Tensions high at Greek-Albanian border with Katsifas memorial services underway (photos)

Albanian authorities are preventing the entry of Greeks into the country to attend the services

Tensions are high on the Greek-Albanian borders, as the Albanian authorities have blocked buses full of citizens headed towards the memorial services (40 days since death) of Konstantinos Katsifas.

Albanian authorities are using flimsy pretexts to justify subjecting Greek travellers to detailed police searches in an effort to prohibit their entry into Albania. Earlier citizens tried to build a human chain by holding hands in front of the border station but were repelled by forces of the Greek police. They then reacted by chanting the national anthem.

According to Epirus-tv-news.gr, travellers from Greece who have been prevented from entering Albania have chained themselves to block entry to Greece to every Albanian bus and vehicle. The Greek police dispersed them.

Konstantinos Katsifas, an ethnic Greek living in the village of Vouliarates in Northern Epirus was murdered by Albanian forces on October 28 after he was involved in a shootout. The incident resulted in relations between the two countries deteriorating.