Request to declare Greek consul ‘persona non grata”

TIRANA, Feb. 9 – Lawmakers at a parliamentary commission openly called on the Foreign Ministry to declare the Greek consul at the southeastern city of Korca a persona non grata for his statements calling on Albanians to declare themselves of Greek nationality in the next census.
The statements were made last week during the ceremony of the 20th anniversary of the ethnic Greek minority association Omonia.
Gazmend Oketa, a governing Democratic Party lawmaker, said that was contrary to the friendly ties between the two countries.
A foreign ministry official said that the Greek ambassador to Tirana had considered those personal words of the consul and did not represent Athens official line.
A statement of the journalists in Korca also denounced the Greek counsel’s words.
The Union of Journalists also said they will hold a protest Thursday in front of the Foreign Ministry in Tirana to protest against him and also joined the call to boycott all the activities of the Greek consul.
The Foreign Ministry called Greek Ambassador to Tirana Nicholas Pazios to complain on recent statements from their counsel in the south-eastern city of Korca that Albanians there were Greeks.
The ministry considered the consul’s words as unacceptable in a statement issued Tuesday.
The Greek consul spoke while participating at a ceremony on the 20th anniversary of the Omonia ethnic Greek minority association.
“The Foreign Ministry made clear its stand on such statements considering them unacceptable,” said the ministry. “Such statements do not reflect the content of the Albanian-Greek ties and violate the spirit of friendship between the two countries.