Greece’s foreign minister on Wednesday warned Albania that respect for the property rights of the Greek minority is a key condition for its progress toward European Union membership, amid tensions over development plans along the Albanian coast.
Speaking in Parliament, Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis said Athens was closely monitoring developments amid ongoing protests over a controversial investment project on the Adriatic coast, north of Vlore. The project, backed by a company linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, has fueled a wider protest movement over alleged government corruption and intensified concerns among members of the Greek minority over property rights, further straining relations between Athens and Tirana.
“We are fully vigilant,” Gerapetritis said, adding that he had raised the issue with his Albanian counterpart and stressed that Albania’s EU accession process could not advance without full respect for minority property rights.
Greece, he said, has a historical, national and geopolitical interest in the integration of the Western Balkans into the EU and plays a key role in the process.
Gerapetritis also emphasized that Albania’s European path requires full compliance with international law, particularly maritime law.
