several candidates; uncertain.
Durmişe	Durmishë / Dërmisë	Low–Medium	Albanian name still used in some areas.
Yeriş	Possibly Jeris / Yeris	Low	Very uncertain.
Viranina	Vranina (island/village on Lake Shkodër)	High	Clear match—site of Oso Kuka’s stand in 1862.

Reference

https://cdn.tbmm.gov.tr/TbmmWeb/Yayinlar/Dosya/f0178725-5113-43b1-bfea-29773b72d909.pdf