There was a game we all used to play when we were kids. It was called “Shtetesh” – a game of states. Local variations aside, the general structure of the game was the following: a large circle would be drawn which would then be divided into smaller ones according to the number of kids playing – the large circle representing the world and the smaller ones independent states. And each kid would pick his/her state. One of the players would throw a wooden stick in the air at which point all the others would run out of the circle until the stick-thrower would call one of the kid-states to stop. For instance, Greece stop! And Greece would obey. The stick-thrower would re-throw the stick, this time towards the state s/he had ordered to stop. And if the picked kid-state, Greece for instance, caught the stick s/he would have the right to use it to take territory from the other kid-states. On the other hand, if Greece would not catch the stick, then the thrower would have the right to take territory. During the process of delineation of the new borders, the claiming kid-state would be held at the knees in order to keep him/her from bending, and thus allowing for more territory to be taken. As kids, we were thus mundanely in the business of redrawing the political map of the world.
Our rulers must have played this game, badly, grooming them to the rather (un)stately game they seem to be playing now as adults. By the looks of it, our rulers must not have been agile stick-throwers and/or catchers. Worse even, they must not have been very keen on the rules of the game. Or perhaps their co-players, Mrs Bakoyannis for instance, suffered from incurable weakness of knees and bent the rules to their detriment. All of this would apply to all those adult statesmen that have been involved in the negotiations for the delineation of the maritime border with Greece.
Out of the blue it seems, Albania and Greece have signed an agreement on the maritime border. And this is exactly the first problem – the lack of transparency. In this real game, it is the real territorial integrity of a state that is at stake. The protection of that integrity, of the national interest, is a matter above and beyond short term and short-sighted interests of one administration or of one party. Therefore, much care, perseverance and a sense of vision and responsibility are required. While not all matters of national interest can have the entire public involved for reasons of efficiency and competence, transparency at least at the level of the political elite and relevant experts is a must. No such transparency has accompanied the dealings that have led to this agreement.
Furthermore, considering the general sense of mistrust of Albanians, of our scepticism, so much part of our historical narratives, towards the kind intentions of most of our neighbours, this agreement ought to have been reached under the entire public’s eye and awareness. It is the absolute lack of transparency that prejudices the fairness and integrity of this agreement. Had the entire affair not been so secretive and shady, much of the alarm bells ringing now might have saved the government and all of us some headaches. Much of the seemingly conspiracy theories would have not sprouted either. On the contrary, what makes underlying intentions linked to energy seem so believable is the lack of transparency, the inability of those responsible to now shed light on the issue and clearly explain, preferably with the use of a map, how exactly this border was drawn, how exactly international law on maritime borders was applied fairly and equally respective of the territorial integrity of each state. Democratization of Albania includes democratization of our foreign affairs.
Second, the quickness with which this agreement was reached is at least bizarre. The bilateral agreement has been presented to us as a success of historical dimensions, bringing to an end some open wound in our neighbourly relations. In fact, this maritime border has not been experienced by Albanians as a major issue requiring urgent resolution. In relation to Greece there are indeed a series of other major issues, of open wounds. Furthermore, the universal experience with such issues is dominated by lengthy negotiations, over several governing administrations, over several years. And that is simply because the protection of a state’s territorial integrity is not a kids’ game to be played one Friday afternoon after school. And, I will repeat as it bears repeating, it is not a matter of short term, short-sighted party interests.
The agreement has now come to seem like a work of crooks and fools, reconfirming the long-held narrative in Albanian history of neighbours that cheat us and rulers that fail us. The ratification of this agreement must be postponed indeterminately, until our experts are satisfied, until this public is satisfied of its integrity and fairness.
