Ethnic Greeks plan rally in Himara against house demolitions

Ethnic Greeks in Himara are to hold a rally on Monday to protest a decision by Albanian authorities to demolish several homes belonging to minority families in this predominantly ethnic Greek seaside holiday resort on the Balkan country’s southeastern coast.

Families were on Wednesday given a five-day notice to evacuate their homes, which are slated for demolition as part of an urban regeneration plan that critics have denounced as unconstitutional.

Athens has warned Tirana that its European Union membership ambitions could be put at risk by the decision to move ahead with the plan.