[ALBSA-Info] Albania Asks Greece to Scrap ``State of War''

[Gazhebo at aol.com]

Albania Asks Greece to Scrap ``State of War''

TIRANA, July 31 - Albanian President Rexhep Meidani called on neighbouring 
Greece on Monday to scrap a law dating back to World War Two which declares a 
state of war between the two countries. 

The law, passed in 1940 when Greece was invaded by Italian troops through 
Albania, was repealed by the Greek government in 1987 but has never been 
nullified by Greece's parliament. 

It is only a technicality and Greece ranks second behind Italy as a trading 
partner and investor in Albania. 

``It is unacceptable that the law of the state of war is still valid,'' 
Meidani told visiting Greek Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos.''It hinders 
investments, exchanges between the two countries and integration processes.'' 

Albanian officials say the law prevents Albanians from claiming property they 
owned in Greece prior to World War Two. 

More than 400,000 Albanians, most of them without regular permits, work in 
Greece as immigrants. Albania is home to a sizeable ethnic Greek community. 

Tsohatzopoulos was in Tirana to attend the departure ceremony of a 150-strong 
Greek army contingent of engineers who had repaired schools, clinics and 
military infrastructure as well as helping Albania cope with the Kosovo 
refugee crisis.