By CHRISTOS LOUTRADIS
Tirana Times Correspondent in Greece
The much-waited decision of European Union to scrap travel permits for the citizens of Albania that implements the November agreement between the Minister’s of Home Affairs of the members-states of the European Union signals a new era of co-operation, understanding and friendship between Albania and Greece. The Albanian community of Greece marks the most advanced and biggest migrant community in Greece. In addition, the high level of integration and the stable financial status that they enjoy upgrades their position and status in the visa-free Greece.
According to travel agents, the liberalization of the visa process may potentially lead to the increase of tourists from Albania, which will visit Greece. Eleonora Karafylli, of skylines travel agency argued that: ”The huge number of Albanians who reside in Greece along with their relatives in Albania are a potential tourist group that will contribute to the increase of Greek tourist revenue in a period when Greece faces the most tough financial crisis of its recent history”.
Triantafy llos Karatrantos, PhD researcher of International Relations in the University of Aegean and an expert in Balkan Studies, suggests that ”European Union’s decision signals the end of the Balkan wars and insecurity. In the Greek case, in particular the new regulation is one of the most important chances for Greek economy to revive. The presence of the Albanian migrants in Greece and the increasing consuming power of the Albanians in their homeland may function as the new dynamic group of Greece’s tourism,” Karatrantos adds. ”However, the most important drawback that should be lifted is the stereotypes that unfortunately, still dominate parts of Greek public service and may destabilize the smooth implementation of the visa liberalization in our country,” Karatrantos concluded.
ˡratrantos arguments are part of a wider debate for the implementation of free-travel for the Albanians in Greece. The bureaucratic barriers that some members of Border Police poses to the Albanians who wish to visit Greece has alarmed members of the Tourist industry of Greece. On the other hand, police and political officials of Ioannina, met and discussed the problems that may arise from the liberalization of visa in Greece. According to the ০icials, the increase of the Albanians who wish to visit Greece makes inevitable the presence of more officials in the borders. Furthermore, one of the most crucial aspects of this new reality, from the police and border officials, is the illegal trade that may increase because of the visa liberalization. However, is it worth mentioning that the Greek state acknowledges as ”positive” the visa liberalization as this may lead to the decrease of illegal immigration. During the meeting, it was decided that the liberalization of the visa process between Greece and Albania demands the ongoing co-operation between the officials of the two countries. The first meeting between the police officials of the two countries was described as successful.
The Greek state argues that the problems that the Albanians encounter in the borders of Greece are solely because of the lack of personnel that can deal with the increased number of tourists. The Greek state dismisses the claims that the recent delays are part of an unwritten decision of the Greek government for the Albanian citizens.
The border officials argue that until 20 December 1.594 holders of the biometric passports from Albania passed the Greek-Albanian borders. According to the officials this number proves the “normalization of the process”. In particular, from the Kakavie border checkpoint 367 holders of biometric passports passed to Greece and have returned 37. In Rinas airport 652 holder of biometric passports passed from the checkpoint and only 9 have returned until today.
The number is expected to increase during the festive holidays of Christmas and New Year’s Eve. The low return rate of the first Albanians who passed from the borders is mainly because of the Christmas holidays. It is worth mentioning that in Ioannina, the majority of the hotels are full booked mainly from the Albanians who visit their relatives in a Greek town that has traditionally a strong Albanian community.
Marjonel Micka, co-founder of the biggest online portal of Greece’s Albanian community, www.albanians.gr, spoke to Tirana Times and argued that ”the most important advantage of the visa liberalization is the improvement of Albanian’s public image in the eyes of the public opinion. Furthermore, the Albanian youth will have the opportunity to explore the world. Without degrading its importance, I would like to add last, that the Albanians will finally have the chance to visit their relatives who live in the European Union”.
The majority of the Greek media welcomed the decision by adding the significance of the decision for the Greek economy. However, a small minority of Greek political web sites condemned the decision and asked if this decision will have as a result the massive increase of illegal immigration. It is the first time that the Greek media didn’t follow a ultra-nationalistic discourse of the previous decade for welcoming a decision from the European Union that allows the free-travel of the Albanians in European Union and Greece.
In sum, the visa liberalization has been welcomed in Greece with optimism mainly because of the financial crisis. However, there is a need to overcome the bureaucratic drawbacks and the stereotypes that exist not only in the society but in the Greek state as well.
