Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama condemns violence against Greek minority in Zverne

Prime Minister Edi Rama addressed recent violent clashes in the Zverne area of Albania, where several people were injured, including a Greek citizen. He praised the police response and warned of “zero tolerance” for what he called an “unthinking mob” of private security guards involved in the incidents.

Rama also said he was unaware of an organised Greek minority in the region, a claim later contradicted by official Albanian government documents from 2016 that recorded more than 5,000 ethnic Greeks living in the villages of Svernitsa and Narta. The clashes were linked to the seizure of minority-owned properties for a tourism project, prompting accusations of property theft and possible money‑laundering. European Parliament member Frenc Beléri raised the matter with the European Commission, demanding an investigation into the violence and the protection of minority property rights.

The episode has heightened diplomatic tension between Albania and Greece, with the Greek foreign ministry calling for a full investigation and reaffirming the need to safeguard the rights of the Greek national minority in Albania.