Greek Minority in Albania: Exclusion or Inclusion?

Abstract

The collapse of the communist bloc meant, the direction of former communist countries toward systems with
democratic structure. The processes of radical transformations in the economy and politics, made the societies of these
countries face with major challenges and problems. With the restoration of freedom and human rights, almost all Eastern bloc
societies were confronting problems carrying in itself the issue of minorities, considered as destabilizing factors in the case of
poor management. Given this, the paper aims to review some of the key trends and policies toward national minorities in
Albania, as part of the Balkans, focusing particularly on the Greek minority that constitute the minority with the largest
population. The focus of attention to the Albanian legislation will give us a clearer picture of the rights and freedoms that are
guaranteed to minorities in Albania, and the spaces that were created for inclusion in the government level and to influence the
various decision-making processes. Research of this issue covers the period 1990-2006.