Conference of European Churches – Office of Communications. (February 2009)

    The Presidium of the Conference of European Churches (CEC), meeting 8th – 10th February 2009 at the new St Vlassios Monastery, Durrës, Tirana, Albania and hosted by the Vice-President of CEC, His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All Albania, is grateful for the opportunity to discover the church developments of the past 18 years. With joy it thanks God for the resurrection of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania since the ending of communism in 1991.

    The Presidium recognises the development of a democratic society in Albania, and the freedom of religion that this now affords all people. It is thankful for the opportunity to learn about the freedom to worship, about developments in education and medical services, about the renovation of church buildings and monasteries.

    The Presidium was happy to be informed about the official agreements of the Government with religious communities and the acknowledgement of the public role of religion in society, according to the 1998 Albanian Constitution.

    Nevertheless, the Presidium expresses its concern that much of the property confiscated under communism, after eighteen years of democracy, has still to be returned to the churches and other religious communities. It urges the Albanian Government to give serious attention to the return of this property to its rightful owners.

    The Presidium asks the Government to reconsider, without delay, the return of all sacred places – monasteries, churches, mosques, tekes(1) – with all their associated land, according to the evidence that exists in the relevant and official protocols of the time of the confiscation.

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(1) Tekes = Bektashi places of worship
The final press release from the CEC Presidium meeting will be issued on 12 February.