Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama speaks during a meeting with his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis at Maximos Mansion in Athens, Wednesday. [Petros Giannakouris/AP Photo]
Albania’s long-running property disputes stem from systemic historical issues rather than discrimination against ethnic Greeks, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has told the first day of the Delphi Economic Forum.
In a conversation with Kathimerini Executive Editor Alexis Papachelas, Rama explained that after five decades under a communist regime with no private ownership, Albania faced overlapping claims when property rights were reintroduced in the 1990s.
Initial laws granted land-use rights to agricultural workers while restitution claims from older owners remained unresolved. A third layer emerged as informal construction spread, later requiring legalization.
He said successive governments have spent the past decade attempting to resolve these complexities through reforms, including the digitization of records.
Addressing concerns about the Greek minority, Rama insisted property issues affect all citizens equally. He stressed that ethnic Greeks are valued as both citizens and a “cultural treasure,” rejecting claims of unequal treatment.
Rama also praised Kyriakos Mitsotakis for advocating on minority issues, calling it legitimate while emphasizing the importance of strong bilateral relations.
Addressing the case of Fredi Beleri, Rama described the episode as “unfortunate” but argued it should be viewed within wider systemic challenges in Albania’s justice system.
Beleri, an ethnic Greek politician, was arrested on vote-buying charges before taking office as mayor of Himare and has since been elected to the European Parliament. Rama said the outcome had ultimately been positive for Beleri, noting that many other local officials facing pre-trial detention remain in prison.
He pointed to a broader pattern following Albania’s judicial reforms, highlighting the extensive use of pre-trial detention. According to Rama, around 58% of inmates in Albania have not yet been tried, citing even cases involving officials from his own party.
“I’m not proud of that, but [we have an] independent judiciary now, and we have to deal with it,” he said.
Rama also said that he hopes his country and Greece will reach a settlement on the delineation of their respective exclusive economic zones before in the International Court of Justice by the year’s end.
The five pillars of the 11th Delphi Economic Forum, which is taking place at the ancient town in central Greece, are geopolitics, the planet, sustainable economy and finance, the future, and people.
The event concludes on Saturday. For more, visit def-xi.delphiforum.gr.