Albanian President Ilir Meta has stated that the maritime delimitation between Albania and Greece should respect the ruling of the Albanian Constitutional Court in 2009, as well as the international laws and the two countries’ legislation.
“The agreement on this important issue must be in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the legislation of both countries, and the Decision of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Albania,” President Meta wrote on social media following his meeting with the Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias on Tuesday.
In 2009, Albania and Greece signed an Agreement for the Delimitation of the Greek-Albanian Continental Shelf and Maritime Zones. The then opposition Socialist Party, now in power since 2013, denounced the deal and took it to the Constitutional Court.
The deal was not implemented as the Court nullified it in 2010, due to violations of the Constitution and territorial integrity.
The main issue resulting in the Court’s decision was the status of some rocky, uninhabited and Greek islands without economic life between the two countries, which the 2009 agreement considered as Greek land in full effect.
In 2018, negotiations between the two countries resumed but then the Greek government changed soon and negotiations stalled.
Greece has been pushing for a new deal this year, following successful deals with Italy and Egypt, and disputes on the issue with Turkey.
Today, Meta praised relations between the two neighbors and urged for their deepening.
“The Greek minority in Albania is a strong bridge to our long friendship and together with the Albanians living in Greece form the foundation of our healthy and long-term relationship,” he highlighted.
The president called on both sides for “sincere dialogue and mutual respect” regarding attempts for a deal on maritime delimitation.
Following their meeting today, Prime Minister Edi Rama and Dendias announced that the issue of maritime delimitation between the two countries will be transferred to the Hague Tribunal to decide.
