"Private visit"

Nationalistic appearance by Edi Rama in Athens

The Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama

(Bild: AFP)

An appearance by Albania's head of government Edi Rama in Athens has caused a stir in Greece. On Sunday, he gave a speech to thousands of representatives of the Albanian minority in Hellas as part of a nationalistic appearance with the national anthem and flags in the Galatasi Olympic Hall. 

The appearance made big waves in the media and also led to a large-scale police operation. More than a thousand officers were on site. According to Albanian and Kosovar press reports, however, Rama was more of a unifying figure.

He explained that relations between the two countries were much closer than they appeared to be. In his opinion, it was above all the "dust" stirred up by politicians from both countries that did not clearly show the connections between the two peoples.

(Bild: AP)

(Bild: AP)

Imprisoned politician reacts with criticism
While the government in Athens, after initially critical statements by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and in the face of excited media reports, reassuringly pointed out that Rama's visit was of a "private nature" and would therefore not be commented on, the politician imprisoned in Albania, Dhionisios Alfred "Fredi" Beleri, who belongs to the Greek minority there, reacted with criticism. He called Rama's appearance a "deliberate" provocation.

He wants to challenge Greece, demonstrate his power within Albania and break the morale of the Greeks in the region. He will not succeed. The pride and dignity of the Greeks is not to be trifled with.

„Fredi“ Beleri aus einem albanischen Gefängnis

Rama's appearance was also seen as the start of a Rama tour, which will also include similar appointments with the Albanian diaspora in other places and countries.

Albanians largest minority in Greece
With a population of up to one million people, Albanians are the largest minority in Greece with a total population of around eleven million.