Irredentism

Some observers have lately been advising foreign governments not to worry too much about Turkey’s (President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s) increasingly aggressive irredentist rhetoric because it is largely targeted at domestic consumption rather than addressing the relevant foreign audience. Well, yes and no.

The idea of Greater Albania - uniting all Albanians in one state - is once again a hot topic in the Balkans, DW reports. While leaders in Pristina and Tirana deny pan-Albanian ambitions, their recent statements have caused alarm.

One day after she announced that the socialists will hold an emergency congress later this year, PASOK leader Fofi Gennimata on Wednesday met with former prime minister and party chief Costas Simitis.

PASOK, Greece's once-dominant socialist party, will hold an emergency congress in September, its leader Fofi Gennimata has said.

Gennimata announced the decision Tuesday during a meeting of PASOK deputies that also saw her effectively taking power away from the hands of party secretary Stefanos Xekalakis. His powers will be transferred to the coordinator of the upcoming congress.

Former Socialist Prime Minister Costas Simitis said on Tuesday that he "fears" the way negotiations are being conducted with the country's international creditors, and that Greece could be heading for an "accident."

Seven army recruits in the Greek military were sentenced to 60 days in prison, after they had formed a pro-Albanian nationalistic symbol and posted a photo on social media.

The Hellenic Army General Staff is launching an internal investigation following revelations that 7 recruits in the Greek army of Albanian background had posted a photo on social media depicting them making the sigh of the of the Albanian eagle with their hands, a nationalistic symbol of Albanian irredentism.

Feeling like a pre-election period, Wednesday's parliamentary debate between party leaders turned into a full-fledged confrontation as all sides sought to take corners arguing over what is at stake for the country.

Former premier George Papandreou said on Monday he regretted not insisting on a referendum over the Greek bailout before he left office in 2011.

Papandreou was prime minister from 2009 to 2011, when he resigned to make way for a national unity government during the outbreak of the Greek debt crisis.

Former Socialist prime minister George Papandreou and Fofi Gennimata, the leader of Democratic Alignment (the new name for PASOK), on Thursday announced that they were joining forces.