Why did Albania become an officially atheist country in 1967?

In 1967, the communist regime in Albania officially banned all religious institutions and proclaimed the country an atheist state as part of a radical modernization program.123

Party leaders and other atheistic officials viewed the religious establishment as a "backward medieval institution" that they believed hindered national unity and social progress. By closing all Christian and Muslim houses of worship, confiscating their property, and banning religious observances, the government sought to eliminate what it perceived as obstacles to the socialist order. This policy was enforced through the large-scale persecution of believers throughout the party's 45-year rule, reflecting the regime's broader efforts to dismantle traditional social structures and consolidate absolute control over the populace.123