Joint press conference with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Nikos Dendias:

 

Prime Minister Edi Rama: Good afternoon!

Allow me to also publicly express the pleasure I expressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece – and I believe I can say a good friend of Albania and Albanians – Mr. Dendias for his presence today here.

On this occasion, I can’t help but primarily remind everyone of the fact that the Minister has been with us and has stood by us also in an incredibly dramatic moment when the earthquake on November 26 last year hit and affected thousands upon thousands of families and in just few seconds put us in an extremely difficult situation. A situation where the direct contribution, not only through the symbolic presence of the Minister here, but also with the presence of the search and rescue teams from Greece along with a wide network of teams arriving from friendly countries enabled us to get out of that situation, saving many human lives.

Honestly, I will never forget the moment when a young boy was pulled out of the rubble by search-and-rescue teams from Greece, while operating in absolutely life-threatening conditions for themselves. Those guys in uniform of a neighbouring country, who came for the first time here, sacrificed a lot and were ready to sacrifice their own lives to save other peoples’ lives, gradually advancing and racing through the rubble millimetre by millimetre under the ruins of a collapsed apartment building.

So with that strong and unforgettable memory, we welcome today here, our friend to talk about the common path towards the future as two neighbours, who have not chosen each other, but live together under the same sun for thousands years and we have the obligation to the next generations to do the best and, first and foremost, at the political level we have the obligation to do what ordinary people, Albanians and Greeks do at the level of human relations. Relations that today are better than ever for 1001 known reasons that we simply and should only to take to the same level of expectations and the same level of ambitions, hopes and dreams of our people.

In this spirit, we have opened a very positive chapter with the government of the Hellenic Republic.  I would like to recall also the fact that in addition to the minister, who was here personally in that difficult moment, Prime Minister Mitsotakis was one of the first to deeply caring and show concern in the wake of the tragedy and continuously asking to be informed on the progress of things, the search and rescue operations, as well as the reconstruction process. And he was also definitely ready, together his government, also in that especially difficult moment created at the border because of the measures designed to cope with COVID and the consequences of this invisible enemy in the course of our daily lives. 

To us, Greece has been from the very beginning a strategic partner and remains a strategic partner. We consider Greece a precious neighbour and our strategic partnership with Greece is definitely a partnership for the future, never forgetting everything that connects us in the near and distant past.

Greece was one of the countries that not only took part, but also were involved in providing direct contribution – in addition to the contributions under the European Union umbrella – during the International Donors’ Conference.

Today we actually reaffirmed what we have previously agreed, that we agree to work together to address and resolve in a constructive spirit, goodwill, joint commitment, all the pending issues that are in the best interest of both our countries. 

The issue of the rights of Albania’s Greek minority is not an issue of Greece only, but it is an issue of ours, too. If we want the best standards be applied for the Greek minority and for all minorities in Albania and 100% equal opportunities as citizens of this country, this is not because Greece demands it, but because it is an honour and it is definitely our vision for our common home, Albania. 

But, on the other hand, the same applies to Albanians living in Greece. We strongly believe that just like it is definitely our interest for them to be in the best possible conditions and be provided equal opportunities along with their next-door Greek neighbours, it is also in Greece’s best interest and there has been no moment of mutual hesitation when it comes to doing whatever it takes and utmost efforts for the citizens of Albania of Greek descent and the citizens of Greece of Albanian nationality.

We discussed ways to certainly press ahead the agenda in this respect, be it in terms of the legislation that has to be completed in view of the law on minorities, which has marked a major step forward that Albania has taken in view of that vision we have for the future, as well as in terms of all other elements pertaining to the lives of people with a different mother tongue, with a different history culture and with an indispensability to preserve and pass on their language from generation to generation, be it the Greek language in Albania, or the Albanian language in Greece. I would like to draw attention here, because it is seemingly not a big deal, but it matters a lot in the peoples’ daily lives and which thanks to the good will of the Prime Minister Mitsotakis, the government and the new ruling majority after the elections in Greece, the Parliament of Greece recognized the driving licences of our compatriots in January this year, the apostille stamp, which is essential to the efforts to further ease their administrative processes, was recognized, as well as the accordance on other agreements on recognition of documents, just like we have already done with Italy, Austria, Belgium and other countries.

