A meeting held last Friday, September 4, 2026, at the Embassy of the Hellenic Republic in Tirana drew unusual attention, bringing together four of the most prominent political and institutional figures involved in representing Albania’s Greek National Minority. Vasilis Kagios, president of DEEEM–OMONOIA; Vangelis Doules, president of KEAD; Lefteris Nikas, president of MEGA; and Fredi Beleris, a member of the European Parliament, met to discuss a wide range of issues affecting the minority community.

The sight of the four men seated at the same table carried weight well beyond diplomatic protocol. The Greek minority in Albania is confronting a series of long‑standing and increasingly complex challenges, from property disputes and political representation to education, language rights and the preservation of historic Greek communities. With Albania moving along its path toward European integration, questions surrounding minority protection have taken on added significance.

For years, representation of the Greek community has been marked by divergent political strategies and competing priorities, producing a fragmented landscape. The gathering in Tirana suggested a possible shift. It brought together different strands of the organized Greek presence in Albania, alongside the minority’s voice in the European Parliament, signalling at least a tentative willingness to explore common ground.

Beleris’s participation underscored the European dimension of the discussion. Issues affecting the Greek minority are no longer confined to bilateral relations between Athens and Tirana. Albania’s EU aspirations create an additional institutional arena in which concerns about minority rights, the rule of law and adherence to European standards can be raised.

The stakes are particularly high in regions where demographic decline, migration and the erosion of historic Greek communities have accelerated. For many within the minority, the question is: how to ensure the political, social and cultural continuity of Greek life in its traditional heartlands over the coming decades.

The meeting in Tirana does not resolve those questions, but it signals that the need for coordination and a shared approach has returned to the fore. Whether Friday’s discussion marks the beginning of a sustained political effort—or remains a symbolic moment—will depend on what happens next.

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HCRI

Yesterday, the European Parliament's plenary approved the European Commission's 2025 report on Albania. It passed by a large majority with 483 votes in favour, 103 against, and 70 abstentions. MEPs welcomed Albania’s swift progress in recent years. However, they called on authorities to fully implement all adopted legislation.

Despite this progress, Parliament says Albania still faces several challenges. These include overcoming internal political polarization and improving the country’s political culture. The country must also strengthen the rule of law and consolidate anti-corruption reforms. The report noted Albania’s ambition to close membership negotiations by the end of 2027. Still, it warned that the quality of reforms will determine the final accession timetable. This report included key amendments submitted by MEP Fredis Beleris (ND / EPP). He worked in cooperation with fellow EPP MEPs Vangelis Meimarakis and Andrey Kovachev.

These amendments highlight the main problems Albania faces with the rule of law, human rights, and minority protections. For the first time in the history of this report, there is a clear, official mention of the indigenous Greek National Minority. The European Parliament now officially recognizes both their historical presence and their property rights in Albania.
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Furthermore, the report:

1) Calls on Albania to achieve decisive progress on the initial registration of properties and fair, mutually accepted compensation. It asks to improve the transparency of the state land registry and the quality of property data. It also demands that Albania ensure respect for the right to a fair trial and the right to effective legal protection in cases where property is taken or confiscated.

2) Reminds authorities that the justice system still faces political pressures and threats. These issues bring a serious risk of undermining the independence of the courts.

3) States that parliamentary immunity is part of Albania's constitutional framework, designed to ensure that democratic institutions work properly. It stresses that any related decisions must be made strictly according to constitutional rules and established legal steps, without political interference and without unnecessary delay.

4) Calls for increased transparency, conflict-of-interest checks, integrity risk assessments, and targeted preventative measures in high-risk areas. This applies especially to public procurement, government contracts, licensing, inspections, construction, and spatial planning.

5) Expresses concern over the serious irregularities found by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) during the rollout of the EU's Pre-Accession Assistance for Rural Development program (IPARD II) in Albania.

6) Underlines how important it is to ensure full transparency, accountability, and effective control mechanisms when using EU financial help. This is needed to protect the EU's financial interests and to maintain the trust of citizens.

During his speech in the plenary, Beleris criticized Commissioner Marta Kos for her lack of boldness in highlighting these issues, emphasizing that:

"The report we are discussing recognizes both Albania's desire to become a full member of the EU and the European Parliament's willingness to support it. Today, Albanian citizens are protesting the lack of democracy, the lack of prosperity, the violation of property rights, the manipulation of justice, the government's embrace of organized crime, and ultimately, the abandonment of the country by its youth. Naturally, these chronic problems disproportionately burden minorities, and especially the Greek minority, which is the largest.

Silencing reality, sugarcoating the situation, and - in many cases - the alignment of Commissioner Kos with the Albanian Prime Minister is interpreted by a large part of Albanian society not as support for the Albanian people to realize their European dream, but as support for Rama. We must be clear. Yes to accession, with no discounts on the European acquis."

