The event brought together dance groups from Ioannina, Igoumenitsa, Corfu, Gjirokastra and Saranda, who performed folk dances celebrating the region’s shared cultural heritage.

Held on Saranda’s seaside promenade, the festival featured performances by children’s groups from the Greek minority in Albania, as well as from the villages of Dërmish, Libohovë, Derviçan and Saranda.

Wearing colourful traditional costumes and performing synchronized dances, the children created a festive atmosphere that delighted the audience.

The variety of folk attire and lively performances conveyed a message of cooperation among young people across borders, underscoring that art and culture know no boundaries.

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The Albanian government head dismissed as untrue the claims allegedly suggesting that Albania’s political system saw Greek minority with skeptical eyes.

“80 years have passed since the World War II ended and Greece has yet to abolish the war law, which is a strong archaism and which is something we are interested in seeing it lifted and removed once and for all from our common path,” PM Rama stated.

Rama said he strongly believed in Albania-Greece friendship, strategic partnership, noting that it is in interest of both neighbouring countries to further strengthen this friendship.

“I also believe that the Greek minority in Albania is a treasure for the culture of our coexistence and an irreplaceable bridge to cultivate and strengthen the friendship between the two peoples, between the two states and governments, regardless of who rules in Tirana and Athens,” he said.

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Asked by Greek Pavlos Papadopoulo that people in Athens say that Himara citizens can obtain property ownership certificates only should they agree to sell their properties to strategic investors in Albania, PM Rama dismissed such claims as outright lies and manipulative.

“First of all, this is completely a manipulation, because history of property titles is very painful. We had to go through the hell of full nationalization, and then experience the purgatory of transition, the first great casualty of which was property titles. It was a mess, a real mess in every square kilometre of the country. We still encounter serious problems in the North, where many properties need to develop, need to receive funds and subsidies and they cannot register, even as we speak and that’s why we had to approve this legislation,” PM Rama said.

Rama said that the problem with properties in Albania is old and painful, but many property titles were given to the Greek minority in southern Albania region of Himare.

“Problems with property titles in Albania from North to South are the same. The problem is that some people who remember that they are smarter than others know how to use the Greek flag as a credit card. Some use the Greek flag to poison society. They support their micro-interests using the Greek flag. Some Albanians do the same thing using the flag of the Socialist Party, or the Democratic Party or other parties. Because these Albanians cannot claim that they are minorities that are supposedly being destroyed… However, some among the Greek minority are very skilled at manipulating Athens and Athens is not able to perceive that the person who can contribute to improving relations and improving the living standards of the minority is not a Greek; it is only me, no because I work for the Greeks, but because I work for all citizens of Albania. And I think that the Greeks in Albania are a treasure and we can only appreciate their presence, that’s all. But while there are some Albanians who do not enjoy the fact that we have the same blood, there are also a few Greeks who you should not feel too proud of having the same blood,” Rama said.

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