
At other times, we would be one step away from war. If this does not happen, it is only because the Albanians are the least aggressive and least nationalistic people in the entire Balkans, and perhaps the most immune in terms of ethnic sparks within their territory.
But the electoral campaign of the right coalition "Bashke Fitomen" and its candidate for mayor in Himare, and above all the aggressive statements of the Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis and his foreign minister Dendias, have created what is much more than a very incident heavy diplomatic between the two neighboring countries.
One may wonder why Albanian political parties decide to raise their electoral campaign with content related to a foreign country. And, for this reason, they threaten their fellow citizens with revenge that that foreign government would implement (according to the alleged accusation of withdrawing documents from Albanian immigrants if they do not vote for them).
To suspect that they have taken something from Athens and are acting in her name (as the Italian politician Giulio Andreotti used to say) is perhaps a sin, but it may be true.
Greece has been fomenting for decades (starting in the early 90s with the creation of the Omonia association) a territorial dispute over Himara and using means such as economic subsidies and the attribution of its documents to the inhabitants of Himara, in fueling an issue that is national in in fact, that of solving the property problem.
And the severe reaction to the arrest of Fredi Beleri confirms the readiness of the Greek Government to consider that area as its area of influence, once again supporting the rhetoric of Hellenization as in all these three decades.
The government in Athens says it intends to appeal to EU leaders to condemn the arrest of the election candidate by Albanian authorities. But, in reality, they are the ones who should be sanctioned for serious interference in the internal politics of a country that is a candidate for European membership, and what's more, within just a few hours of leading citizens to the ballot boxes.
An intervention, moreover, that offers its support to a person who has had problems with Albanian justice, a convicted perpetrator and under investigation for very serious crimes, or even accusations of connection with Greek terrorist groups.
Of course, the arrest of a candidate for mayor a few hours before the vote does not have a pleasant effect even at the international level. And, internally, it risks bringing solidarity votes to him by making him appear as a persecuted person.
But, even based on the Prosecutor's words at the press conference, the judges seem to have evidence (interceptions and direct testimony) of vote buying, capable of denying any conspiracy theory.
As far as the former Albanian presidents Meta and Berisha are concerned, what is configured anyway is not a guilt that has value and judicial consequences, but that is very serious in the political and moral plane: that of high treason.
We may well say that they have now become the fifth column of Greek claims to an area of their country. Whether they are conscious of it or not, the result is the same.
The two leaders of the right are involved in a political battle against Prime Minister Edi Rama, which includes using any means to attack him.
More than a political strategy, it seems to be a true obsession that is taking over his mind. The Albanian public is already used to their accusations without evidence and their conspiracy stunts created out of thin air.
Ultimately, the result is that they are beyond pathetic. But when their anti-Rama frenzy becomes a direct threat to the interests of the Albanian state, this is absolutely unacceptable.
And the climate of tension that is now igniting the southern border of Albania, promotes that strategy of destabilization of the Balkans that is constantly fed by Moscow.
Waiting for more information from the judicial circles, as well as a desirable call from Brussels to the Greek authorities, we can only hope for a wave of patriotism in the minds of Albanians.
Beyond all rhetoric, it is time to find out if the pride of Skenderbeu's descendants is just a legend, or if it has left some traces in the DNA of the sons of eagles./Albanianpost