An Albanian historian claimed Greek people did not exist in modern-day Greece during a live show on one of Albania’s top TV talk shows. In her hyper-nationalistic, anti-Greek rant, which was apparently influenced by an old piece by satirical publication “The Onion”, Elena Kocaqi went so far as to doubt the Greek heritage of the current PM Alexis Tsipras, saying he was an Arvanite, therefore and Albanian.
The show, which was supposed to focus on the current developments in the Balkan region, rapidly devolved into an anti-Greek tirade by the panelists, with the delusional preposterous claims by Mrs. Kocaqi standing out. Panayiotis Barkas, a professor from Northern Epirus, who was also present at the table, was forced to withdraw after the discussion was quickly moving into a blatantly anti-Greek propaganda. “Greece has no Greek population. The population of Greece, all those who fought, were Arvanites with fustanellas (the traditional folklore dress worn in the Balkans). ”
The Albanian historian even caused reactions in the panel itself from other Albanians. “Maybe we are going a little overboard”, the show’s presenter remarked. In response Mrs. Kocaqi challenged the host to name one Greek hero who fought in the Independence wars against the Ottomans in 1821, claiming the Turks had been expelled from Greece by Albanians.
” Everyone is Albanian (in Greece) who are ashamed to say it. Albanians such as the modern Greek Prime Minister who has been trapped in the old politics “, she said.
These extreme positions should not be a surprise, as the official geography book in Albanian schools says “Albania has been raped by Serbia Montenegro and Greece, and if the international law had been applied, Albania would have reached Arta.”
As Professor Barkas explained, the panelists, led by the show’s host, found the chance to divert the discussion, which was supposed to be on the developments, and once more limit the matter to the Albanian-Greek relations and push the extreme nationalistic views of Albania and the irredentist policies which laid territorial claims against Greece. “Using a mixture of fake myths and folklore, they tried to justify expansionist views.” During his appearance on the show, Mr Barkas laid out the fact about the Arvanites saying they were 100% Greek.
“The Arvanites are Greeks who also speak the Arvanian language (not the Albanian) and have no relation to the Albanians. You will not find an Arvanite in Greece who wants to say he is Albanian. ”
“I explained that the term “Shqiptar” is a new term introduced in the 18th-19th-century and that Albanians, not Arvanites, appeared in Epirus in the 14th century with Serb Stefan Dusan. The territories that Albanian nationalism claims today are territories of the former Ottoman Empire, belonged to other peoples.”