Greece’s Xenophobia Angers Albania

TIRANA, March 29 – Protests in front of the Greek embassy in the capital Tirana and angry reactions from personalities and officials followed news that Greek marines had sang a dirty song against Albanians during a parade in Athens in front of top officials.
The protests in Albania came after video footage taken on Thursday in Athens at the military parade appeared on the internet, showing soldiers of the Greek army shouting racist slogans against Greece’s neighbors: Albania and FYROM.
“They are Skopians, they are Albanians, we will make new clothes out of their skins,” and “You do not become a Greek, you are born one,” and “We’re going to spill your blood, Albanian pig” were some of the chants that could be heard from the footage.
Groups of Albanians gathered Sunday at the Greek embassy holding slogans and also burning a Greek flag Monday.
At the same time Foreign Minister Ilir Meta said that they had strongly protested to Athens.
Reacting to the footage, Albanian Foreign Minister Ilir Meta called on the Greek government to take serious steps in punishing those responsible for the “scandalous” incident.
“I believe that the Greek authorities should take severe measures against those responsible for this scandalous incident, which challenges the friendship and the constructive climate of the relationship between the two countries,” said Meta in a statement.
At the same time the Greek embassy in Tirana issued a statement saying they regretted the words of the marines’ song and the proper officials would be held accountable for that.
Albania was also joined by FYROM in the protest against the racist chants heard during the Greek military parade in Athens marking Greece’s Independence Day. FYROM’s Foreign Ministry summoned the Greek ambassador to Skopje, Alexandra Papadopoulou, for talks on Monday.
Greek media reported that the officers who were shouting the racist slogans were part of the Greek coast guard Special Forces unit. The head of the unit has been suspended and the army has launched an investigation to determine exactly who was involved in the incident.
“No idiot has the right to blacken his service and the celebration of a historic national day with racist slogans of hatred and xenophobia,” Greek Civil Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis was cited by Kathimerini daily as saying.