Albanian authorities confiscate books destined for Greek ethnic minority

With a formal announcement, OMONIA condemns the actions of Albanian customs and police authorities to confiscate - and then raise a charge for their content - books under the responsibility of the President of Mr. Panagiotis Barkas were transferred to enrich the Library of the Greek Department Language, Literature and Hellenic Culture at the University of Gjirokastra.

These are donations from various university faculties and institutions from Greece as part of a grant for the Department. UEMMONIA SA asserts that "the titles that have been confiscated have nothing short of or dangerous for the Albanian nation, territorial integrity or even peaceful coexistence among the peoples as the police authorities claim with the relevant confiscation protocol and the Media Mass Media that reproduce the relevant information ".

"These actions constitute an act of state intervention for the manipulation of the Greek National Minorities and constitute a brutal and overtly violated right to use the Greek language in free education and especially in the rights of communication with Greece".

"For the most part, they leave the Albanian state exposed in terms of its more general commitments to EU principles and are enshrined in UNESCO conventions on the free movement of written material with copyright and ideas".

In her announcement, IOMONIA urges the President of the Department, Mr Barka, to make all legal means of condemning the campaign of intimidation and oppression of academic freedom.