By Tirana Time staff
KORÇA, Albania ,Tirana Times, July 9 , 2025 — Greece inaugurated a new building for its Consulate General in the southeastern Albanian city of Korça on Sunday, in a ceremony that highlighted the deepening diplomatic ties between the two neighboring countries and renewed Athens’ focus on protecting its ethnic minority in Albania.
The event was attended by Albanian Foreign Minister Igli Hasani and his Greek counterpart Georgios Gerapetritis, alongside local officials, foreign diplomats, and Member of the European Parliament Fredi Beleri — the former mayor of Himara who remains a controversial figure following his recent conviction for electoral fraud.
Greek Foreign Minister Gerapetritis used the occasion to reflect on the historical and cultural bonds between the two nations. He noted that the new consulate is housed in the former residence of Nobel laureate poet Giorgos Seferis, who served as Greece’s first consul in Korça in the 1930s and drew literary inspiration from the city.
“This building, once the home of Seferis, is now a place where our presence will be strengthened and digitized to better serve the Greek community,” Gerapetritis said. He also emphasized that educational institutions such as the Omiros School and the Platon High School would continue to receive support from the Greek state as part of ongoing efforts to preserve cultural heritage.
In a pointed message, Gerapetritis reiterated Greece’s firm stance on the rights of the Greek minority in Albania, calling them “a bridge of understanding” between the two nations. “We will not take a step back when it comes to the rights of the Greek minority. They are what unite us,” he stated.
While underscoring Greece’s commitment to regional and bilateral stability, Gerapetritis also remarked that “border change narratives belong to the past” — a likely reference to historical tensions in the Balkans.
Foreign Minister Hasani praised the opening of the new consulate as “a concrete step in strengthening Greece’s consular presence in Albania,” describing it as a symbol of mutual commitment to “an open and constructive relationship based on respect and regular dialogue.”
“This moment is important for our strategic partnership as neighbors and NATO allies, especially in a region that demands long-term stability and coordination,” Hasani said, highlighting Greece’s continued support for Albania’s European Union integration process.
He added that good neighborly relations and consistent dialogue are essential for building lasting trust and addressing shared challenges. “Greece has been and remains a crucial partner for Albania — not only because of our shared history and strong ties, but also due to the real opportunities we have to build a sustainable future for our citizens,” Hasani said.
“This is an important event for the city of Korça and for Albania,” said Albert Rakipi, head of the Albanian Institute for International Studies. “The Greek consulate here was established just a few years after Albania was recognized as an independent state, giving it historical significance. Beyond providing consular services for citizens, the consulate is a diplomatic institution that strengthens Albania’s international relations and links Korça and Albania with the West — particularly with Greece, a friendly country of major importance for Albania.”
“It is wonderful to reflect on the fact that this beautifully restored building once housed Greek Consul Giorgos Seferis — a luminous and profound poet of Greece,” said Jerina Zaloshnja, director of the Tirana Times Publishing House, who was present at the ceremony.
“I was delighted to see, on the day of the consulate’s inauguration, the newly published book by Seferis, Legend,” Zaloshnja added. The idea and presentation of this special poetry edition were initiated by her and the Greek Ambassador to Albania, Konstantina Kamitsi. “She is a truly gifted diplomat,” Zaloshnja said. “And she is not being diplomatic when she says how deeply she loves Albania.”“Perhaps the example of Seferis as a diplomat could inspire the bureaucrats of our own foreign service — which Faik Konica once sarcastically referred to as the “Binaja e Puneve per jashte” ‘Ministry of External Affairs’ — to appoint as diplomats not only well-educated individuals, but above all those who deeply love their country,” Zaloshnja concluded.
The consulate building, a restored historical residence, represents a significant cultural and diplomatic investment by Greece in southern Albania. The event, rich in symbolism, reflected both the shared heritage and the lingering tensions that continue to shape Greek-Albanian relations — from minority rights and EU integration to longstanding disputes over borders and elections.
Despite periods of tension and rapprochement over the past three decades — often shaped by historical paradoxes and myths,— Greek-Albanian relations remain among the most important pillars of Albania’s foreign policy. Both countries are NATO members, and Greece has consistently and enthusiastically supported Albania’s European Union integration.
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