Controversial statements enflame Greek minority status

TIRANA, May 2 – Albanian politicians of different sides and, recently, the Greek embassy in Tirana, have been involved in a debate following controversial statements from a local official.
Vasil Bollano, mayor of southwestern Himara town and a member of Omonia organization, covering issues of the Greek minority in the country, said that “what Omonia is asking for Vorio Epirus (northern Epirus) is nothing more than what Albanians want for Kosovo,” meaning independence for some areas in southern Albania where Greek minority lives.
That sparked a political and social storm among political and other civic circles in the country. Sabri Godo, president of the Republican Party and an influential politician, as well as a candidate for president, asked the prime minister to fire Bollano from the post.
There were other reactions denouncing the quote and recently the Greek ambassador to Tirana, Konstantinos Kokossis, said during a visit to Erseke that it was not his job to comment on that statement, though he (Bollano)could be right.
The Greek minority in Albania is estimated at 2.8 percent of the population and international institutions consider it is well accommodated and integrated withinAlbanian society.
An expert of the Albanian Institute of International Studies said that everyone is entitled to express an opinion on Kosova’s future status, adding Greece is doubtful on Ahtisaari’s proposal for the province.
But other experts add that such parallels between the two issues are absurd and dangerous.
Cameria association, which protects the rights of the Albanian community who were deported from a northern Greek province at the end of World War II, has also been involved in the debate.
Greece has somewhat updated its stance on the Cam issue in the last four years and they say that issue no longer exists. Recently Greek media has broadcast videos in which a so-called Cameria Liberation Army (UCC) stated its case. The Albanian authorities say that this army is a creation, not a truth. Leaders of the Cameria association in Albania say they want a dialogue and in no case would they support a violent move.
Some time ago the Greek media also denounced an anti-Albanian song of some special army soldiers while training. Reactions in Albania on that video were stronger, with some people burning the Greek flag in response, though the government denounced that act.
The Albanian authorities have been very careful during recent statements. Former foreign minister Besnik Mustafaj says authorities should pay special attention to the issue. It was unwise of Bollano to speak like that but the government should be careful, said Mustafaj.
The Greek embassy has also made a statement, considered evasive by many observers. It is not clearly understood if it supports Bollano’s statement, specifically stressing that the ambassador represents the interests of his government. It also openly criticized certain media outlets in Albania which misinterpreted such statements or refer negatively to issues of Albanian-Greek interests.
Albanian-Greek ties have often been problematic during the post-communist period since 1991 and has also been accompanied by occasional crises.