Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-000340/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Nikolaos Anadiotis (NI)
The three recent Albanian Government decrees (Këshillit të Ministrave, 26/12/2024) on the application of Law 96/2017 “On the protection of national minorities”[1] constitute significant obstacles to the recognition of the Greek minority.
The Albanian Government is essentially cancelling the right to self-determination and discouraging the registration of minorities. Specifically, it sets and imposes criteria and procedures (note the term “claims”, instead of “feels”); audit committees do not ensure that the nationality request is fully accepted, due to the absence of documents of origin from 2010; there is reference to data concerning the arbitrary and illegal registration of thousands of Greeks as being Albanian nationals, either from the formation of Albania (1913) or previously denounced censuses; the pyramid of approval up to ministerial level is time consuming; and the examining committee comprises first and foremost institutional agents, raising reasonable concerns about a lack of transparency.
Since these practices violate the European Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities,
- 1.What actions does the Commission intend to take to ensure that Albania complies with its international obligations regarding respect for the right to self-determination?
- 2.Will the Commission link Albania’s development and progress in the accession negotiations – and the whole process – with requiring immediate reform of these practices?
Submitted: 27.1.2025
- [1] https://www.kryeministria.al/newsroom/vendime-te-miratuara-ne-mbledhjen-e-keshillit-te-ministrave-date-26-dhjetor-2024/.