In the Balkans, and specifically in Albania, a lengthy article appeared this week in the newspaper “Sot”, entitled “Why cemeteries for fallen Greek soldiers should not have been allowed in Albania”.
The inflammatory article is signed by Dr. Bardhyl Cipi, a professor of forensic medicine at the Tirana medical school, and coroner Admir Sinamati.
The pair of Albanian medical examiners claim that a long-standing bilateral agreement between Athens and Tirana to establish military cemeteries in southern Albania, for Greek servicemen that fell in nearby battlefields in the early stages of WWII are “… illegal”, and also violate Albanian sovereignty.
Similar cemeteries are the norm in practically all European countries and for all combatants, regardless, that fell in battle, with notable examples being in Normandy and the Benelux countries. Greece hosts several foreign military cemeteries, including ones for German soldiers that fell during the invasion and occupation of the country, as well as cemeteries and memorials for the fallen in WWI.