The discussion on the mutual recognition of the pension rights is already underway, but the truth is that either with Greece or Italy, where the largest presence of Albanian emigrants is to be found since’90s, this is not an easy discussion, not because there is a lack of readiness, not because there is a lack of commitment, but because it is all about a solution, which in financial terms requires serious commitment and that’s the reason why the discussion goes on, certainly with the expression of good will to resolve this process. 

I thanked and I would like to publicly thank the Minister for the fact that in spite of certain moments marring the progress of these relations, sometimes tense ones, the truth is that Greece has not even for a single moment hindered our EU integration process and for the sake of truth I am I am extremely pleased to fully agree with the Prime Minister and the Minister on the fact that the issues we have to resolve together are not issues to be exported to Brussels. We do not need Brussels to force us to address these issues and Greece does not need to use Brussels to address these issues with us. We do not see in any of the issues an impossibility of resolution. They are solvable and we are definitely on the way to solving them. 

I am pretty sure that everyone is all ears today, eager to hear about Albania’s future invasion be sea from Greece, yet there will be no invasion, but on the contrary I am sorry that the sea patriots will be disappointed, because it is will pleasure that on my part I can say, and the Minister on his part, too, that we have agreed to treat this issue in the international bodies. Albania and Greece will together refer to the international justice to dot all the i’s based on the expertise and international maritime law. I feel sorry for the patriots of the sea, because they would have now to find other reasons to proclaim their patriotism, as the maritime issue is no longer an issue they can use to launch their disgusting anti-Greek propaganda, which is a shame and not a patriotic electorate in Albania or Kosovo. They can now self-determine about other issues. This issue will not be at our discretion, nor that of the Greek side. It will be an issue of the international justice and in that way we shall focus on our economic and regional cooperation, we will focus on the people to do the best for the Albanian citizens of Greek nationality that live in Albania and the Greek citizens, or yet to become Greek citizens of Albanian nationality who live in Greece.

This is what we would like to do and for this reason we have also agreed to commence work on holding the first meeting of the government of Albania and the government of Greece to deal with issues that matter to ordinary people and that matter to our children in Albania and Greece. Issues of national folk patriotism are not matters of our governments. 

Minister, thank you very much again with deep respect for your personal commitment, deep respect for the Prime Minister’s readiness to give a fresh positive impetus to this entire relationship and employ the strength of our governments in best interest of our peoples and together build a peaceful and prosperous future for everyone.

Concluding, I would like to add something, which is not an issue we can consider already resoled, yet it is a very positive discussion that I very much hope and I am very confident it will conclude in a positive way, which is the abolition of the law of war. The folkloristic national patriots, after losing the sea, will then lose the land too and will have to find another cause in the air and as such concoct another subject on how Greece is boosting gas emissions in the Albanian atmosphere, as they will lack a cause about the sea and the land to deal with.

 

* Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, Nikos Dendias: Your Excellency Mr. Prime Minister, my heartfelt thanks for this warm welcome!

I am pleased that, on the instructions of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, I have returned to Albania after a year.

The last time I came was also on his instructions, following the powerful earthquake in Durrës. I arrived here a few hours later to explore how we could support you and the friendly Albanian people. Prime Minister, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks for your kind words regarding this effort on our part, because it is a friendly effort that I think reflects the true feelings of the Greek people and Greek society towards the friendly Albanian people. 

Fortunately, my visit today is taking place under much better circumstances. Before I go into the many things we discussed a bit earlier, I would like to start by congratulating you on the successful OSCE Chairmanship this year. Albania showed that, in spite of the coronavirus, it can exercise an effective Chairmanship. This is very important for Albania, very important for your government, and very important for our region. 

I come to our bilateral relations. 

There is much that unites us and my presence here today is aimed at underscoring a positive and dynamic agenda in our relations. 

We have a strong will to take these relations further to a high new level and to resolve any pending issues there might be in a climate of mutual trust and respect. 

