Serious questions are raised by the publication of an article in the official magazine of the Albanian Ministry of Defence (Gazeta “Ushtria”), on the occasion of the 147th anniversary of the Berlin Congress.

The article is accompanied by a map showing extensive Greek territories as “historical Albanian territories”, with names and areas in square kilometres.

Specifically, as areported by himara.gr, the map shows Corfu (as Korfuz – 641 sq. km), Igoumenitsa (Gumenicë – 615 sq. km), Igoumenitsa (Gumenicë – 615 sq.km), Preveza (Preveze – 1036 sq.km), Arta (Artë – 1602 sq.km), Ioannina (Janinë – 4990 sq.km) and Grevena (Grevenë – 1536 sq.km), within the so-called “National Albania”.

It is a term that, in combination with the depiction of Greek territories, directly refers to the irredentist theory of “Greater Albania”, which is adopted by nationalist circles of the neighbouring country.

Apart from this, the magazine article refers to the Berlin Congress as a “historical injustice” against the Albanians, suggesting that the mentioned territories “belonged” to Albania and were taken away from it. However, the Albanian state had not even been founded in 1878, while Epirus and Grevena were under Ottoman administration (until 1912-3 when they were liberated by the Greek army) and were inhabited by a majority of the Greek population.

The particular seriousness of the case, himara.gr continues, lies in the fact that the map comes from the official magazine of the Albanian Ministry of Defence itself, at a time when it is seeking European integration.

It is worth recalling that on November 3, 2024, within Greek territory and specifically in Thessaloniki, Edi Rama reiterated in front of Albanian migrants that “Northern Epiros is a term that is dead.”