Περίληψη
The history of the Epirot Greeks resident in the Albanian state is fundamentally linked to the creation of the said state and the Epirots' initial armed opposition to its creation. The development of the issue is affected by key events and the policies of the Great Powers vis a vis Albania, during the 20th century. The death of Enver Hotza, is the starting point for this work. The systematic deciphering of a policy of controlling the attitudes of members of the Greek minority is seen as synonymous to controlling their use of time and their traditions. The Albanian Labor Party is all-powerful and makes its presence felt in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life within the country, even in interpersonal relationships. For their part, the Greeks of Albania are subjected to constant state pressure, aimed at reconfiguring the elements that comprise their national identity, but al ...
The history of the Epirot Greeks resident in the Albanian state is fundamentally linked to the creation of the said state and the Epirots' initial armed opposition to its creation. The development of the issue is affected by key events and the policies of the Great Powers vis a vis Albania, during the 20th century. The death of Enver Hotza, is the starting point for this work. The systematic deciphering of a policy of controlling the attitudes of members of the Greek minority is seen as synonymous to controlling their use of time and their traditions. The Albanian Labor Party is all-powerful and makes its presence felt in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life within the country, even in interpersonal relationships. For their part, the Greeks of Albania are subjected to constant state pressure, aimed at reconfiguring the elements that comprise their national identity, but also at reducing their numbers. The ultimate goal is the assimilation of the Greek minority and the "manufacturing of obedient citizens". Within the Greek minority, there exists a clear distinction between those who cooperate with the regime and those who are referred to as "kulaks". Among them is the "middle class" which comprises the critical mass necessary to operate the system of discrimination and to draw prospective members of the first two groups. In the period studied, the regime is clearly ailing, politically and economically. The country collects foreign currency and by "exchange" elements of the reality of everyday life are relayed - through tourism - abroad. Many people attempt illegal escapes from the country, endangering their lives and with stark consequences for their relatives. Much of the image created of the Alia regime abroad was constructed around the so-called "Albanian model". However, in reality, work is not a right for all, adequate food supplies do not exist, production does not conform to "plans", corruption and fraud are not unknown, the income of the nomenclature differ far exceeds that of ordinary workers and education is neither free, nor public. The regime collapsed after the dramatic changes that transpired in Eastern Europe. It is compelled to make reforms that are conservative and intended only to curb pressures within society. Eventually, developments lead to the institution of multi - party politics. The transition to the parliamentary system permits or leads to the founding of the Greek political organization "Omonoia". During this time, the Epirotic issue has one more returned to the fore, through the highlighting of human rights abuses. The two major national issues of Greece (Epirus - Cyprus) are seen in the context of political conflicts within Greece; although the Junta of 1967 unconditionally restored Greek-Albanian relations, the political landscape after the return to Democracy in 1974 is inimical to anything that is at even indirectly critical to a regime of the Eastern Bloc. Finally, the abuses of human rights within Albania will become widely known and will compel the Greek political landscape to take a stand.
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