Another incident has been added to the already troubled relations between Greece and Albania with the injury of a Greek citizen in Zvërnec during protests over the confiscation of land in the area. The serious incidents, which prompted a reaction from the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led to a deterioration in Greek-Albanian relations, despite Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s statement that they are “once again in their best days.” In this light, he sought to emphasize his supposed surprise at the announcement from the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At the same time, he made pointed remarks against Athens, referencing past incidents involving Albanians in Greek prisons and on the streets of Greece, comparing them to what happened in Zvërnec, which, as he noted, “cannot be characterized as state violence.”
Diplomatic sources speaking to parapolitika.gr attributed the Albanian Prime Minister’s reaction to the reference in the announcement issued by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which emphasized the neighboring country’s obligation to align with the European acquis if it desires EU membership. The announcement that provoked Edi Rama made clear reference to the “need for full compliance with the rule of law, including protection of the rights and properties of members of the Greek National Minority, as well as the importance of effective protection of protected environmental areas, within the framework of alignment with the European acquis, compliance with which is a prerequisite for progress in the accession process.” And precisely this – the course of the accession process – is an issue on which the Albanian government focuses its attention. This is where the Foreign Ministry’s announcement focused, reminding exactly the obligations of Albania’s government, as Greece is determined to protect the Greek diaspora of Albania and their properties.
Giannis Loverdos to parapolitika.gr after Albania incidents: “The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs is closely monitoring the situation”
The Deputy Foreign Minister responsible for diaspora Hellenism issues, Giannis Loverdos, reminds through parapolitika.gr that “the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs is closely monitoring the situation. Greece will always protect the Greek national minority of Albania according to international Treaties and International Law.”
The head of PASOK’s Eurogroup, Giannis Maniatis, brought the issue to the European Commission with a written question. Mr. Maniatis, speaking to parapolitika.gr, warns Albania’s government that its European path passes through respect for the Rule of Law. As he states: “The scenes we witnessed last Saturday in the area of Vlora Lagoon, where the villages of Narta and Zvërnec are located, and the injury of a Greek ethnic do not align with the regime of a country seeking EU membership. It must be made clear to the Albanian government, both by the Greek government and the European Commission, that its accession path depends on respect for the European acquis, which includes respect for the rule of law, protection of the natural environment, and respect for the rights and property of the Greek National Minority.”
The protection of Greece’s Albanian diaspora and their properties constitutes a thorn in bilateral relations and a point of friction between the Albanian government and the Greek minority. Albania’s Prime Minister had argued, about a month ago, in an interview with the newspaper “Kathimerini,” that property rights in his country don’t concern only the Greek minority, as it’s an issue of cleaning up the Land Registry. He attributed any mistakes to the destruction of property titles during Hoxha’s era.
Although both countries have open diplomatic issues to resolve, with the demarcation of maritime zones being paramount, apart from protecting minority rights, they maintain open lines of consultation. Just a month ago, from Delphi, Edi Rama praised the relations he maintains with the Greek Prime Minister, stating that “there is mutual respect” and argued that the two leaders “decided that they must definitively resolve the pending issues between the two countries.”
Athens, however, consistently signals to Tirana that their European path passes through good neighborly relations and a basic component of this is respect for the Greek minority. Moreover, this issue was raised again with intensity in the case of Fredy Beleri, who had denounced the usurpation of Greek properties on the coastal front and in Himara by “strategic investors.” Credible analysts, however, estimate that the case that began with the investment plan in the Zvërnec area is expected to continue.
