Dhërmi

Mayor of Tepelena Termet Peci (centre) addressing supporters in the Church of St Nicolas in the village of Lekel. Photo: Termet Peci Facebook

"The use of sacred churches for political activity insults religious and institutional feelings," a statement issued on Monday reads.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras reacted strongly to a move by the Albanian government of Edi Rama to effectively expropriate large tracts of prime seaside properties owned by members of the Greek minority in the upscale coastline town of Himara and neighbouring Sarande.

The Greek Foreign Ministry released an announcement on the demolition of properties belonging to members of the Greek National Minority in Dhermi, Himara at Northern Epirus of Albania.

Albanian police have demolished a contested church dedicated to St Athanas in the southern village of Dhermi, angering the Orthodox Church and neighbouring Greece, which supports the Church's mission.

The Orthodox Church called it a vandalistic act of desecration and a violation of church property. Greece said the Albanians were behaving like Islamist extremists.

The Albanian council of Chimarra completed the demolition of the Orthodox church of St. Athanasius in the village of Drymades under the cover of the night. Around 4 am in the morning the Albanian Urban Police arrived at the remains of the church and ordered the excavators and bulldozers to finish off the job.

The Greek Foreign Ministry on Sunday condemned what it called a "violent incident" at the church of Saint Athanas in the Albanian village of Dhermi, describing what happened as "unacceptable and contemptible".

Construction police from the local Himara Municipality went to Dhermi on Friday to remove the concrete roof of the church, claiming it was an illegal build.