God’s truth is not Greece’s truth The true face of Greek Orthodoxy “By mixing religion with nationality, the Greek clergy found a good opportunity to baptize the Albanians a second time, giving them the Greek name, since, as the Lord Christ supposedly said, every Orthodox Christian is Greek. They conquered the Christians through churches and schools. Albanians—and you, our sons, generation after generation—when you utter the word ‘Greek,’ do not forget the slaughter, burnings, and dishonoring.” KOSTA PAPA TOMORRI From the book: “Greek Barbarities in Albania in 1913” Framingham, Massa, USA 1917 The painful events caused by Greek policy against the Albanians and Albania clearly revealed that this policy has two pillars: one in Athens, in Greek state and clerical circles, and the other in Tirana, in the activity of the self-proclaimed Archbishop of Albania, the Greek Anastasios Janullatos. Throughout our history and up to the present, Greek chauvinism has struck us from Athens, but while stealing and lynching, from our capital rises the ominous voice of the Greek Orthodox Prelate, who issues what are called Appeals, in which he threatens that tragedies will occur. He directs this threat, or tragedy, at the Albanian people, while at the same time joining the chorus from the underground of history of officials and henchmen in the squares of Athens and Thessaloniki. The evidence that ...[?] A man whose sole act of drawing closer to Albania was removing the Greek suffixes from his first and last name Greeks; we have seen the poisons and knives concealed beneath the vestments; we have seen Fanari’s men burn in lime pits the patriots who wanted to break away and have the Albanian language; we have seen their hands and heads cut off because they spoke Albanian and wanted Albania. In its relations with Albania, Fanari has written—and is writing today—one of the most shameful chapters of crime against a people. The frenzied anti-Albanian activity of missionaries of the Janullatos, Stamos and co. kind clearly shows that the Greek Orthodox Church is an arena of Pan-Hellenism and not of God, a pillar of Orthodox fundamentalism and not of God’s love. Why does Janullatos set aside tact, hospitality, diplomacy, and good manners, and threaten the Albanian people with tragedy? He threatens and ...[?] The tragedy that Greek chauvinism is preparing for Albania is one of the episodes in the tragedy of tragedies: the disappearance of the Albanian people’s national identity. It is no coincidence that the witch hunt against Albanians, the typically Nazi organization of the persecution of Albanians as if they were ...[?], could not have happened without the involvement, participation, and blessing of the Greek Orthodox Church. It is no coincidence that the wave of Greek racist violence against Albanian emigrants began because of a so-called priest—or, rather, a secret agent dressed as a priest. The so-called priest of Gjirokastër was a man from Janullatos’s camp who, from the beach of Durrës to the castle of Gjirokastër, openly proclaimed the project to Hellenize Albania. His appointment ...[?] the other in Tirana, through the activities Throughout our history and up to now, Greek chauvinism has struck us from Athens; but, exploiting the circumstances created as Albania transformed from a communist dictatorship into a democratic state, it is now striking from Tirana too. At a time when Albania, Europe and the world are watching with indignation and concern the waves of Greek state racism, they see thousands of emigrants being forcibly expelled simply because they are Albanian; beaten, injured, [astuktuar?]… They issue calls in which they threaten that tragedies will be created. while at the same time joining the chorus of hysterical threats from officials and [mërkinje?] in the streets of Athens and Thessaloniki. The evidence leaves no doubt about the anti-Albanian stance of the envoy from the Phanar, but that he would cross every boundary, even that of our hospitality, and threaten us as in the dark days of Byzantine crime was difficult to foresee, because he lives in an Albanian house and eats Albanian bread and drinks Albanian water. In our history we have heard plenty of threats and curses of this kind, especially from fanatics and especially from priests who are Greek Orthodox and have Greek Orthodox [beliefs?] who say that no one supports… Why does Janullatosi set aside tradition, with tragedy? He threatens and seeks to frighten Albanians, to force them to forget their homeland, to forget their faith and God, and to seek a homeland in Greece. He seeks to frighten Albania’s fragile democracy, deform it and turn it into a servant of Athens. He seeks to frighten Albanians with the tragedy of hunger, the tragedy of violence, the tragedy of war. He threatens tragedy because he is one of the principal protagonists in the tragedies that…

