Omonia protests against banning of Greek TV stations in Albania, while in Southern continue violation of Byzantine churches.

Photo: The Orhodox Byzantine Monastir of Zvernetsi
Thursday, 18 October 2007

Omonia, the organization of the Greek minority in Albania, voiced criticism against the Albanian Government for shutting down of transmitting antennas of five Greek TV stations in southern Albania.

Omonia raised accusations that the Greek-language TV programs watched by the Greek minority have been shut down on purpose. The Albanian Government's move was condemned also by the Mayor of Girocastro and the other local authorities in the region. According to them, the Government suspends the right of Greeks to watch TV programmes on their mother tongue.

The Albanian Broadcasting Council set out a country-wide action for shutting down the TV stations that lack a proper broadcasting license. The Council announced that except for those in south Albania, a number of other TV stations in central part of the country have been closed.

In Addition of anti hellenisation process, a numerous orthodox Byzantine churches has been target by “as usually unknown persons”. The Old Byzantine Churche of Zvernetsi, part of Monastery in North of Vlora Region, where live a large Greek community (not known officially from Albanian authorities) has been violated.