Unknown people blew up the monument of expatriate activist Thymios Lolis, in the Greek minority village of Krania in the Municipality of Phoenikai, near Agioi Saranda, using an explosive device. The monument suffered serious damage while the windows of the surrounding buildings were also broken by the powerful explosion. The perpetrators wrote the word "Tsameria" with red paint on the concrete base of the monument.
It is the second time that the same monument has been targeted by unknown people, as it was attacked in December 2018. Thymios Lolis, or as he is known "the Captain of Bourkos", was a Macedonian fighter and fighter until the Second World War and was considered the protector of ordinary Greeks in the area of Vourkos (area between St. Saranda and Argyrokastro). The mayor of Phoenice, Christakis Kitso, characterized the event as a provocation against the entire Greek ethnic minority and asked the authorities, who are investigating the case, to arrest and sentence the perpetrators.
Announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
"The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its disgust, as well as its concern, regarding the blowing up, early today, of the Thymios Liolis Monument in Krania, Municipality of Phoenice, which it strongly condemns.
"With the firm position that provocations against the Greek National Minority and, ultimately, against Greek-Albanian relations, should receive immediate investigation and clarification, with the perpetrators brought to justice, we expect the appropriate actions from the Albanian side, as soon as possible, to restore the sense of security of the Greek National Minority. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Greek Embassy, as well as our Consular Authorities in Albania, are closely monitoring the case.
SOURCE:APE-ME