In a post on his Facebook page, Beleris further stated:

"With steady steps, we are bringing the violations of the rights of the Greek National Minority to the European forefront. Every petition, every resolution, and every institutional intervention matters. The work continues."

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FRBL; EUROPARL.

The Greek National Minority Organization OMONOIA has issued a press release raising concerns over a rise in anti-Greek rhetoric and intolerance in Albania. The group alleges that there is an organized effort to create a negative climate against the country's Greek minority and prominent citizens of Greek origin.

According to the statement, public debates about recent protests in the Narta and Zvërnec areas, located in the Gulf of Vlorë, have been accompanied by dangerous rhetoric. OMONOIA claims these discussions seek "scapegoats" and target the country's Greek minority. The organization specifically accused Socialist Party MP Ardit Bido of systematic attacks and public interventions with nationalist and anti-minority sentiments. The group stated that these interventions occur on social media, in the press, on the Parliament floor, and during parliamentary committee meetings.

The organization also expressed deep concern that these behaviors have not faced institutional consequences, despite protests from affected individuals and rules within the Albanian Parliament that deal with racist rhetoric. OMONOIA argued that the lack of condemnation creates an impression of political cover-up and tolerance toward discriminatory treatment. Furthermore, the press release criticized parts of the Albanian media landscape, specifically naming the EuroNews Albania television station and the political show "Now with Erla Mëhilli." According to the organization, the broadcast lacks balanced viewpoints and violates fundamental journalistic ethics by providing an open forum for one-sided, anti-Greek sentiment.

​OMONOIA warned that the political and social situation in Albania remains highly sensitive, noting that the cultivation of anti-Greek stereotypes could worsen conditions. The organization concluded by publicly denouncing these actions and calling on state institutions, political parties, and media outlets to assume responsibility, stop the spread of hate speech, and safeguard the rights of the Greek National Minority in Albania.

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HCRI; OMN.

The president of the Unity for Human Rights Party (PBDNJ) and Member of the Albanian Parliament, Vangelis Dule, a prominent representative of the ethnic Greek minority, strongly criticized the government of Edi Rama during a recent interview with the Albanian news outlet News24. Dule claimed that political relations between Albania and Greece have hit one of their coldest points in recent history.

He emphasized that while the historical ties and everyday connections between the two populations remain uniquely close, the political climate has severely deteriorated. As he pointedly remarked, "there are no closer relations than those between Greeks and Albanians," while simultaneously accusing Rama of fabricating artificial tensions solely to fuel his domestic political agenda.

Turning his focus to Albania's integration into the European Union, Dule expressed serious reservations regarding how the current administration manages the accession process. He argued that genuine integration demands strict adherence to European laws and democratic institutions, rather than superficial communication strategies and political spectacles.

Dule warned that continuous delays in critical reforms risk costing Albania yet another vital opportunity on its path to EU membership unless the government makes a serious alignment with European standards.

Video in Albanian with Greek subtitles

This interview on Albania's News24, hosted by Ola Bruko, comes at a critical moment as Greek-Albanian relations dominate the country's public debate. Key issues regarding foreign policy, Albania's European perspective, and the rights of the Greek National Minority remain unresolved and deeply sensitive.

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​HCRI; PBDNJ; NEWS24

(Ελληνικά παρακάτω)

The Hellenic Canadian Research Institute congratulates the DEEEM-OMONOIA on the 35th anniversary of its founding on January 11, 1991, as the political voice of the Greek National Minority in Albania.

For 35 years, under constant persecution and meddling in the affairs of the Greek minority by the Albanian state, the DEEEM-OMONOIA stood firm in its goals, values, and its struggles for a better future. Against all obstacles, the DEEEM-OMONOIA has been firmly oriented to the values of unity and collective action in its defense of the Greek minority's rights in the country.

Since its establishment, Greeks around the world have witnessed the DEEEM-OMONOIA grow from just an idea to a formidable force that brought the voice of the Greek minority not only to the halls of the local governments in southern Albania, but also inside the Albanian Parliament.

The Hellenic Canadian Research Institute stands in solidarity with the DEEEM-OMONOIA and honors alongside you, the founding members, the administrations, the fighters, and every member who stood and stands by DEEEM-OMONOIA all these years.

The Hellenic Canadian Research Institute will do its part to bring the voice of the Greek Minority in Albania to the Greek diaspora in Canada and, when required to do so, to bring your struggles to Ottawa.

Hellenic Canadian Research Institute

Το Ελληνοκαναδικό Ερευνητικό Ινστιτούτο συγχαίρει την ΔΕΕΕΜ-ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑ για την 35η επέτειο από την την ίδρυσή της

​Το Ελληνοκαναδικό Ερευνητικό Ινστιτούτο συγχαίρει την ΔΕΕΕΜ-ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑ για την 35η επέτειο από την ίδρυσή της στις 11 Ιανουαρίου 1991, ως την πολιτική φωνή της Εθνικής Ελληνικής Μειονότητας στην Αλβανία.

