MP LAOS Ioannis Korantis: The Constitutional Court of Albania completely removes the term "nationality"

GREEK PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION: Ref 2490/8-12-2011

To: Foreign Minister Stavros Dimas Topic: The Constitutional Court of Albania completely removes the term "nationality"

As broadcasts from Tirana, the Albanian Constitutional Court, in a decision, completely abolished the term "nationality" or the term "according to the nationality of the parents' of the civil status acts. The Court held that these terms as defined in the relevant articles of the Civil Code, violate the principle of legal certainty and is contrary to the Constitution. Therefore the document "On civil status" that will issue the relevant Services will refer only to nationality, name and place of origin.

This development affects directly the Greek National Minority in Northern Epirus, depriving the Greeks the right to self-determination and therefore removing the Greek Minority, can prove or claim the credit.

Given that this decision adds to a long series of actions of the Albanian state and political institutions that aim to eliminate the Greek Minority, what steps it intends to take to reverse this negative trend? Will especially beyond the bilateral representations to Tirana to refer the matter, including the Commission on Human Rights, UN, EU and Council of Europe?

Joannis Korantis