Is the mistreatment of the Greek minority by Albania going to affect the agreement?

Albanian Foreign Minister, Ditmir Bushati has spoken for the first time on Monday evening about the technical details of the maritime agreement reached with neighbouring Greece.

Mr. Bushati published the maps that show the division of the sea border.

Nevertheless, Bushati said that there is still no official agreement.

“The maritime agreement is an issue under discussion”, adding: “We are negotiating the full package which would solve this issue once and for all”.

Contrary to the information so far, Bushati denied any involvement by Turkey in this issue, by saying that there have never been any talks with Turkey regarding this agreement, while adding that the clash between Greece and Turkey concerns the islands on the Aegean Sea.

He added, however, that to reach such agreement, “consultations will certainly take place with countries which have an experience in this field”.

“Greece has realized that time has come for such agreement”, he stated.

In a televised interview for Vizion+, minister Bushati compared the maritime maps which belong to the agreement reached with Greece in 2009 and the one being discussed today.

“In the 2009 agreement, no straight line has been used, but only a middle line. Given Greece’s and Albania’s geographical position, this is impossible. Section 139 of the agreement shows the possibility of the internal sea in line with the principle of equidistance. According to this principle, the line that limits the sides is equidistant. Technically, we’re referring to the same principles that guide the 2009 agreement. If 2400 square meters are taken either from us, or from Greece, then we may end up on the back of each other”.

Meanwhile, the Albanian president has announced that he will not decree the agreement reached between the Albanian and Greek governments without the formation of the Constitutional Court first.

Foreign Minister Bushati says that there’s no such obstacle. “According to all legal norms that govern international agreements, the agreement goes to Parliament for approval once the Constitutional Court has had its say”, Bushati said, implying that the president is only entitled to decree the agreement once these steps are taken.

The Constitutional Court in Albania has not been formed again since the majority of its members were impeached by the vetting process that is taking place in the justice system.

Authorities are hoping that this court will be up and running again next spring and in summer, it may deliberate the cases it has received.

Source: balkaneu