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Italians don't claim Zadar because of Roman empire, but because of about 540 years of Venetian rule on city from high middle age to 1797. and 25 years of Italian rule (1918-1943). Italy is successor of Venetian republic. Almost 6 centuries of Italian rule and presence in Zadar is huge period, it is not same as few years of Italian occupation of Albania in 20th century. Even in Austrian/Austrian-Hungarian period (1797-1918) Dalmatian coastal cities were under the strong Italian cultural influence, especially Zadar which had Italian relative majority. I have seen original documents of marriages of Serbs and Croatians from Dalmatian hinterland (Drniš, Knin, Vrlika) from 19th century which are written on Italian language regardless it was Austrian rule in that period.
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