Tirana calls for clarification to Serbian ambassador over Vulini's declaration of Rama

The number two of the Serbian Government reacted after the meeting Albania's prime minister, Edi Rama, held with Albanian immigrants in Athens 12 May.

Vulin said that “Greater Albania can only be stopped by Serbs and Serbian countries, but you dear Greeks, please think of this”.

Albania's Foreign Ministry named the Vulin declaration a <x0-provocational, contrary to the spirit of co-operation relations and does not serve peace and stability in Balkan countries”.

This minister said Albania is the important factor that works and contributes to peace and security in the Western Balkan region, and this is the “core of co-operation also with Serbia”.

The Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs expects immediate reflection so that such harmful, repeated statements do not influence our relations, which should be oriented towards good neighbourly and European integration”, was said in response.

Serbian media reported on May 13th that Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin has sought alliance with Greece to stop what he called “Great Albania”

The next “The government of Greece is thinking about recognising so-called Kosovo, let it remember what Eddie Rama's reception looked like in mid- Athens. What Rama could not experience in Tirana, she experienced in Athens. The recognition of the so-called Kosovo by Greek authorities and Pristina's admission to the Council of Europe would be a tremendous contribution to the Government of Greece and Dora Bakoyanis to the creation of the Great Albania. Albania can be stopped only by Serbs and Serbian worlds, but also by you loving Greeks, our Greeks. Please think about this”, Voulin was quoted as saying.

For a long time Vulini promotes the idea of the Serbian “Bota”, or the project to unify Serbs wherever they are. Such a project is seen as a threat to the region.

This is not the first time Vulin's statements have prompted Albania to seek clarification from Serbian ambassadors in Tirana. Four years ago Tirana called for clarification by the Serbian ambassador, due to a Volin stance that the world was defence minister. At the time, Voulin had reacted to a Rama statement that the port of Durres would be Kosovo's de facto port. This statement was made during a joint conference between Rama and Kosovo counterpart at the time, Avdullah Hoti.

“Claiming that the port of Durres will be Kosovo's, Edi Rama continues to work on the creation of Albania's [Greatly] Greatness”, Vulini had declared.

Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama, on 12 May from Greece, began the tour with the diaspora aimed at gathering support for his Socialist Party.

New membership in the SP and investments in Albania are Rama's declared goals. Similar meetings will take place in Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

Rama's meeting in Greece prompted reactions even in some Greek media, which they described as “provocation”, after it was realised on the anniversary of Alfred Beler's case. He was elected mayor of the Himara municipality in last May local elections as a representative of a Greek minority party under the mark of an opposition party. Beler was arrested for buying votes and convicted of this charge. /REL