TIRANA TIMES EDITORIAL
TIRANA, Oct. 5 – The fact that Albania and Greece are speaking to each other again at a very high level and making a comitment to do so more often is a step in the right direction after relations had essentially frozen for more than two years.
The relationship froze over the maritime border demarcation. Albania’s Constitutional Court voided in early 2010 an agreement reached the prior year between Tirana and Athens over the demarcation of the maritime border. Athens wasn’t happy.
Now it the issue is back on the agenda, driven by economic interests, as Athens and Tirana want to reach a an agreement of clear demarcation of their maritime border in the Ionian Sea so exclusive areas for oil and gas exploration are clearly defined.
Behind closed doors, there were indications Athens pushed pretty hard not to renegotiate the previous agreement which had been canceled by Albania’s constitutional court. The Albanian foreign minister disagreed, as do most people in this country – who think Albania would have gotten a bad deal.
Albania should renegotiate the border demarcation agreement and should do so in a open process so Albanians don’t feel they are being given a short end of the stick again. In addition to negotiations, an international arbitration process under international law should always be held as an alternative.
Beyond the border agreements the relationship has become stale and could use a boost in other ways too. Greece and Albania both face a tough economic climate and have intertwined business and labor force interests as Greek companies suffer from the economic depression at home and Albanian immigrants are increasingly looking to return to Albania due to the Greek crisis.
The signing of the intergovernmental agreement for the building of the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline gas project that will link Italy, Greece and Albania is a very positive step for all those involved and could boost the economies of both Albania and Greece, adding to what unites the two countries instead of what divides them.
One of the divisive issues is that of the property of Cham Albanians – a community forcefully expelled from Greece at the end of WWII. It’s something the Albanian government has shied away from discussing before, but the community’s voting power has been translated in key votes in parliament – so it is firmly on the agenda now.
The Greeks don’t want to put the issue on the political agenda, saying those interested should bring unresolved ownership issues to Greek courts. But the Chams argue the Greek laws have been unjust to them.
The goal of cooperation wasn’t helped by the fact that one of the Albanian flags at a joint news conference was hoisted upside down.
It angered Albanian nationalists as a symbol of Greek authorities looking down on Albania. Perhaps it was just amateur hour at the Greek foreign ministry protocol office, but symbols do matter in the minds of people in the Balkans. The Greek foreign minister expressed regret about it, and that should be the end of the story.
Despite what probably were some tough discussions behind closed doors, both Albania and Greece want their relationship to get better in light of the European economic crisis and interests both countries have for good relations. This first meeting was a step in the right direction.