For the Greeks over there and the Greeks over here... “...Overthrow Berisha and come back again!” the megaphones shout in the hands of Greek Greeks in uniform on the streets of Athens, in other cities, at border crossings, and even during the grand masses of our ‘priests.’ After holding hostage their ...[?] and pain, after abusing and massacring them, after even holding their girls and wives hostage, the Greeks address thousands of our refugees: of Orthodox fundamentalism and not of God’s love. The old, very old megaphones of Greek Greekness in the hands of the uniforms; General Zerva is dead, Minister Çuderu has forgotten her youth, when she set up military camps in front of our embassy for the liberation of Vorio-Epiri, and who knows what the priest Sebastiano is hiding now in his old age... The new Greek Greekness, as old as Zerva. General Zerva... and the other generals in deputies’ suits, the priests, megaphones in hand, demand that thousands of Albanians—after having shackled them, after holding their ...[?] and honor hostage—do only one thing: overthrow Berisha. YLLI RAKIPI The megaphones of Greek Greekness do not order Vorio-Epiri to remain, do not order the border to be moved as far as Shkumbin, do not order the South of Albania to be partitioned. The order is only to overthrow Berisha. “The last Albanian will also be expelled from Greece,” say the ministers and the megaphones of Greek political, police, and military offices—“Beat the Albanians,” say the political megaphones of Athens. “Shoot the Albanians,” shout right-wing and left-wing politicians. And the Albanians return, abused, humiliated, robbed. And the megaphones of Greek Greekness (old megaphones) shout “Overthrow Berisha” in the streets of Athens, in the streets of Thessaloniki, and in the statements of Albanian-speaking Greek nationalists. But the crowds of Albanians being forcibly expelled, twisted by Greek Greekness, will not overthrow Berisha. They will kill Berisha. When Berisha signs the Hellenization of the South of Albania. When Berisha gives Korçë and Gjirokastër to Greece, solely so that he can remain president. The crowds of Albanians will kill Berisha; but before that, these crowds whom you are humiliating, along with hundreds of thousands of others, will show the (old) Greek Greekness and bastard Albanian-speaking Greek nationalism that the color of their blood is the same as the blood of Petro Nini Luarasi.

Rarely have I had to deal with people who go back on their word as he does Papandreou never became a statesman. At best, he remained a populist and a skilled political maneuverer “Before the October elections ... NATO ...”

maneuverer “Before the October 1981 elections, Papandreou toured the capitals of Europe and, in that context, came to meet me in Bonn as well. The purpose of his tour was to create a positive image for himself. Although that was legitimate, I hesitated and finally decided not to receive him in person.” Papandreou used Marxist and pseudo-Marxist vocabulary and, at the same time, was extremely nationalist, always anti-American and partly anti-German as well. During an interview for “Stern” magazine, he had declared: “Greece must leave NATO not only militarily, but also politically. It must not join the EEC either as long as the Common Market is controlled by American multinationals. As for the German government, it is the mouthpiece of Washington’s policy in the EEC and in Europe.” And when someone asked him how it could be explained that the “mouthpiece of Washington,” as he called the German Social Democrats, had helped him so much financially and organizationally during the junta, both PASOK and…

