Greek Border Guards Block Albanian Journalists, Sparking Diplomatic Row
In an escalating diplomatic incident, Greek border guards blocked Albanian journalists and television crews attempting to enter Greece, halting their journey to cover Prime Minister Edi Rama’s diaspora rally in Thessaloniki. The media teams, representing major outlets Klann and CNN affiliate A2, were trapped in a tense standoff at the Kapshtice border crossing.
“We’ve been stranded here for three hours,” a visibly frustrated journalist told Euractiv. Crews faced unprecedented demands for special permits for their broadcasting equipment. The situation was particularly puzzling because these journalists had crossed freely with identical equipment months before.
The standoff intensified when Greek police confiscated the journalists’ passports, only returning them at 17:05 CET. A2 journalist Fjorela Beleshi, broadcasting live from the border, emphasised the unusual nature of the situation: “When we were in Greece in May with operators and cameras, we weren’t stopped or asked for authorisation. Private media doesn’t need Ministry approval if they have standard documentation.”
Political Tensions Simmer as Far-Right Groups Threaten Protests
The border incident is just the tip of a giant political tension surrounding Rama’s visit. His planned address to Greece’s substantial Albanian community – around 500,000 – has ignited controversy. The far-right National Front has emerged as a particularly vocal opponent, mobilising protests against the Albanian leader’s presence.
The main focus of their opposition is the controversial case of Fredi Beleri, an ethnic Greek politician from Albania whose imprisonment has sparked tensions in bilateral relations. Beleri’s arrest and subsequent one-year sentence for vote buying in Himara municipality have sparked outrage in Greece, notably after he won the election as a Greek MEP while in custody.
The National Front’s scathing press release declared: “Declaring pride for Albania and the Albanians living in Greece, Edi Rama comes again with the government’s permission to organise a rally in Thessaloniki… His politics and those who support him are undesirable.”
A History of Diplomatic Friction
The relationship hit a low point in 2022 when Rama claimed in an explosive Euractiv interview that Greece had “cheated” during its EU membership process. The comment sparked a diplomatic crisis ahead of the Western Balkan Summit, forcing Rama to formally apologise to Mitsotakis.
The situation grew more heated when they pelted him. with eggs during a recent MEP delegation visit to Tirana. Meanwhile, Rama’s previous diaspora rally in Athens last May, following similar gatherings with Albanian-Americans in New York, was openly dismissed as “superfluous” by Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis.
As tensions continue to mount in the region, the incident in which Greek border guards blocked Albanian journalists raises severe questions about press freedom and the future of Greek-Albanian relations. The silence from both governments—neither Athens nor Tirana has officially commented on the border detention—speaks volumes about the delicate nature of current diplomatic ties.
