8th grade Geography book in Albania’s High Schools: Eight counties of Greece are wrongly outside Albanian sovereignty

According to the 8^th grade Geography book being taught in Albanian schools it is eight counties of Greece that should be included in the Albanian territory!!!!

On the book cover there is a map comprising the whole of northwestern Greece.

 In “Geography of Albania” taught in the 8^th grade in the country’s schools the students not only do learn about contemporary borderline of the Albanian state but also about “Albanian regions” (Treva Shqiptare) that–according to the book- in 1913 “wrongly” the Ambassadors’ Council ruled outside the state. Among those regions, three counties of Montenegro, the whole of Kosovo as well as three more Serbian regions and the largest part of FYROM’s territory including eight counties of Greece are embodied.

This book, depicting on its cove a map of Albania surrounded by the “Albanian regions” (treva shqiptare) outside Albanian borderline, is also taught to Greek students in N. Epirus.

 Another chapter titled “Albanian Areas in Greece” p.198 in its introduction under the heading “Composition and location of Albanian areas” remarks: They are Albanian areas wrongly granted by the Ambassadors’ Council to the Greek state in 1913. The historical developments, the massive forced migrations of indigenous Albanian population and the lack of official data have been a serious impediment to determining Albanian areas in Greece and mainly the social and economic problems in such areas. These areas are situated in northwestern Greece, to the south of those in FYROM and to the southeast of the Albanian state stretching up to the Gulf of Arta (meaning Amvrakikos Gulf) and include Chameria, Florina, Kastoria, Grevena, Konitsa etc.

 The Albanian propaganda with the view to be more convincing makes use of the archaeological “discoveries” and of various historical texts -without naming any- according to which those areas since the ancient times have been populated by Albanian –Illyric  tribes while there were also few Greeks!!! At the same time when it examines counties within Albania such as that of Argyrokastro, Ag. Saranda and of Delvino no mention is made that presence of Greeks there appears to be the majority. It is worth mentioning that it is with such class of Geography that Albanian students take leave of High School.

No special historical knowledge is required for anyone to contradict such sort of ridiculous overstatements. Even those who have limited knowledge of History are aware that many towns of Ancient Epirus suffered Illyric invasions while Chaonia Phoenice, once capital city of Epirus, was razed to the ground by Illirians. What we find difficult to understand is precisely in which way serves the Interstate Education Ministries’ Committee commissioned even from the time Mr. Arsenis was Minister of Education, so that nationalistic mentions in both countries’ school books would be obliterated. Unless the aforementioned texts are benefited of the stupidity since they cross the line of nationalism!!!

(translated by SFEVA)