Death of Konstantinos Katsifas
| Death of Konstantinos Katsifas | |||||
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| Part of Albania–Greece relations | |||||
 one of the many photo of Konstantinos Katsifas that he posted on his Facebook Account | |||||
| Date | 2018-10-28 Approximately 10:00 AM local time (CET, UTC+1) | ||||
| Location | 39.8686° N, 20.3075° E | ||||
| Caused by | Conflict during Ohi Day celebrations | ||||
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| This incident was condemned as a Terrorist Attack by the Albanian Goverment | |||||
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The death of Konstantinos Katsifas[1] (Albanian:Vdekja e Konstantinos Katsifas, Greek:Θάνατος του Κωνσταντίνου Κατσίφα) occurred on October 28, 2018, in the village of Bularat, Albania, near the Greek-Albanian border. Katsifas, a 35-year-old ethnic Greek from Albania, was fatally shot by Albanian police under controversial circumstances. His death sparked significant tensions between Greece and Albania, as well as within the Greek minority in Albania.
Background
[edit]Konstantinos Katsifas was born on August 12, 1983, in Bularat, a village with a significant Greek minority in southern Albania. He was a dual citizen of Greece and Albania and was known for his strong nationalistic sentiments and active involvement in the Greek minority community and on his Facebook Post.[2][3]
Incident
[edit]On October 28, 2018, Albania was commemorating Ohi Day, a national holiday in Greece that also holds significance for the Greek minority in Albania. On that day, Katsifas reportedly fired a Kalashnikov rifle into the air near the village of Bularat during a procession. Albanian police responded to the incident, leading to a standoff that lasted several hours. Katsifas fled to the nearby mountains, where he was eventually located by a Special forces unit of the Albanian police.[4]
According to Albanian authorities, Katsifas was killed in an exchange of gunfire after he allegedly refused to surrender and opened fire on the police. However, there are conflicting reports and allegations that Katsifas may have been executed rather than killed in a firefight. The precise circumstances of his death remain disputed.[5]
Reactions
[edit]Katsifas's death sparked outrage among the Greek minority in Albania and in Greece itself. Many in Greece viewed him as a martyr who died defending the rights of the Greek minority[6] in Albania. Protests and memorial services were held in Greece, and his funeral[7] in Bularat was attended by thousands, including many who traveled from Greece.[8]
The Greek government called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances of Katsifas's death,[9] expressing concern about the treatment of the Greek minority in Albania. Albanian authorities, on the other hand, maintained that the police acted within the law and that Katsifas was a dangerous individual who posed a threat to public safety.
Suspect of Greek Government collaboration
[edit]Some reports and theories have suggested that Konstantinos Katsifas might have been involved in activities linked to the Greek government, possibly in collaboration with nationalist movements to unify North Epirus with Greece. However, these claims were declared false by the Greek Government who kept denying their involvement.
Diplomatic tensions
[edit]The incident exacerbated existing tensions between Greece and Albania, particularly concerning the treatment of the Greek minority in Albania. The Greek government summoned the Albanian ambassador to express its concerns, while Albanian officials accused Greece of interfering in its internal affairs.
Despite calls for an independent investigation, the incident remains a point of contention between the two countries, with differing narratives about what transpired.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Who Was Konstantinos Katsifas; the Greek Killed by Albanian Police in Northern Epirus". GreekReporter.com. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
- ^ "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2024-09-04.[self-published]
- ^ "Κάτι πρέπει να κάνουμε για τα σκλαβωμένα ελληνόπουλα τής Βορείου Ηπείρου...... Εορτασμός της 28ης Οκτωβρίου απο τα ελληνόπουλα του σχολείου Δερβιτσάνης 🇬🇷!!! | By KonstantinosFacebook". facebook.com. Retrieved 2024-09-04 – via www.facebook.com.[self-published]
- ^ "Five years ago – The report of Katsifas' murder: "The Albanian police kills Greek in Northern Epirus! (photos) (Upd.)"". protothema.gr. October 28, 2023. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
- ^ LAGOS, Ioannis. "Parliamentary question | The case of Konstantinos Katsifas and the situation of the Greek minority in Northern Epirus | P-004661/2021". European Parliament. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
- ^ "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2024-09-04.[self-published]
- ^ Greek City Times (2018-11-08). Konstantinos Katsifas funeral. youtube.com. Retrieved 2024-09-04 – via YouTube.
- ^ MARIAS, Notis. "Parliamentary question | Murder of Greek expatriate Konstantinos Katsifas by the Albanian police and measures to protect the Greek national minority in Northern Epirus | E-005511/2018". European Parliament. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
- ^ "Greek Minister Seeks Full Clarification of Katsifas Case". ALBANIA DAILY NEWS. Retrieved 2024-09-04.