“Consultation window with Tirana”. With this title, the well-known Greek daily “Kathimerini” has revealed that a new era has begun between the governments in Tirana and Athens. The “Beleri” issue seems to have been forgotten and negotiations are taking place behind the scenes to resolve important issues that are holding the relations between the two countries hostage.
The Greek newspaper reveals that the Albanian government has made the first concession by accepting a request from the Greek minority to be able to declare themselves as such without the need for additional documents. In fact, any person who feels Greek can do this in any part of the country and not just in minority areas.
“Kathimerini” writes that Endri Fuga, one of Edi Rama’s trusted men, is negotiating for the Albanian side. Tirana seems to have undertaken to help resolve the issues of property of the Greek minority and to accept the application of the Greek language even in the so-called minority areas where the Greek minority is below 20% and to advance the issue of the cemeteries of soldiers who fell during World War II.
On the other hand, Athens has also agreed to make some concessions, starting with not blocking the opening of the negotiation chapters for Albania in Brussels. Another issue that the Greek government is pushing is the agreement on the recognition of social security.
The negotiations also include resolving the issue of Cham community properties in Greece and lifting martial law. According to the same sources, both sides are expected to resume discussions on the maritime border. Lapsi.al brings below the full article of “Kathimerini”
“Consultation window with Tirana”
Tirana’s current progress in EU accession negotiations is seen as an opportunity to improve Greek-Albanian relations and resolve key disputes, especially since the government of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has recently followed up with the adoption of the 2017 implementing laws, which essentially provide for the right to self-determination of members of the Greek national minority even if they live outside the areas where this was possible.
This specific move led Athens to decide not to block the opening of the last accession chapter for Tirana, and the two sides seem to be in permanent consultations on other important issues as well. The case of the “New Democracy” MEP, Fredi Beleri negatively affected Greek-Albanian relations and caused a stir in Tirana, as it was understood that even such a conflict with Greece could keep Albania out of the European orbit.
Athens has been in contact with representatives of the Greek national minority throughout the behind-the-scenes consultations for the adoption of the implementing laws. They agreed that in this way one of the most important and permanent rights of the Greek National Minority would be secured. The negotiations were conducted mainly with a focus on Brussels, with a key factor on behalf of Tirana being Edi Rama’s trusted man, Endri Fuga, while on the Greek side officials from the Permanent Representation were involved. In essence, the texts were formulated in close cooperation between Athens and Tirana and provide for the following:
First, the role of free and individual determination is recognized, while for the first time the applicant is not required to provide registration documents to support his request. Also, acceptance within 30 days of the citizen’s declaration of self-determination is made mandatory, while various responsibilities that could create problems, mainly from the different levels of self-government (municipality and Region), are removed.
In the original texts of the laws there was a third provision for the activation of an exception and an additional verification process in case the applicant “resides in an area that does not exhibit specific cultural, ethnic, linguistic, religious or traditional characteristics.” To overcome the specific scope, it was expressly added that these characteristics are also assumed by the existence or of non-homogeneous organizations. “Extraordinary verification process” It has essentially been the tool of the Albanian authorities since the time of Enver Hoxha to deny the exiles the right to self-determination.
language
In the area of language use by an ethnic minority, for the first time Greece’s long-standing desire was accepted, beyond the criterion of the existence of at least 20% of the population and the case where “the minority is traditionally alive” as a condition for the right to use it. Well-informed sources say that although the negotiations have been intense, the atmosphere has been constructive.
A framework was also agreed to ensure the proper implementation of the implementing provisions by the Albanian authorities. In this regard, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities could be used and of course the European Commission, which will monitor the issue in the framework of Albania’s annual progress report, in the chapter of the first group of funding.
Of course, the application will be monitored by the Greek National Minority itself with the assistance of the Greek Embassy in Tirana. The discussions were concluded on Christmas Eve and a few days later the implementing laws were approved by the Albanian Government (with numbers 844 and 845/26-12-2024). On December 27 and 30, respectively, the laws were published in the Official Gazette and are now in force.
Perspective
This good cooperation now opens up opportunities for discussion on more difficult issues, such as minority properties. Athens and Tirana have already agreed to assist the Albanian government in resolving the pending Greek experts from the Hellenic Land Registry.
Also, the Albanian side appears ready for the full implementation of the intergovernmental agreement on the functioning of military cemeteries where the dead of the Greco-Italian war of 1940-41 are buried.
At the same time, there is a willingness on the Albanian side to resume the process of resolving the dispute over the demarcation of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Among the Greek national minority, there is also satisfaction with the fact that it is now possible to vote by mail, which means that they can vote even if they work in Greece or another country.
Some goodwill gestures should be expected from the Greek side. The most important, which also has consequences for Albanian politics, is the recognition of social security (mainly pensions, i.e. the signing of an agreement between Athens and Tirana). Negotiations for this have already started in recent months. In addition, Greece will be under pressure from its European partners to officially end martial law.
The most difficult issue for the Greek side, of course, is related to Cham properties, who, as Nazi collaborators, were expelled from Western Greece after the war. These are properties that are under protection and currently concern about 200 properties in different areas. The main difficulty in dealing with this specific issue is not related to the properties as such, but the fact that it is also related to protests organized by extremist Cham organizations.
Elections in May
In any case, Mr. Rama is just a few months away from the parliamentary elections on May 11 this year, and the European perspective is the most important argument against his opponents, who are already weak. At the same time, Athens knows well that without the leverage offered by Albania’s need to respect European acquis, even these positive developments for the minority would not be possible. Therefore, the year 2025 represents an opportunity in Greek-Albanian relations that Greek diplomacy does not intend to leave unexploited.