Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama addressed about 2,000 supporters in Thessaloniki on Sunday, November 3, 2024, describing the term “Northern Epirus” as “dead.” “Anyone using this term is willfully ignoring reality,” he stated, reiterating this position during a press conference with Greek media. Supporters waved Albanian flags, and live music accompanied the event.
Greek diplomatic sources responded to Rama’s remarks, stating that “history cannot be erased and sustains the demand for full respect of the rights of the Greek ethnic minority in Albania.” They added, “This remains an explicit condition for Albania’s EU accession process, as per the unanimous stance of the 27 EU member states on October 11, 2024.”
Northern Epirus is a region in southern Albania bordering Greece, inhabited by an indigenous Greek minority
In his speech, E. Rama stated that Albania’s goal is to join the European Union by 2030.
Rama highlighted that relations with Greece are strong and downplayed recent tensions between the two countries, including the imprisonment of Freddy Beleri, a mayoral candidate from Albania’s Greek-speaking minority and a New Democracy MEP, on charges of electoral corruption. Beleri was recently released from prison.
