Inquiries of an Albanian diplomat

Kathimerini, being a prestigious newspaper, deserves praise for consistently bringing attention to the issue of Albania’s treatment of its ethnic Greek minority, who primarily live in the south of the Balkan country. Here, however, I will switch roles. I will step into the position of an Albanian official in Tirana, responsible for monitoring developments in Greece. The official is carefully recording his inquiries:

What exactly were Greek officials implying when, during comments in the presence of ethnic Greek minority leader Fredi Beleri, they declared in Himare, southern Albania, that “Greece will always have your back. You should know that”?

What exactly do at least four Greek prime ministers mean when they proudly state that Athens is taking the lead in Albania’s path to European Union membership?

Why is Athens suddenly asserting that “Albania’s path to European Union membership must include the protection of the fundamental human rights and property rights of the members of the ethnic Greek minority”?

Can Greek officials explain what they are implying when they level accusations against us, with the condition “unless there is undeniable evidence against Beleri”?

What exactly do they have in mind when they accuse Tirana of “violating the common sense of justice and the European conception of the rule of law”? Is this something they just realized now?

Should Tirana be concerned about Athens’ statement that “the issue remains a high priority”?

Our embassy in Athens notes that very few individuals, primarily in the pages of Kathimerini, write about this issue, and mainstream politicians have rarely addressed it during the pre-election period. It is hardly even raised as a topic in political dialogue. So why should Albania be concerned?

Unexpectedly, a positive aspect supporting our positions is the conflicts and disputes that arise, even in the few cases where municipal councils issue resolutions in support of Beleri. Shouldn’t we make use of these disagreements to develop our own arguments?

The Albanian queries recorded above by the competent official in Tirana are the work of fiction; they are, perhaps, indicative but they are also incomplete. Because for everyone, the real question that is begging to be answered is: Why is Beleri, the elected mayor of the predominantly ethnic Greek city of Himare, still in prison?

Alexandros P. Mallias is a former ambassador of Greece to Washington, Skopje and Tirana.