Northern Epirus

Northern Epirus is the historical region of what has become southern Albania where there is a Greek minority of around 300,000. The government of Greece claims that this territory is inhabited mostly by Greeks, whereas the government of Albania maintains that it is Albanian territory with Greek minorities. There are villages in the south of Albania where Greek is the predominant language. Lately, there have been many small incidents between the Greek minorities and Albanian authorities over issues such as alleged interference in local southern Albanian politics by the government of Greece, the raising of the Greek flag on Albanian territory, the language taught in school, etc.; however, the issues have for the most part been non-violent. The region is mostly Greek Orthodox in religion.

History

Historically, the name "Northern Epirus" came into being in 1913 when the Florence Protocol awarded part of the territory of newly-liberated Epirus to Albania.

The entire territory of Epirus had been under Ottoman administration until the First Balkan War. During that war, Greek troops librated all of historic Epirus including Korytsa, Argyrokastro, Agioi Saranta, Kleisoura and Tepeleni. Chimarra had been liberated earlier by volunteers under Spiros Spiromilios.

At the same time, the Albanians, under Ismail Kemal Vlore, requested that the Great Powers grant them a state. To this purpose, they held a national council at the port of Avlona (Vlore) and proclaimed their independence on November 28, 1912.

The Great Powers were in agreement that an Albanian state be brought into existance but that brought about a question: Just where should such a state be established for a people who had had no national conscience up to that point?

• To be continued