Για 35 χρόνια, υπό συνεχή διωγμό και ανάμειξη στις υποθέσεις της Eλληνικής μειονότητας από το Aλβανικό κράτος, η ΔΕΕΕΜ-ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑ στάθηκε ακλόνητη στους στόχους, τις αξίες και τους αγώνες της για ένα καλύτερο μέλλον. Παρά τα εμπόδια, η ΔΕΕΕΜ-ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑ έχει προσανατολιστεί σταθερά στις αξίες της ενότητας και της συλλογικής δράσης για την υπεράσπιση των δικαιωμάτων της Ελληνικής Μειονότητας στη χώρα.

Από την ίδρυσή της, Έλληνες σε όλο τον κόσμο έχουν δει την ΔΕΕΕΜ-ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑ να εξελίσσεται από μια απλή ιδέα σε μια τρομερή δύναμη που έφερε τη φωνή της Ελληνικής μειονότητας όχι μόνο στις αίθουσες των τοπικών αυτοδιοικήσεων στη νότια Αλβανία, αλλά και εντός του Αλβανικού Κοινοβουλίου.

​Το Ελληνοκαναδικό Ερευνητικό Ινστιτούτο εκφράζει την αλληλεγγύη του με την ΔΕΕΕΜ-ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑ και τιμά δίπλα σας τα ιδρυτικά μέλη, τις διοικήσεις, τους αγωνιστές και κάθε μέλος που στάθηκε και στέκεται δίπλα στην ΔΕΕΕΜ-ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑ τόσα χρόνια.

​Το Ελληνοκαναδικό Ερευνητικό Ινστιτούτο θα κάνει το καθήκον του για να φέρει τη φωνή της Ελληνικής Μειονότητας της Αλβανίας εδώ στην ομογένεια του Καναδά και, όταν χρειαστεί, να φέρει και τα ζητήματά σας στην Οτάβα.​

Ελληνοκαναδικό Ερευνητικό Ινστιτούτο

The Himara Chapter of OMONIA strongly denounced the decision made on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, by the Municipal Council of Agioi Saranda (Sarandë), through which the constitutional and property rights of the indigenous Greek residents and owners of Nivitsa (Nivicë) were blatantly violated with the decision to grant 60 hectares of pasture to private interests, to the detriment of local owners.

Aside from the constitutional and property violations, the decision is also completely invalid from a jurisdictional point of view, as the area in question belongs to the Municipality of Himara according to the administrative division approved by the Parliament of Albania. "The Municipal Council of Agioi Saranda exceeded its powers," the announcement states.

The group of municipal councilors of OMONIA, in collaboration with the local community, announced that they will immediately appeal the decision to the authorities, in order to annul the controversial decision and to protect the rights of the residents.

OMONIA considers this decision an act of corruption, which must be punished according to the law.

The issue is expected to once again escalate the tension and reopen the discussion on the properties and rights of the Greek minority in Albania.

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Η ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑ Χιμάρας κατήγγειλε την κατάφωρη παραβίαση των συνταγματικών και περιουσιακών δικαιωμάτων της ελληνικής μειονότητας στη Νίβιτσα, Αλβανίας

Η ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑ Χιμάρας κατήγγειλε με σφοδρότητα την απόφαση της Τρίτης, 29 Ιουλίου 2025, του Δημοτικού Συμβουλίου Αγ. Σαράντα, μέσω της οποίας παραβιάστηκαν κατάφωρα τα συνταγματικά και ιδιοκτησιακά δικαιώματα των αυτοχθόνων κατοίκων και ιδιοκτητών της Νίβιτσας, καθώς εκδόθηκε απόφαση για την παραχώρηση 60 εκταρίων βοσκοτόπου σε ιδιωτικά συμφέροντα, εις βάρος των τοπικών ιδιοκτητών.

Η εν λόγω απόφαση είναι επίσης απολύτως άκυρη από άποψη αρμοδιότητας, καθώς η εν λόγω περιοχή ανήκει στον Δήμο Χιμάρας, σύμφωνα με τη διοικητική διαίρεση που έχει εγκριθεί από το Κοινοβούλιο της Αλβανίας.

Η ομάδα των δημοτικών συμβούλων της ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑΣ, σε συνεργασία με την τοπική κοινότητα, θα αναλάβει κάθε νόμιμη πρωτοβουλία για την ακύρωση της εν λόγω απόφασης, απευθυνόμενη στις αρμόδιες αρχές επιβολής του νόμου.

Η ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑ θεωρεί την απόφαση αυτή ως πράξη διαφθοράς, η οποία πρέπει να τιμωρηθεί σύμφωνα με τον νόμο.

​Το ζήτημα αναμένεται να κλιμακώσει την ένταση και να ανοίξει ξανά τη συζήτηση για τις ιδιοκτησίες και τα δικαιώματα των Ελλήνων της Αλβανίας.