TIRANA, NEW CRASH WITH ATHENS

The new scenario risk to come back 15 years ago when the leader of the Greek Ethnic Minority was condemned by albanian tribunal

March 15, a protests in Athens will joint the northern epirotean association in Greece in an extraordinary meeting on the situation of Greeks in Albania, while just this day in Tirana the Albanian opposition will protest against Berisha government for the anniversary of "Gerdec blast".

Meanwhile the Greek American lobby has prepared a great protest to U.S. Department which must take powerfully consideration of the detention of Greek leader from the regime of Sali Berisha to discriminate the population of northern epirioteas in Albania.

A week ago, Deputy Greek Foreign Minister Varvitsiotis called Tirana to take measures for the problem of the rights of Greeks in Albania including properties. The case of Vassilis Bollanos can not stand indiferent by Athens, which some weeks ago approved for Albania the agreement to join NATO organisation, but without respects of the human rights of the Greeks in Albania the agreement could be considered failed.

15 years ago the regime of Sali Berisha, has influenced to the Tribunal to condemn 5 members of the Greek organization "Omonia" including its leader, which resulted to create a serious crisis beetween Greece and Albanian . Actually the scenario brings again to condemn and persecute the personalities of the Greek minority in Albania, which risks of blocking of Albania's perspective to the organization of NATO next summit in April.

Against the Greek ethnic minority Tirana continues to have pressure for assimilation by Albanians following the publication of the last census population by Tirana a month ago. According to recent statistics that the Greek minority in Albania compost only 1% percent of 4.2 million of Albanian population. Sources from the Greek American lobby said for the number of the Greek population in Albania is more 700 thousand people called northern epirioteas.

see also: http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/country,,HRW,COUNTRYREP,ALB,4562d8b62,3ae6a7e58,0.html