How did the Albania-Greece conflict arise?

Albania-Greece relations, short historical

After Albania's proclamation of independence in 1912, land division between Albania and Greece was finally resolved under the power of the Great Powers (Austro-Hungaria and Italy) with the Florence Protocol. Relations did not improve until 1939 with the invasion of Albania by Italy. Greek and Albanian forces entered into conflict during the Greek-Italian War.  

After a freeze lasting more than 30 years, the two countries restored diplomatic relations in 1971, in a case where economic co-operation and strategic calculations prompted Enver Hoxha and the Greek military junta of 1967-1974 to explore the paths of co-operation.

There were numerous discussions, research and efforts of Albanians and Greeks to form a confederation during the Ottoman period. In the 19th century, there were plans to create a Greek-Albanian confederation, which was revived by 18th-century plans. In 1907, a protocol and memorandum of understanding was signed By Neoklis Kazazis and Ismail Kemali, Albania's first prime minister.

After the fall of communism in Albania in 1992, a large number of refugees and economic migrants from Albania arrived in Greece, immigrants, seeking employment and relations improved somewhat.

In the 1990s, Greece preferred and assisted Fatos Nano as Albanian leader because he was Orthodox on Sali Berisha as a Muslim, after Nano was considered friendly to Greek interests.  During the 1997 Albanian rebellion, Greece participated in Multinational Peace Operation and Humanist Operation Alba. Also, before Operation Alba, Greece participated in the “Operation Kosmas” on March 15, 1997, which was the evacuation of 240 foreign personalities from Albania.

Today, both nations have described their relations as excellent “” and Albania considers Greece as one of its most powerful and most important “allies, since both are members of NATO and are now enjoying close relations. There have even been 2 naval agreements, in 2009 and 2018 coupled with numerous controversy, although these agreements have improved the relationship with the neighbouring state. In January 2018, following an agreement between the Greek and Albanian foreign ministries, a systematic effort was undertaken to regain the bodies of Greek soldiers fallen from the Greek-Italian War. Work by joint Greek-Albanian teams began on January 22nd in the Library of Kelcyre, home to the Battle of Cleoura. A small number of Albanian Activists tried to break up the job, but were removed from Albanian police. The remains of Greek soldiers will be buried at the Greek military cemetery in Kelcire's Grec and in the Greek minority village of Bularat (Vuliarates) near the Greek-Albanian border.

However, these issues have yet to be resolved to the end so that relations with Greece can improve even more, thus eliminating all conflicts, remains of the past...

Three Issues Conditioning Albania-Greece Relations

Albania's Foreign Minister, Mr. Ditmir Bushati, has been closer to the Albanian-Greek issue, and relations between countries. 

For Bushati Relations with Greece conditioned by three key elements.

First the Chemiss, an issue highly discussed by the Albanian side. The question was first staged in 1991, discussed until 1993, then slept until 2000. It was reopened at the time by Prime Minister Meta, then returned to the attention in 2013 as a key topic of the government programme”, Minister Bushati has indicated.
The second element in which relations with the land with the Helen are dedicated is linked to the strike minorityK in our country, but also Albanian across borders. In this direction, the Albanian side has guaranteed all conditions, that the Greek minority in our country is fully integrated. We seek the same from the Greek side”, taught Bushati to say.
The third element is related to the naval agreement. Bushat has indicated several times that steps have been taken in this direction, but this stalemate is not related to the fact that Greece is in front of the table.

These are issues that completely condition relationships with the neighboring country.

Why the new sea deal with Greece that caused unrest in the country?

The unfinished Albania-Greece agreement on the release of maritime spaces in the Ionian Sea, as it were, has put relations with the neighbouring country on hold. 

In 2009, Albania and Greece signed the Marine Pact to determine exclusive economic zones. Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha has also been then Foreign Minister Lulzim Basha, while Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis and Foreign Minister Doras Bakoyannis from the Greek side.

This agreement was kept secret from her data, but shortly after her signing the Albanian media denounced her by deregulation. A very big role to clarify public opinion in denouncing this agreement has been played by the release colonel Muslim Pashaj. Colonel Pashaj confirmed that this pact gave Greece much more sea space than it should, at the expense of Albania.

Next the Socialist Party has sent this deal to The Constitutional Court, which easily knocked down with results of unamim, as there were legal irregularities, such as the failure of authorism by the president of the Republic, in addition to the problems of issuing sea space to neighbours.

Despite all of this, Sali Berisha has continued to protect him with fanaticism until the end of the 2009 Pact, calling one: “good and fair agreement for Albania”. It has been former Prime Minister Sali Berisha who made a serious accusation from the Parliament's speaker over the collapse of the Sea Agreement with Greece by the Constitutional Court. Berisha said money and corruption were used, referring to the Constitutional Court's decision, which overturned the agreement between the two countries in 2009, which under the constitutional decision violated Albania's territorial integrity.

Early onW In 2018, there was again a maritime demitation agreement.. And in this case it was said that Albanian government donated Greece 12 miles sea. And even more Albanian citizens knew nothing about donating Albanian territorial waters. Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias in interview for Greek national television ERT, confirmed this by saying Albania and Greece had agreed to the maritime border. “Albania acknowledged expanding Greek waters by 12 nautical miles. We hope that the pact will be reached in April this year. Albania will also correct school texts” Nikos Kotzias said at the beginning of the year. Greek media Sky.gr reported the news later.

But mW Late in February 2018, the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ditmir Bushati, in a required intervention through the Co-government Platform by a group of students of excellence, clarified once and for all the statements that Albania would forgive Greece 12 miles of sea. Before the students, he said Albania would at any cost reach a deal much better than the 2009 one with Greece and that statements on sea forgiveness were slandered.