Mitsotakis visit to the minority villages of Albania: Strong symbolism – Messages with many recipients

Her Penelope Galliou

The visit of the Greek Prime Minister to the villages of the Greek minority in Albania is characterized by the government as a very important visit for Hellenism, but also with a heavy and special symbolic load.

A visit which was “embraced” with enthusiasm by the Greeks living in the minority villages and caused emotion while sending many messages inside and outside Albania.

In particular, the visit to Heimara had an extra emotional weight as it is the first time a Greek prime minister has visited it.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis chose Chimara in order to send a clear message about the respect for the rights of the Greek ethnic minority.

“Whether we are referring to the right to self-determination, or to the right for your children to be able to learn the Greek language at all levels, or to the issue of protecting your property rights,” the Prime Minister emphasized.

His position in Dervitsani, where he was received by the Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama, also had messages, while he also recalled the visit of his father Konstantinos Mitsotakis 31 years ago, and referred to a statement made by the father of the Greek Prime Minister at the time.

“Shortly before, the regime of incredible oppression of the Albanian people had collapsed and at that time the prospects for relations between the two states were very positive. And my father had said something which I mentioned and when I spoke in Livadia, he had said that “the Greek National Minority is a bridge of friendship between the two states”. And as much as it was true 31 years ago, it is even more true now.”Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized, addressing the residents who had gathered to welcome him.

He pledged, invoking the good cooperation with his Albanian counterpart Edi Rama, that everything can be initiated and resolved “in a spirit of cooperation and in a spirit of good mood” as he said, calling on the residents of the region to take his support for granted.

At the same time, he reminded the leadership of the neighboring country that the road to Albania’s full integration into Europe will not be easy, but it will be a road in which Greece will always be a helper, because Albania deserves to be a member of Europe and will always has the undivided support of our country.

“You too will be equally benefited from this course” pointed out Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

One day after the official visit of Nikos Dednias to Tirana and his contacts there, Kyriakos Mitsotakis also referred to the co-promise with Albania for the appeal to the International Court of Justice in The Hague for the delimitation of maritime zones.

He even appeared optimistic and emphasized that this is the way for the neighbors to solve their differences, photographing Turkey’s impasse and revisionist policy.

“We are now quite close to solving a long-standing issue concerning the delimitation of our maritime zones, always based on International Law, because you know that differences between states are not solved by extreme rhetoric and empty words but by international law and same logic we will solve our differences with our friend Albania” he emphasized.

The Greek side is a given that it is based on the strength and scope of our country, as well as on International Law, on which Greek foreign policy, our bilateral relations and international relations are based.

In this context, he knows that Albania is a country that has very special relations with Turkey, but “from there, Greece does not redefine or redefine its strategy in its bilateral relations or its aspirations in relation to other countries” he commented in an interview with the government representative.

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