Pavlopoulos: Greek state ready to support Hellenism of Albania

"The Greek state is ready to support any action for the prosperity of the Hellenism of Albania, by whose side it will continue to stand in the future," President of Republic Prokopios Pavlopoulos said on Saturday in his address, which was sent to the Greek Embassy in Tirana, for the 29th Anniversary of the "DEEMEM-OMONIA" organisation and will be read at the event by Ambassador Sofia Filipidou.

As Pavlopoulos noted, "Over the years, OMONIA, often under extremely adverse conditions, has been able to adequately represent the Hellenism of Albania, fighting for the defence of its inalienable fundamental rights."

At the same time, he stressed that today, the protection of minority and property rights of the Greek National Minority is an integral part of the conditions that the EU itself has set in Albania in relation to its European course and underlined that "Greece is closely watching the issue and shall take appropriate steps to safeguard the rights of the members of the Greek National Minority."

"Your own actions are also crucial in meeting the challenges you are facing," he said and added: "The effectiveness of your efforts, of course, requires consensus, understanding, as well as coordination of actions which, at least in some cases, were missing in previous years."

He also expressed his confidence that everyone is aware of the importance and urgency of the restoration of conditions of unity within the Greek National Minority in Albania, and that they will do what it must be done especially under the current circumstances.