by Teuta Ilire Reka. Translation Petrit Latifi

The extremist actions of Constantine Katsifas and other Greek extremist groups find inspiration in the threatening statements against Albania of Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos, Defense Minister Panos Kamennos, and members of the Greek Parliament, who do this whenever they are given the opportunity to make threatening speeches about the annexation of southern Albania.

The issue of Katsifas’ actions is precisely related to the unreserved support that the Greek state gives to Greek extremist elements against Albanians and people of different faiths. Read the frequent statements of the senior leaders of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Greece.

Greece finances and encourages this discriminatory policy against Albanians everywhere, in school textbooks, in military parades, and even in Orthodox church services. It is not the Greek people who encourage it, but it is the state institutions of Greece that educate and encourage the fake Greek people against Albanians.

Furthermore, the Greek media under the leadership of the Ministry of Information and Propaganda give a different direction to any event related to Albania and Albanians. About 90% of Greek journalists are part of the incitement of hatred of Greeks towards Albanians. Kostandinos Katsifas belongs to the secret police and army group for the Autonomy of Northern Epirus, i.e. the annexation of southern Albania by attaching it to Greece.

The first act in which he appeared in a military uniform with the motto for “Autonomy of Northern Epirus” belongs to 2014, i.e. on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the annexation of southern Albania. Katsifas together with four members of the special military forces were photographed in the military department in Goumenitsa with the slogan “Autonomy for Northern Epirus 1914-2014”.

This group was trained and led by the Greek special forces officer G.V., another member was F.B. In 2016, this group was seen in southern Albania checking the terrain. Their commander G.V. was photographed at a monument to the martyrs of the Albanian partisans, giving three fingers in salute, a sign used by Serbian Chetniks.

Further, this group trained in the field in Gumenica wearing military uniforms of the special forces and official Greeks with the flag of Autonomy. Konstantin Katsifas was also a supporter of the security group of the Nazi party “Golden Dawn”, as well as a supporter of the paramilitary group grouped in the “Holy Legions 2012”.

For all these actions, Katsifas and the group he was part of had the official support of Greece. Greece is a small country, with an equal population in the Balkans with Albanians. The 21st century is showing that the population in Greece is shrinking and it is not in vain that about 100 thousand Albanians have gained Greek citizenship.

The Greeks have been afraid for 70 years for the return of Albanian property from Chameria. The Law of War, which stands like a machete over the heads of Albanians and like a black cloud in Greek-Albanian relations, is the most absurd act in the democratic world, NATO and the EU.

Therefore, a peaceful solution to the Cham Issue, where the Greek state would first lift the Law of War with Albania, would allow the Chams in organized groups to visit the graves of their ancestors, the half-ruined houses, would be the main steps that would positively affect the psychology of trust between the two peoples. These actions are not impossible, if indeed the political class of the two countries has a desire for peace and friendship by telling and defending the truth.