Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has sought to defuse diplomatic tensions with Greece, brushing off his earlier comments questioning Greeks' descent from ancient civilization as a joke while committing to refer the two countries' maritime border dispute to the International Court of Justice by the end of 2026.
Speaking at the Delphi Economic Forum in conversation with journalist Alexis Papahelas, Mr. Rama addressed remarks he made in Abu Dhabi in January, when he said modern Greeks are not descendants of Plato.
He said he was teasing a Greek-American reporter and had no intention of diminishing Greek culture or history.
"My only critique of Greeks — and even more so of Albanians — is that they take themselves too seriously," Mr. Rama said, adding that he holds deep admiration for Greece.
On substance, Mr. Rama confirmed that Athens and Tirana have agreed to submit their Exclusive Economic Zone dispute in the Ionian Sea to The Hague, and said he hopes to complete the legal referral this year working alongside Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Mr. Rama acknowledged that the diplomatic fallout over the imprisonment of ethnic Greek mayor Fredi Beleri in Albania had set back the bilateral relationship and cost both sides time. Mr. Beleri's case had become a significant irritant in Greek-Albanian relations, drawing condemnation from Athens and the Greek diaspora and delaying progress on broader normalization.
Despite the friction, Mr. Rama stressed that his personal relationship with Mr. Mitsotakis remains grounded in mutual respect and that both leaders are committed to resolving outstanding disputes through legal and diplomatic channels.
Albania is a candidate for European Union membership, making its relationship with Greece — an EU member with significant influence in the Western Balkans accession process — strategically important for Tirana.