I. Diplomatic Relations:

Greece is represented in Albania through her Embassy in Tirana, where there is also a Consular Office, a Commercial and Economic Office, a Press Office, a Defence Attaches Office and a Police Liaison Office.

Greece also has two Consulates-General, one in Argirokastro and one in Koritsa.

II. Framework of Treaties:

The main general Agreement between Greece and Albania is the Friendship, Cooperation, Good Neighbourliness and Security Agreement signed on 21st March 1996, (ratified by Law 2568/ Government Gazette A8/13.1.1998).

There is also a wide range of special Agreements in specific sectors.  The main Agreements are as follows: 

• Economic, Industrial, Technical and Scientific Cooperation Agreement (signed in Tirana on 19th November, 1987, ratified by Law 1973/91, Government Gazette 173/A/20.11.1991)
• Agreement on the Mutual Promotion and Protection of Investments (ratified by Law 2069/14.06.1992, and in force since 04.01.1995)
• Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation (ratified by Law 2755/ Government Gazette A 252/ 19.11. 1999)
• Mercantile Marine Agreement (Law 1980/Government Gazette A 186/09.12.1991)
• Agreement on International Road Passenger and Freight Transport (ratified by Law 2649/Government Gazette A 246/03.11.1998)
• Cultural Cooperation Agreement (ratified by Law 2829/Government Gazette A 95/16.03.2000) as well as the Implementing Programme of Cooperation
• Military Cooperation Agreement (ratified by Law 3253/Government Gazette A 133/16.07.2004)
• Agreement on Scholarships to Greek Military Schools (ratified by Law 2634/Government Gazette A 159/10/07/1998)
• Agreement on the Upgrading of Dirrahio Naval Base (ratified by Law 3214/Government Gazette A 310/31.12.2003
• Agreement on the Construction and Functioning of Argirokastro Military Hospital (ratified by Law 3244 Government Gazette A 104/01.06.2004) 
• Police Cooperation Agreement (ratified by Law 2147/ Government Gazette A 96/16.06.1993)
• Legal Aid Agreement (ratified by Law 2311/ Government Gazette A 119/ 19.06.1995
• Agreement on the Execution of Legal Rulings (ratified by Law 2313/ Government Gazette A 121/ 19.06.1995
• Memorandum of co-operation of surveillance of the sea borderline between Greece and Albania was signed by the General Secretary of Ministry of Merchant Marine Mr. Ioannis Joannou and Deputy Minister of Interior of Albania Mr.Gergi Leza (19.12.1005). The memorandum foresees the co-operation of the Greek Coast guards and the border police of the Albanian Ministry of Interior for the more successful surveillance of coastal waters

III. Political Relations:

Albania is an important partner in the region and the two countries cooperate closely in many sectors.  The main institutional basis of this cooperation is the Agreement on Friendship, Cooperation, Good Neighbourliness and Security (see above note on Framework of Treaties), which established a new institutional basis for relations between the two countries, sweeping aside any problems still pending from the past.

Greece steadfastly supports Albanias efforts to move closer to the European Union and NATO, and as such assists wherever possible in the reforms that Albania must implement to this end.  The Stability and Association Agreement constitutes the most appropriate framework for these reforms, and for bringing Albania closer to the Euro-Atlantic institutions. As part of her support for Albania, Greece is participating in the European Police Assistance Mission, and the Customs Assistance Mission. She also provides economic and development aid (see point IV below) in a number of sectors (Greece has inter alia constructed the Argirokastro military hospital which operates at her expense), at the same time seeking to enhance bilateral cooperation on many fronts.

Official Visits:

- Last year the following high-level visits to Albania also took place:

• Minister for Public Order,  G. Voulgarakis (14th April 2004)
• Minister of Defence, S. Spiliotopoulos (8th-9th July 2004), during which a Protocol of Cooperation on issues related to Army Engineering was signed, and the Argirokastro Military Hospital built by Greece was inaugurated.
• Deputy Minister for Culture, Mr. Tatoulis, to participate in the Inter-Balkans Summit on Inter-Ethnic and Inter-Religious Dialogue (9th-10th December, 2004)
• Secretary-General of the Ministry for Mercantile Marine, Mr. Tsoannos (24th-25th August 2004 and 15th 19th December 2004), with discussions on the management of sea borders and the renewal of the Protocol of Cooperation on Joint Sea Border Patrols

Albanian officials also paid a series of visits to Greece in 2004, such as:

• Prime Minister Nano to attend the Economist Conference (4th 8th May 2004), during which he met with Prime Minister K. Karamanlis, the Speaker of the House, Mrs. A. Psarouda-Benaki, and the Minister for Employment, Mr. Panagiotopoulos;
• Minister for Public Order, I. Toska (24th-27th April)
• Minister for the Economy, A. Angeli (13th-14th June 2004)
• Minister for Foreign Affairs, K. Islami (16th-17th September 2004)
• Minister of Defence, P. Majko (22nd October 2004 to Kastoria) for a tri-partite meeting of the Defence Ministers of Greece, Albania and FYROM
• Minister of Education, L. Memushi (8th 10th December, 2004)

• Meeting of the Albanian Prime Minister Mr. Sali Berisa with Greek Prime Minister Mr. Kostas Karamanlis and Foreign Minister Mr. Petros Molyviatis in Athens (22.12.2005)

IV. Economic Relations:

Greece is Albanias second largest trading partner, with Greek products accounting for some 21% of Albanian imports, and 12% of Albanian exports coming to Greece. She is also the main foreign investor in Albania, with more than 400 million dollars invested.  

In the investment sector, there is an ever-increasing interest by Greek investing companies in Albania despite a number of lingering issues mainly related with bureaucratic red tape.

The main investment sectors are as follows:

• Mobile telephony
• Banking (The National Bank of Greece, Alpha Bank, the Commercial Bank and Tirana Bank, a subsidiary of Piraeus Bank, have branches there)
• Oil and petroleum products
• Construction and foodstuffs.

Greece is the fourth largest donor country, having provided aid amounting to 73.8 million euros.

1.      Concert by the Hellenic Quartet in Tirana and Koritsa (April 2004, as part of the cultural institution Allegretto Albania, in which Italy, Austria, Germany, Spain and the USA also take part).

2.      An Evening of Opera with the famous Albanian soprano Inva Mula, accompanied by the Hellenic Youth Quartet (October 2004, on the occasion of the visit by the President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. K. Stephanopoulos)

3.       Concert with the Greek Melos Brass group and soprano Maria Milolidaki (November 2004)

During the first six months of 2005 the following events were held:

1.      Classical concert with musicians from the Athens State Orchestra in Tirana and Argirokastro (April 2005, as part of the Allegretto Albania)

2.       Lecture on Ancient Greek literature with Albanian and Greek Professors.(May 2005)

VI. The Greek Community:

There is an indigenous ethnic Greek minority in Albania dating back to the 7th century B.C., concentrated mainly around Argirokastro, Agioi Saranta and Himarra, but also throughout the whole of Albania. Culturally speaking, it is mainly represented through the Omonia organisation.  Unfortunately there are no reliable statistics on the actual size of the minority, since no official census with ethnic criteria has been conducted to date, although this is one of the commitments to the European Union.  According to data presented at the 1919 Paris Conference, the ethnic Greek minority numbered 120.000.  The last census under the Communist regime in 1989 cites only 60.000, although the total population of Albania had tripled in the meantime. The 2001 census did not cover the ethnic Greek minority as there was no question on ethnic origin.

VII. Embassy details