Re-Examining Albania-Greece Relations

IN THIS ISSUE: Re-examining Albania-Greece relations: AIIS joints efforts with two local organizations in an challenges of the present, prospects for the effort to engaging youth against violent extremism. • future. Read more about it in “Highlight” page 1 • Read more about it on“Our Events”, page 6 Poland’s Foreign Minister JacekCzaputowicz AIIS Chairman Rakipi travels to Austria to attend the discusses Poland’s policy towards the Western 36th Workshop of the PfP Consortium. Read more • Balkans in AIIS Foreign Policy Forum. Read more • about it on “Other Activities and Contributions”, about it on“Our Events”, page 5 page 8 Adress: “Anton Zako Cajupi”, Nr. 20/5, Tiranë, Albania Tel: +355 444 000 84 Fax +355 444 000 85 E-mail: [email protected]; Web: www.aiis-albania.org Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AlbanianInstituteforInternationalStudies/ Twitter: #AIIS_Albania AIIS Newsletter 14/ June 2018 Highlight Re-examining Albania-Greece relations: challenges of the present, prospects for the future On March 27, the Albanian and future relations of Albania and Mrs. Mimi Kodheli, Head of Institute for International Studies and Greece. Distinguished the Parliamentary Commission (AIIS) in cooperation with the guests who honoured this of Foreign Affairs. During this Friedrich Ebert Foundation in conference included H. E. Mrs. event, diplomats, experts and Tirana organized a day-long Eleni Sourani, Ambassador of academicians presented their conference focusing on present the Republic of Greece to Albania (Continued on page 2) (Continued from page 1) commitment and strong political will so as to make this process which started upon Greek initiative, a papers, which will later on be published. true turning point in our relations. Therefore let’s Addressing the conference, Greece’s Ambassador to move ahead,” said Ambassador Sourani. Tirana Eleni Sourani, said that false perceptions as “We need to bring our relations in the real world relations from the eyes of the Albanian public is a are fully recognized and secured, where there challengeidentified thatby a has 2013 to be AIIS overcome. survey “Whenon Albania-Greek one listens areof 2018, no territorial i.e. in an claims,era when the the protection borders of Europehuman to various political commentators or reads articles rights including minority rights is an international in the media, they norm and obligation have the impression of states and relations that there is enmity among countries are and insurmountable based on the principle problems between of sovereign equality,” Greece and Albania. she added. That is not true. It is just a false perception which Albert Rakipi, the head in my view is the most of the Albanian Institute important challenge for International Studies, of the present,” said says paradoxes and Ambassador Sourani. myths related to the past hold back relations between the two countries. “It is high time we changed the page. False perceptions, obsolete stereotypes “Understanding Albanian-Greek and unfounded prejudices should be relations in the post-Cold War buried once and forever. We are two environment is not possible without sovereign countries, two neighboring understanding and explaining the nations with distinct historic and paradoxes and myths created by cultural identities, each proud of its history. And undoubtedly, the future of own, allies in NATO, with a perspective those relations is not possible without of becoming partners in the EU, with overcoming myths and paradoxes.” full respect of each other’s territorial - Albert Rakipi, Chairman of the Albanian integrity and sovereignty.” Institute for International Studies - H. E. Eleni Sourani, Ambassador of Greece to Albania “Most paradoxically, the Albanian-Greek relations after the end of the Cold War and the collapse of communism and Albania’s opening to the West developed in two different spheres: One of them threatThe 2013 and AIIS the survey border, in AlbaniaCham andshowed Albanian about is the peace sphere, within which there are real migrantsa fifth of issuesAlbanians as the perceived most pressing.Meanwhile, Greece as a major relations in economy, trade, investment in parallel another survey conducted by AIIS’s Greek partner, to social exchanges, communication between the the Hellenic Foundation for Foreign and European Policy, ELIAMEP, found almost half of Greek there is also the other ‘sphere of war’ which in fact citizens perceive relations with Albania as neither istwo virtual societies and involvesin the field political of arts discourse, and culture political and good nor bad with the Albanian migration and elites, the media and various groups, especially expansionism and the Greek minority in Albania peripheral, populist and nationalistic groups,” he as the hottest issues. adds.