"Dendias, next week in Tirana"/ Greek media: Greece demands the resumption of talks on the maritime border with Albania

2026-05-21 22:46:00, Aktualitet CNA

"Dendias, next week in Tirana"/ Greek media: Greece demands the

Greece is stepping up efforts to revive negotiations with Albania on the demarcation of maritime zones, with Defense Minister Nikos Dendias set to visit Tirana next week for high-level talks aimed at restarting a process that has remained stalled for years.

This is what Greek media have reported, stating that during his visit, Dendias is expected to meet with Albanian Defense Minister Ermal Nufi and Prime Minister Edi Rama.

The main objective of the visit is reportedly to resume a bilateral initiative first agreed upon in October 2020, when the two countries announced their intention to refer their maritime border dispute to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

The effort comes after a recent visit by Rama to Greece and within the broader framework of Greece's support for accelerating the European Union accession process of the Western Balkans.

“The process was suspended after a negative decision by the Constitutional Court of Albania, which halted progress and left the case unresolved. However, Greek officials believe that conditions may now be more favorable for a resumption. According to sources, Albanian President Bajram Begaj appears willing to authorize the technical talks necessary to move the process forward. Both sides will still have to overcome a number of procedural hurdles. One of the main challenges remains Albania’s limited technical capacity to support the complex legal and diplomatic work required for a case before The Hague, a factor that could slow progress despite political willingness on both sides,” the Greek media article states .

Further diplomatic contacts are expected in June, when Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis is scheduled to visit Tirana for a ministerial conference focused on support for Ukraine and security in Southeast Europe.

The meeting is also expected to provide opportunities for further bilateral discussions, including Albania's path to EU membership and regional issues.

Greek officials see the progress in the maritime dispute as a possible example of how neighboring countries can resolve long-standing disputes through legal and diplomatic means, while simultaneously strengthening regional stability and cooperation. /CNA