The Greek National Minority living in Albania is, first of all, a very important bridge in our ties. Also a bridge is the thousands of Albanian citizens who live and work in Greece. Allow me, Prime Minister, to stress the important economic contribution of Greek citizens to the economic development of Albania, and of Albanian citizens to the economic development of Greece. 

As you know, Greece and Albania have challenges to face. 

On our part,  we are always ready to make every possible effort in good faith and a spirit of cooperation – as befits European countries like Greece and Albania – for the benefit of our countries and peoples. We think that this cooperation can function to strengthen Albania’s integrity and course towards EU accession, with commitment to the framework of good neighbourly relations that will enhance the stability of our sensitive region.

Albania’s accession to the EU, Mr. Prime Minister, is our common goal and we are willing to assist Albania, including entire know-how transfer, wherever you and your government deem this to be useful.

In this context, I would like to stress that Greece, through the Thessaloniki Agenda, which was inaugurated nearly two decades ago, firmly and consistently supports the accession course of the Western Balkans as a strategic goal. With the Prime Minister and the acting Foreign Minister, Mr. Cakaj, earlier, we had the opportunity to discuss a wide range of topics. 

We talked about the issue of delimitation of the maritime zones between Greece and Albania.

The resolution of this dispute will benefit both of our countries.

And of course I was very interested to hear, and I completely agree with, Prime Minister Rama’s position that this solution will be founded on the UN Convention, to which both of our countries are parties. I am very pleased to reiterate what the Prime Minister just said that, having considered and examined this issue in detail, we agreed for Greece and Albania to jointly submit this issue to international justice, to the International Court in The Hague.

This agreement between Greece and Albania is based on both countries’ firm commitment to international legality and the principle of peaceful resolution of any possible disputes. We also talked about the 1996 agreement between Greece and Albania, and we agreed that the 1996 agreement needs to be deepened and strengthened so that we jointly proceed to a new strategic partnership agreement between our two countries and we need to organize a meeting of our two governments and create a mechanism between our two friendly countries. 

We talked about the issue of the state of war.

This, Prime Minister, is an anachronism, and I am certain that, together, we shall resolve this too. It is a great pleasure to have the opportunity to say this here in Tirana, to the Albanian public, on the instructions of Prime Minister Mitsotakis.  

We also talked about the bridge – actually one of the bridges that connect us – I am referring to the members of the minority and to the spirit that must govern good neighbourly relations.

We must not waste any more time.

We must not waste time and I think I think we have achieved a great deal in our relations, and it is up to us to move even further ahead. 

And I was pleased to see the progress the Albanian side has made on issues that concern the Greek National Minority. I think that all of these issues can be dealt with in the context of our positive agenda.

Allow me to conclude by underscoring that, in contrast with the efforts that the countries of the Western Balkans are making in the context of their European perspective, another country in our wider region, which is still a candidate for EU membership, is not moving in this direction. To be precise, it appears to be moving in the opposite direction.

I am referring to our neighbour Turkey. It continues, on a daily basis, to violate the fundamental criteria for accession to the EU – both political and economic criteria.

In this context, I had no choice but to send a letter to the Enlargement Commissioner, Mr. Varhelyi, stressing that Turkey is in violation of the Customs Union and asking for immediate consideration of the adoption of measures in this regard.

I also raised the issue of the Commission’s consideration of the whole range of violations, including consideration of suspension of the Customs Union, as a clear message of disapproval of Turkey’s repeated violations of international legality. 

I have highlighted to my European colleagues, the European Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the latest extremely worrisome illegal actions in the Eastern Mediterranean and I underscored the need to stop exporting military supplies and military equipment to Turkey, given that this equipment is being used in actions that destabilise our region.

Mr. Prime Minister,

I am concluding with something that you, too, just said.

What we all must build and what is our common goal is a peaceful future with prosperity for all. It is this joint effort of ours that is served by my presence here in Tirana today. I am happy to be here with you today.

I thank you very much for your kind words for Greece, for Prime Minister Mitsotakis, for me, for Greek-Albanian friendship. Thank you very much!

* Simultaneous interpretation