ABTTF President: “The statement made by Dendias, which does not respect the diversity in our country and threatens to block the EU accession process of neighbouring Albania, does not suit our country, an old member of the EU built on democracy, human rights, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms’’.
Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias pursued Greece’s policy of denial on human rights violations, speaking at a joint press conference following his meeting with Albanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Olta Xhaçka in Tirana on 23 May 2022.
According to the news report by Gündem newspaper, when Xhaçka raised the human rights issue of Cham Albanians, Dendias said that there is no such problem for Greece, and that they perceive the Greek national minority living in Albania and the Albanian community living in Greece as a bridge between the two countries.
“In his latest statement, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dendias once again claimed that our country’s human rights record is flawless. Furthermore, instead of facing reality, Dendias walked softly and carried a big stick, implying that Greece would block Albania’s accession to the European Union (EU) if the Cham Albanian community expressed its issues. This latest statement is a projection of our country’s characteristic official policy of denying human rights violations, especially against minorities. The statement made by Dendias, which does not respect the diversity in our country and threatens to block the EU accession process of neighbouring Albania, does not suit our country, an old member of the EU built on democracy, human rights, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms’’, said Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF).
