Greek soldiers’ song sparks protests in Albania

TIRANA, March 5 – Albanian government and citizens around the country protested over a video showing Greek soldiers chanting anti-Albanian songs during training. Albanian defense ministry asked Greek counterpart to stop such practices in the military. The video, whose origin and authenticity has not been established, was found by an Albanian on the Internet and sent to Greek Ta Nea newspaper and Albanian media. It shows Greek soldiers in training chanting about ‘making shoelaces out of Albanians’ guts’. Albania’s deputy Defense Minister Petrit Karabina said on Sunday the anti-Albanian songs are ‘unacceptable, condemnable and scandalous’. “We would ask the Greek Defense Ministry to take all the necessary measures to uproot these expressions of aggressive nationalism against Albanians in their armed forces,” Karabina said.
The Greek Defense Ministry on Monday criticized the alleged troop conduct and said it was investigating the video’s authenticity. “We resolutely condemn such phenomena,” said Greek General Staff Spokesman Stephanos Ghikas. “Such actions – if they indeed occurred – clearly do not reflect the feelings of Greek people toward our neighbor and friendly country (Albania).” Ghikas also reiterated the “excellent relationship” between the two countries’ military authorities and Greek support for Albania’s accession into Euro-Atlantic institutions.
The video has reinforced Albanian mistrust of its larger neighbor, host to a million Albanian migrant workers. Local media reported incidents of the Greek flag being publicly burnt in some towns in the country. The first time occurred Sunday in Fier, 100 kilometers southwest of the capital, Tirana, to be followed by others in Burrel, Elbasan and Saranda. Relations between Greece and Albania have been strained periodically since the 1990 fall of communism in the tiny Balkan country because of perceptions of racism and xenophobia in Greece, and over the status and treatment of hundreds of thousands of Albanian immigrants there.
It is also much expected that the recent incident may have negative effects in the bilateral economic and financial exchange between the two countries. Greece is Albania’s second trading partner after Italy. Much of the country’s import comes from Greece, or some 406.5 million Euros in 2006. The two mobile phone companies are Greek and they have secured a profit of some 300 million Euros last year. Albanians have also deposited 68.6 billion leks in the four Greek banks operating in the country. It is generally believed by some economist and analysts that about one-fourth of the country’s GDP goes to Greece.