It has happened in the past and in the present, in the millennia-long experience of human life: the fate of a person or a people has been threatened, put at risk, without its truths being endangered, the truths surrounding them; but it has never happened that endangered truths were defeated, denied, and never spoken of again. In Christianity spread by Saint Paul. In the Vatican there are hundreds of documents and chronicles, from Mehmet II and all those who came after him, who respected the Vatican archives; therefore, here too are the news items that proved all the centuries of Christianity and the ninety saints; the shrines [?] and Alexander the Great never managed to conquer the Christian book translated anew into Albanian. This was the first Albanian book, from 1555, and that of the Greek theatre which could not be restricted. “With states we write, and it continues with the issue of the priest…” Fahri Balliu Endangered truth is an argument that, instead of church schools and the path of God, teaches chauvinistic political codes in courses held in mysterious houses on the outskirts of Athens and on its many islands. Come on, let us say it and keep repeating it like a flute with one hole: southern Albania is Vorio Epir; let us say that the Greek andartes were liberators of the suffering Albanian people. But what shall we say to that Cham mother in Berat who has kept for half a century the hair of her son, taken from his severed head by the hand, unfortunately, of a priest—a priest of the most wretched kind. When you set out on a crooked path, crookedness drives you into the abyss of hypocrisy toward God and denial of the truth. Regardless of how the Gospel is read, if you do not believe it and do the opposite of its commandments, you are cast into true heresy against God. Thus it is with those among us who play the roles of priest and MP, journalist and party member. And no one is more distant from God. Thus, after the society of the communist plague, the truth that was dictated to us led us to Greece’s doorstep. Bread is not to be disdained, a guest is not to be driven away or insulted, yet both things happened. They happened so much that the old Greek chauvinism began to play its flute and thought that Albania was finished; but the truths and “intellectual” principles came alive, upheld by distinguished, realistic intellectuals, devout and silent in their work. They confused true patriotic journalists, with intellectual and civic principles and high morals, with those journalists who stood there with force in their hands and passports in their pockets, heading for the Greek Embassy. Some Greek official lied as much as he wanted about the informers he had managed to establish in Albania, compromising scribblers who also proclaimed themselves journalists and capable people. Here too, truth is endangered, but neither defeated nor denied. Strangely, around the Greek church hierarch gathered the sons of communists, senior officials of the dictatorship. And there is another truth here: not all the very powerful ties between Greek circles and the highest levels of the Albanian communist leadership have been revealed. They knew very well who had educated them in Greek schools: at level 30, before receiving a diploma, one signed a document that would serve Greece and Vorio-Epir. Some of those communists were also teachers, and this level rose into the highest elite of the dictatorship, while the Greek governments did not want to know about that communist background—only years later. If this chapter is opened, a truth will be uncovered whose traces remain even today: the Greek government’s concern for the minority is concern only for its leaders, not for the ordinary minority member, who is treated shamefully as a nobody. Many of the children and leaders of the former communists (Greeks on paper, in loose documents) found themselves on the right, proclaiming that Greece was Albania’s salvation. And it does not matter what you used to be; nor does it matter that former State Security agents have gathered around men of God such as Janullatosi and others who came from Greece. Honestly, if they had been asked, Albania’s democratic government would have helped them and recommended better-qualified people—people who truly believe in God, who love Orthodoxy and its work, which is one of the great golden pillars of civilization. But only lies were preferred and the truth was feigned. Thus one hears that Greece received 150 million dollars from the European Committee to use in assistance and to discredit the refugees’ struggle. And when these things are not said, with the 20-million Greek loan… (continued on page 2)

