Spahiu discusses Albania's census, legal system

08/08/2011

Concern is high as a wave of Albanians file forms changing their ethnicity to Greek ahead of the October census.

By Linda Karadaku for Southeast European Times in Tirana

Deputy Chairman of the Albanian High Council of Justice Kreshnik Spahiu. [Albert Myftaraj/SETimes]

"Going Greek" in Albania reportedly is worth a monthly pension of 400 euros. As thousands of Albanians flock to change their ethnicity, Deputy Chairman of the Albanian High Council of Justice Kreshnik Spahiu says the trend could be detrimental to the upcoming census in Albania.

Spahiu discusses his views on the situation in an exclusive interview with SETimes correspondent Linda Karadaku.

SETimes: You have strongly opposed the change of ethnicity of Albanian citizens in domestic courts for the sake of Greek financial benefits. Do you have accurate figures on the number of Albanians who have changed nationality?

Kreshnik Spahiu: In an inspection done by the High Council of Justice on the decisions related to the change of nationality by the courts, preliminary figures show about 4,000 citizens who have changed nationality based on judicial decisions since 2003. However, a much higher number, some hundreds and thousands of others, have changed nationality based on administrative proceedings in the civil registry offices.

What I want to emphasise at this point is the fact that most of changes of nationality have not taken place based on judicial decisions or in a judicial way, because this has been the hardest way. The changes initially occurred in an administrative way, intervening in an illegal way in the civil registry.

SETimes: Which areas of Albania have been the most problematic?

Spahiu: Most cases are in courts in southern Albania, bordering Greece, such as Saranda, Gjirokastra, Tepelena, and Korca. In about 99% of cases, even those in courts that are not on the southern border, nationality has been changed from Albanian to Greek.

SETimes: Is the justice system part of the problem? Are Albanian laws part of the problem?

Spahiu: The judicial system certainly has its share of guilt, but legislation in this regard has been problematic and difficult to interpret, especially with the inclusion of ethnicity as a component of the civil registry in 2002. Until then it was not so.

SETimes: You have also objected to the census on ethnic and religious basis. What are your arguments against this kind of census and what might be the consequences for Albania?

Spahiu: There is no reason to have a census based on religion in a state which is neutral in religious matters, such as the Albanian state. We seek to protect registration on objective criteria, legal order and national security, [to protect] the truth from purchase, forgery and abuse, and the dignity of the Albanian citizens forced by circumstances to change nationality.

What is endangered is not only truth, but also national identity and peaceful coexistence between religious communities and minorities and ethnic minorities...................