The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania is surprised by the declaration of the Greek MFA on 11th of December 2018.

As a European country, member of the European Convention on Human Rights, Albania recognizes the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg and abides by its decisions.

The right to Property is a constitutional right enjoyed indiscriminately and equally by all citizens, regardless of nationality. Moreover, all citizens have the right to appeal to court instances effectively in case of alleged violations of these rights.

The Albanian MEFA expresses its regret on the statement of the Greek MFA which is based on the distortion of facts. We would like to clarify that the cited Decision of the Council of Ministers has aims the identification of areas of interest for the development of tourism that are under “State Ownership”.

MEFA reiterates that the Albanian state has been and will always be committed to the protection and the respect of minority rights. This commitment is evidenced by our membership in the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities of the Council of Europe, the constitutional guarantees in this area, and the adoption of the specific legislation on the protection of national minorities in the Republic of Albania.

While calling the Greek side for objective reading of the facts and reality, we would like to recall that the rich legal framework, in accordance with European practice, as well as the excellent tradition of social coexistence in Albania, constitute a positive example to be followed in the region.