“Within this noisy sphere, the discourse is almost totalitarian, populist and mainly involves “The two countries are in the process, in full speed contested issues stemming from history, the Cham I could say, in a spirit of openness and mutual question, the so-called Northern Epirus question respect, to address all issues, some of which based and the Greek minority,” says Rakipi. According on stereotypes and prejudice still prevailing in our relations. Both sides have demonstrated so far to him, the first sphere is the (Continuedreal one onand page the 3) 2 (Continued from page 2) received a boost, says relations between the two second one is the virtual one.“Although both those countries have been and continue to remain spheres seem to be developing and operating in strategic.“Greece has continuously supported parallel, there is a level of interdependence and Greek relations after the end of the Cold War GreeceAlbania wh followingo have integrated the 2003 intoThessaloniki the Greek Summit. society. wereinfluence. determined The almost by cyclicalthe interdependency crises in Albanian- of WeThere should are somelook forward800,000 to Albanians overcome migrants problems,” in says Zeneli. According to him, relations between world dealing with relations between the two Albania and Greece have been rather frozen peoples,those spheres,” economic says and Rakipi.“The cultural firstcooperation one is a realand after Albania’s Constitutional Court turned down communication and cooperation between the two societies, and the second one has been built and maritime border, but are now moving back to a 2009 deal between the two countries on the functions based on paradoxes and myths which in the best case preserve the status quo in these language between the two countries should be morea spirit careful,” of confidence.“Political said Zeneli. and diplomatic relations without allowing their development and strengthening and in the worst case produces Selami Xhepa, an Albanian economic expert, cyclical crises which have damaged and could said the two countries have not fully made use damage relations in the future,” he adds. of economic opportunities despite Greece being the top foreign investor and traditional second Besnik Mustafaj, a writer and former foreign largest trading partner.According to him, there minister of Albania, says ‘inat’ a common word for has sometimes been rivalry instead of cooperation resentment inherited from Turkish and used by all between the two countries such as in regional road Albanians, Greeks and Serbians in the same form is infrastructure projects. a common thing which both Albanians and Greeks should archive and leave it to the past while looking Andrew Liaropoulos, a European studies professor forward to build a common future.“Problems stem at Greece’s Piraeus University, says Greece and from distant history and not from the political Albania are now interdependent also by the major class in the past 25 years which is something that Trans Adriatic Pipeline bringing Caspian gas to facilitates overcoming them,” he said. Europe through Greece, Albania, already in its final ALBANIA AND GREECE: POLITICS AND construction stage and set to bring first gas flows by 2020. PERCEPTIONS for International Studies (AIIS) conducted, Alba Bashkim Zeneli, a veteran diplomat who served Çela,Referring the todeputy a 2013 studydirector that of the the Albanian AIIS unveiledInstitute how Greece was mistakenly perceived as a threat to Albania’s national security and a barrier to (Continued on page 4) as Albania’s Ambassador to Greece from 2002 to 2006 when ties between the two countries 3 (Continued from page 3) Albania’s EU integration by a considerable part of Albanians at a time when it has been one of the major supporters of Albania’s Euro-Atlantic integration. Andi Balla, a media expert, said discrimination and hardships faced by Albanian migrants in Greece have contributed to misperceptions, but remittances from Greece, the main source country for money sent home by migrants, have played a key role for Albania’s development. “In many ways, Greece has left more of a mark on post-communist Albania than any other country. The two countries’ peoples have for centuries been similar in culture, temperament and outlook for the world, but the past three decades have increased contacts and led to increased similarities and synergies between the Albanian and Greek people,” said Balla. “As the two governments look at bilateral relations, these people-to-people ties should be seen as a priority. Migrants are and should be viewed as a bridge between the two countries, that may seek autonomy or independence. In this secondnot as a largestpitfall,” tradinghe added. partner. Some 500,000Greece is Albanian the

Load more