The madwoman N. of Tirana, last Sunday, from early morning and for almost the whole week, has been startling the capital’s citizens, as well as possible visitors, including foreign diplomats and other casual foreigners, with her dizzying walks along all the main streets, dressed in a cassock and carrying a large cross. On Monday morning, the madwoman N., completely wrapped in a black robe, placed a large map of Greece and the slogan “Trottë Vorio - Epiri” on the Socialist Party’s curbs. “Anyone who is not for Vorio - Epir,” the madwoman shouted, “will be drowned by my curse in the weight of the Shkumbin, which belongs to Albania. The candidate for the next PASOK elections for Librazhd and Pogradec will be Anastasius Angelillos. The candidate covering Korçë and Ersekë will be Gramoz Pashko or Ylli Bufi. The candidate for Tepelenë will be Gramoz Ruçi. His candidacy will also be supported by Hidajet Beqiri and his party. All the areas of Sarandë will go to the Alliance Party. Mitro Çela’s candidacy in Vurg will be supported by the Democratic Party. Paskal Milo will be the independent candidate and will run in the village of Hormovë in Tepelenë. The opinion [sic] will win all the votes. New elections are announced; Janullatos will resign. Namik Dokle or Fatos Nano are also asking for actor-priests. Çeka is appointed chief archimandrite of Skrapar and Albanian attaché Ferdinand Mëkelli. Preç Zogaj is appointed chief archimandrite of Lezhë and its surrounding areas. There will be other archimandrites too. On Tuesday the madwoman N. appeared outside the Greek Embassy in Tirana, shouting: ‘I want to meet the head of the national embassy of the Alliance Party or the other members of this presidium.’ ‘I have no time. I’m not worried about myself. Hidajet Beqiri and I are in good health, but what will become of Albania?’ ‘I’m bursting to meet the head of Ramiz Alia’s regency, Kiço Blushi, and I can’t find him. Osman always gets in my way. I’m even fond of him because now and then he gives me dollars. Osmani has a monopoly on eggs in the capital and in several other cities. I’ll cut him a black robe and a red one. Let him choose. A big cocktail party in the square of the archbishopric. The invitations will be distributed by Minister Kudretis and MP Mico Makardizhis. The construction minister will take over the bishopric with the chief. Believers are invited to attend. Payton? Barka will hold mass in Elbasan next Monday. Archimandrite Ramiz Alia will testify about the Orthodox heritage. Spiro Dede will write the memoirs.’ “On Wednesday, during the day, the madwoman was seen at the livestock market, screaming: ‘What kind of market is this? You can’t find a single companion. I need a companion. I’ve invited the Greek archimandrites of the Albanian parties to lunch. I’ll give the Alliance archimandrites the chest of the companion—the Socialist Party archimandrites.’ “Now we also need a new president. Sali Evokaj is suitable, if he doesn’t become a dervish. The president will give a head-fee to the archimandrites.”

After the (anti-Albanian) declaration that you signed with Papandreou, the latter declared that he would vote in favor of “logical and fair expulsions.” Did he call on the Greek government to make the expulsions more effective by putting part of the border on alert as well, to prevent Albanians from returning? We expect you to sign this declaration too.

We have forgotten July 2, the day of the embassies. Hundreds of “hooligans” climbed over embassy walls. Remember it! Albanian boys and girls began bringing down the walls. Three years ago, remember how Skanderbeg Square thundered with the communist slogans, “Albania is the Party.” Those Herakleses—or their sons—who today have seats in Parliament have abandoned Albania. Remember July 2, its sorrow and its joy. Albania was bringing down the wall along the course of its history. Belatedly, but all the same, it began to tear it down on July 2. The wall that had separated us from the world, from our family, from ourselves began to fall. The wall that had condemned us to misery and humiliation. Remember July 2 today, as Europe rushes toward Deception, as Europe without walls desires unity. Remember July 2 and the fall of the wall now, when with cynicism and primitive barbarity European Greece is raising a new wall against Albanians, when an archbishop who knows the language of God and the language of the devil wants to build a new wall, saying: “Albanian Orthodox are Greeks.” Remember July 2, the day of the embassies, now that the foundations of the Serbian Orthodox Church are being laid in the courtyard of the University of Pristina—another wall between Albanians. Remember July 2 and take note of the walls being erected against Albanians. Take note of who is raising new, tragic walls against Albanians.

The return of our emigrants from Greece and the Serb-Macedonian provocations at the border constitute a twofold attack on the Albanian state. These events are also linked to the rising tensions in the Balkans. We call on the president and the government to once again take the initiative to find a multilateral solution to the problems that have arisen. The Balkans could be consumed by war tomorrow, and everyone would lose. It is impossible for the peoples and governments of the countries concerned to accept being drawn fatally into such a course, which would be disastrous for the Balkans themselves. The PR believes that the current situation calls for joint action by the political forces in Albania. What is at stake is the nation’s fundamental interests, the security of the state, and the protection of citizens’ lives and work. Under these circumstances, we call on the political parties that have left Parliament to return there immediately, while postponing discussion of other issues for a time. We call on the president to convene a meeting of the parties to examine the state of emergency as well as the fundamental question of the country’s direction. In the circumstances that have arisen, it is not appropriate to make decisions by invoking majority rule, and no one should exempt themselves from their responsibilities toward the country. The Republican Party fully supports the position of the government and the president in the current situation. PRSH Steering Committee Tirana, 30. 6. 1993