Greece: Information about the August/September 1994 massive expulsion of Albanians back to Albania ordered by the Greek government in retaliation for the trial begun by the Albanian government against the ethnic Greek minority political party "Omonia"
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 February 1995 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | GRC19851.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Greece: Information about the August/September 1994 massive expulsion of Albanians back to Albania ordered by the Greek government in retaliation for the trial begun by the Albanian government against the ethnic Greek minority political party "Omonia", 1 February 1995, GRC19851.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ab7538.html [accessed 19 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Please consult the attachment from Political Handbook of the World 1992 for a brief description of the Omonia party.
In Albania, six ethnic Greek members of the Omonia party were charged on 20 May 1994 with "having links with secret Greek irredentist groups, with fomenting separatism, and with illegal possession of weapons" (Keesing's May 1994, 40015; Gazeta Shqiptare 21 May 1994). On 7 September 1994, these six Omonia members received prison sentences ranging from six to eight years imprisonment (ibid. Sept. 1994, 40197; AFP 7 Sept. 1994). Other sources, however, refer to the trial of five, not six Omonia members (AP 18 Aug. 1994; BBC Summary 27 Aug. 1994; UPI 26 Aug. 1994; Xinhua 20 Sept. 1994 and 26 Aug. 1994). For further information on the trial of these Omonia party members, please consult the following attachments: Agence France Presse (AFP) of 15 August 1994a, 15 August 1994b and 7 September 1994, Associated Press (AP) of 18 August 1994, Gazeta Shqiptare of 21 May 1994, TVSH Television Network of 29 August 1994a, and The United Press International (UPI) of 26 August 1994.
For information on Greece's mass expulsion of Albanians back to Albania as a result of the Omonia trial, please consult the following attachments: AP of 18 August 1994, BBC Summary of World Broadcasts of 27 August 1994 and 29 August 1994, Keesing's Record of World Events of September 1994, TVSH Television Network of 26 August 1994, 27 August 1994, 29 August 1994a, 29 August 1994b and 9 September 1994, UPI of 26 August 1994, and Xinhua News Agency of 26 August 1994.
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Agence France Presse (AFP) [Paris, in English]. 7 September 1994. "Greece Recalls Ambassador." (FBIS-EEU-94-1274 8 Sept. 1994, pp. 2-3)
The Associated Press (AP). 18 August 1994. PM Cycle. "Greece Deports Hundreds of Illegal Albanian Immigrants." (NEXIS)
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 27 August 1994b. "Relations with Greece; Socialist Party Asks Greece to suspend Expulsions of Albanians." (NEXIS)
Gazeta Shqiptare [Tirana, in Albanian]. 21 May 1994. "Police Charge Omonia Leaders With Espionage." (FBIS-EEU-104 31 May 1994, p. 1)
Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge]. September 1994. Vol. 40. No. 9. "Albania: Conviction of Ethnic Greek Activists."
_____. May 1994. Vol. 40, No. 5. "Albania: Relations with Greece."
The United Press International (UPI). 26 August 1994. BC Cycle. Ralph Joseph. "Greece Deports 20,000 Albanians." (NEXIS)
The Xinhua News Agency. 20 September 1994. "Greece Deports 70,000 Illegal Albanians." (NEXIS)
_____. 26 August 1994. "Greece's Expulsion of Albanian Refugees Continues." (NEXIS)
Attachments
Agence France Presse (AFP) [Paris, in English]. 7 September 1994. "Greece Recalls Ambassador." (FBIS-EEU-94-1274 8 Sept. 1994, pp. 2-3)
_____. 15 August 1994a. "Trial of Greek Minority Activists Opens in Tirana." (FBIS-EEU-94-157 15 Aug. 1994, pp. 2-3)
_____. 15 August 1994b. "Court Drops Treason Charges Against Greeks." (FBIS-EEU-94-158 16 Aug. 1994, p. 1)
The Associated Press (AP). 18 August 1994. PM Cycle. "Greece Deports Hundreds of Illegal Albanian Immigrants." (NEXIS)
BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 29 August 1994. "Greece-Albania: Minister Defends Expulsion of Illegal Albanians." (NEXIS)
_____. 27 August 1994. "Relations with Greece; Socialist Party Asks Greece to suspend Expulsions of Albanians." (NEXIS)
Gazeta Shqiptare [Tirana, in Albanian]. 21 May 1994. "Police Charge Omonia Leaders With Espionage." (FBIS-EEU-94-104 31 May 1994, p. 1)
Keesing's Record of World Events [Cambridge]. September 1994. Vol. 40. No. 9. "Albania: Conviction of Ethnic Greek Activists," pp. 40197-98.
_____. May 1994. Vol. 40, No. 5. "Albania: Relations with Greece," p. 40015.
Political Handbook of the World 1992. 1992. Edited by Arthur S. Banks. Binghamton, NY: CSA Publications, p. 11.
TVSH Television Network [Tirana, in Albanian]. 9 September 1994. ":Ministry Reports Total 50,083 Deported by 9 Sep." (FBIS-EEU-94-176 12 Sept. 1994, p. 4)
_____. 29 August 1994a. "Prosecutor Concludes Treason Case Against Greeks." (FBIS-EEU-94-169 31 Aug. 1994, p. 1)
_____. 29 August 1994b. "Refugee Flow Increasing." (FBIS-EEU-94-169 31 Aug. 1994, p. 1)
_____. 27 August 1994. "Further Deportations." (FBIS-EEU-94-167 29 Aug. 1994, p. 1)
_____. 26 August 1994. "Ministry Reports Thousands Deported by Greeks." (FBIS-EEU-94-167 29 Aug. 1994, p. 1)
The United Press International (UPI). 26 August 1994. BC Cycle. Ralph Joseph. "Greece Deports 20,000 Albanians." (NEXIS)
The Xinhua News Agency. 26 August 1994. "Greece's Expulsion of Albanian Refugees Continues." (NEXIS)
