[ALBSA-Info] Albanian minority in Greece?

[Agron Alibali]

Albanian Daily News
19 January 2000

Opposition Leader Demands Rights for Albanian Minority
in Greece

TIRANA - The leader of the opposition Democratic
Party, on a tour of southern Albania, demanded on
Saturday more rights for the ethnic Albanian Cham
minority in Greece, saying the relations between the
two neighbouring countries may suffer if mutual
problems were not solved.

Berisha demanded more cultural rights for the
Albanians living in Greece and the solution of the
property issue of the Cham population, expelled from
their territories in northern Greece at the end of
World War 2.

Albanian historians claim that about 300,000 ethnic
Albanians were forcefully expelled from Greece’s
northern region of Chameria to neighbouring Albania
during the civil war in Greece at the end of World War
2. The then Greek authorities approved a law
sanctioning the expropriation of Chams, citing the
collaboration of several leaders of their community
with occupying German forces as a main reason for the
decision. 

The law is still in force in Greece, and several
associations representing the Cham population in
Albania are wooing for support for their cause. They
are even working on legal procedures to sue the Greek
government at the European Court of Human Rights.

Ex-president Berisha said in a rally with party
supporters in the southernmost town of Saranda that
Greek authorities should open an Albanian language
school in the northern town of Filat (Filiates). 

"The Greek government should open Albanian schools in
Filat, as well as recognise and respect the Albanian
minority," said Berisha, apparently referring to
ethnic Albanians still living in northern Greece.

He said that without the solution of the Cham
properties’ issue the relations between the two
countries will notice only "artificial developments".
Berisha vowed that the solution of the Cham issue will
be a main condition for better relations with the
neighbouring country when his party comes to power.

"The Greek government should return all the properties
to the Cams, or, without resolving the issue, the
relations with Greece will know only artificial
developments," said Berisha.

The ex-president said that when his party was in power
several years ago the government signed a Treaty of
Friendship with Greece. "But, it (Greece) did not
implement it."

"Albanians there (Greece) are treated as second class
citizens," he said.

The controversial Cham issue has been dormant in
recent years and none of the post-war Albanian
governments, including the Communists, ventured to try
and make it a key issue in the relations with the
southern neighbour.

However, the issue cropped up during a recent visit of
Albanian Premier Ilir Meta to Greece, though it was
not on the agenda of talks with his Greek counterpart
Costas Simitis.

Simitis, answering questions from journalists at a
joint press conference following the official talks,
said that the Greek government considered the Cham
issue as "a closed chapter". The Greek Premier’s
statement prompted Meta’s reaction with a statement
for home consumption for Albanian journalists covering
his visit. He said that Albania expected the Greek
government to solve the issue of the Cham properties
"according to the European conventions Greece abides
by."

A senior right-wing leader suggested Albania should
ask the International Human Rights Court to give a
solution to the Cam issue unless an agreement was
reached with Greece. The chairman of the Foreign
Parliamentary Committee, Sabri Godo, a Republican,
urged Albanian authorities to work out with Greece a
solution to the issue.

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger.
http://im.yahoo.com