Greece annoyed by Albania-Turkey drone deal

Greek foreign minister Nikos Dendias expressed his discontent about the “rapprochement” between neighbouring Turkey and Albania after the two countries signed a deal for three Bayraktar drones.

Speaking at a press conference in Tirana together with his Albanian counterpart Olta Xhaçka, Dendias emphasised the presence of revisionist forces that “want us to return to other times and perceptions and to influence the Western Balkans”.

“Their aim is not only of cooperation, but to create zones of influence, which are not even consistent with the European acquis, neither with the European perspective nor with European values”, Dendias said.

Earlier this week, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his help in signing a deal with a Turkish company to buy three Bayraktar drones, which are widely used in the war in Ukraine.

“We signed an export contract with Albania, a country where we have walked for centuries and share strong historical, cultural and humanitarian ties”, the CEO of the Turkish drones company said in a statement.

Dendias’ visit to Tirana coincided with a statement made to EURACTIV by former prime minister Sali Berisha, who said Turkey “intervened” to cancel a 2009 Greece-Albania maritime deal.

“Turkey is no doubt a friend, a partner, but with a doctrine of neo-Ottomanism that I will not accept,” he said, referring to some 600 years of Turkish Ottoman rule in the region.

Meanwhile, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is also expected to visit Albania on Thursday to visit the Himare region where a Greek minority lives.

He is expected to be accompanied by Rama for some of the meetings which were originally scheduled for the day after the EU-Western Balkan summit.

A small diplomatic spat errupted at the same time when Rama told EURACTIV in an interview that Greece had “cheated” during its EU accession. This sparked strong reactions in Athens and an apology of sorts from Rama.

(EURACTIV.gr)