Apr 15, 2005

Greek Minority in Albania: European Parliament Called Tirana to Respect Minority Rights


The European Parliament plenary session adopted a resolution on the reconstruction of Western Balkans underlining the fact that the region of Western Balkans is a high priority for the European Union.
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The European Parliament plenary session adopted a resolution on the reconstruction of Western Balkans underlining the fact that the region of Western Balkans is a high priority for the European Union.

At the same time, it voted down the amendments urging the Council to recognize FYROM under its constitutional name (139 in favor, 398 against and 26 abstentions).

In the debate ahead of the vote, Greek Euro-deputies Giorgos Papastamkos (New Democracy) and Panagiotis Beglitis (PASOK) had called for the European Parliament's caution on the specific issue underlining the need to display a minimum of institutional and political responsibility by rejecting an initiative that is against any sense of community solidarity.

On Western Balkans, the European Parliament plenary session concluded, by adopting a relevant resolution, that the European integration is the region's future, pointing out that this depends to great extent on the region's countries themselves.

Regarding Albania, the European Parliament points out that Albania's European prospect and the progress in negotiations on the stabilization agreement and the association with the EU is closely linked with the respect of minority rights.

Specifically, Tirana is called to respect the ethnic Greek minority rights. At the same time, the European Parliament expresses concern because the political climate in Albania is problematic with tensions inside the ruling party.

Source: Macedonian Press Agency