Greece’s Foreign Ministry strongly rejected claims by Albanian officials on Monday that the issue of Cham Albanians is being discussed between Greece and Albania as part of the bilateral talks to resolve open issues between the two countries.
“We categorically refute statements by Albanian officials on the alleged inclusion of the ‘Cham’ issue in the talks between Greece and Albania. Besides, the willingness of the Albanian side to include it is one thing, and being actually accepted for discussion is quite another,” the foreign ministry said.
“We call on the Albanian side not to raise issues that are that oppose the frank and constructive dialogue in progress. A dialogue that helps, thanks to the efforts of both sides, to significantly improve the climate in Greek-Albanian relations that has already yielded results, for the mutual benefit of both countries and their citizens,” it added.
The Cham community is an Albanian speaking and Muslim minority, that was expelled from the region of Epirus in northwestern Greece during the WW II after Athens claimed they had collaborated with the Nazis who had occupied Greece.
