In Greece, media controversies have erupted regarding the island of Sazan, with public claims suggesting that the island originally belonged to the Greeks and was wrongly and unacceptably handed over to Albania. It was demanded that the island be returned, but this did not happen.
 |
| Sazan Island |
The newspaper mentions that not only Sazan but also other regions such as the islands of Great Prespa (given to Albania and Serbia), Eastern Thrace and the Karagac triangle (to Turkey), as well as villages in the Greek Macedonia area (to Albania), were handed over in 1924.
Focusing on Sazan, the newspaper highlights: “On May 5, 1914, Greek Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos presented to parliament a bill with two articles stipulating the handover of Sazan. The bill was approved on May 9, 1914, ratified on June 5, and published in the Official Gazette on June 7, 1914. Within a month, the island was handed over to Albanian authorities, and Greek forces withdrew.”
However, as Protothema notes, Venizelos regretted this decision and sought the return of Sazan, but it never materialized.
Historical records show that, given its strategic location, Sazan has been under the control of the Romans, Byzantines, Ottomans, Venetians, British, Greeks, Italians, and eventually Albania after World War II.
Today, Greece appears to have reignited interest in the island, publicly disseminating information from the past to assert territorial claims.
Sazan Island covers an area of 1,400 hectares. Currently, 45 hectares have been leased to Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, the husband of Ivanka Trump, who plans to build a luxury resort with a $1.4 billion investment.
Below are excerpts from the publication sparking controversy.
In his analysis, author Mihal Stuka asserts: “During the 1910s, with the Balkan Wars and Greece's participation in World War I on the Allies' side, Greece significantly expanded its territory.”
He adds: “However, during the period between 1912 and 1925, Greece ‘ceded’ territories that belonged to it to neighboring states, mostly without any pressure.”
“The Great Prespa Islands Greece Handed Over to Serbia and Albania (1912–1913)”
“In Lake Prespa (Great Prespa), there were two islands: the larger, St. Peter's Island (Grad), and the smaller, St. Paul's Island (Mali Grad). These were uninhabited and barren islands, yet they contained remnants of medieval monuments. Until 1912–1913, they belonged to Greece. St. Peter’s Island was gifted to Serbia’s King Peter, and St. Paul’s Island was handed over to the Albanians,” states the publication, citing information from the official website of Greece's Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food, as well as the PAPYROS–LAROUSSE–BRITANNICA encyclopedia.
Today, Serbia no longer possesses parts of the Great Prespa Lake. After the dissolution of Yugoslavia, a portion of the lake belongs to North Macedonia. St. Peter's Island is now called Golem Grad ("Big Fortress" in Slavic) and is also known as Snake Island. It covers an area of 200 hectares and was opened to tourists in 2008.
Mali Grad (St. Paul’s) Island Handed Over to Albania
Mali Grad (St. Paul’s) Island, given to Albania, covers an area of 50 hectares. It is rich in caves, trees, and small beaches. On this island stands the famous Church of St. Mary, built by Serbian noble Kesar Novak in 1369. The church contains frescoes of Novak's family, including his Greek wife, Kalia. There are also Greek inscriptions and dedications.
The islands were likely handed over to neighboring countries by King George I as part of a practice followed by monarchs of the time. However, as the analysis notes, “These islands were not his property, and regardless of the manner of their transfer, this represents a significant mistake.”
Sazan: A Handover with a Two-Article Bill Passed for Albania
“A truly painful story is that of the handover of Sazan Island, located in the Bay of Vlora. Based on indisputable historical data and the agreement under which the Ionian Islands were granted to Greece by Britain in 1864, Sazan clearly belonged to the Diapontian Islands (Othonoi, Mathraki, Erikoussa, etc.).
However, at a time when the Greek army was liberating Northern Epirus, Greek Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos faced immense pressure to stop advancing and hand over Sazan – the ‘key to the Adriatic’ – to Albania. These pressures primarily came from Italy, which viewed Greece’s presence as a threat to its interests in the Balkans and the Adriatic.
On May 5, 1914, Venizelos presented a bill with two articles stipulating the handover of Sazan. The bill was approved on May 9, ratified on June 5, and published in the Official Gazette on June 7, 1914. Within a month, the island was handed over to Albanian authorities, and Greek forces withdrew.
Consequences:
- Greece lost a highly strategic point in the Adriatic.
- The remaining Aromanian (Vlach) families on the island were massacred by armed Albanian bands on July 16, 1914, causing a great tragedy.
Venizelos later admitted this mistake and, in 1929, sought the return of Sazan and Northern Epirus, but to no avail.
Villages in Macedonia Handed Over to Albania in 1924
The Greek-Albanian border was defined by the Florence Protocol on December 17, 1913. In April 1924, under Italian pressure, Greece was compelled to surrender not only Northern Epirus but also 14 villages in the regions of Florina and Kastoria, which had been under Greek administration since 1912.
The villages surrendered were: Ano Gorica, Verniki, Globocani, Zagradeci, Zaroska, Kapestica, Kato Gorica, Leska, Pusteci, Rakica, Sulen, Sueci, Terstenik, and Çerie.
The final handover of these villages was ratified on November 27, 1925, through the Second Florence Protocol, signed by representatives of Italy, France, Britain, and Greece,” the article concludes.