Defamation of the Albanian Orthodox Church
October 17, 2015. The Albanian Orthodox Church published a press release reacting to the the session of the Albanian parliamentary assembly on 15th October, where it was a discussion about the destruction of the church of St Athanasius in Dhermi (Drymades). The Albanian Orthodox Church was accused that “at least during the last two years she has not given money for the restoration of the Albanian monuments”, as the official website of the Albanian Orthodox Church reports.
According to the statement of the Albanian Church, it is very sad that the responsible services informed falsely the Albanian Prime Minister and for this reason, he created an unfair image of the Church by not informing objectively the Albanian people.
The Albanian Orthodox Church reminds that even though she has not still taken back her propriety and she had financial problems, she achieved to gather more that 11 million euros from donators in order to restore more than 60 monasteries and churches, which are cultural monuments in several regions of Albania.
The press-release also mentions that some relative documents have already been published in the newspaper «Ngjallja» and in other newspapers under the titles: «Lynette Hope, Resurrection. The Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania 1991-2003», «Restaurimi i Kishave Orthodhokse Monumente Kulture në Shqipëri. Tiranë 2005.” “Vepra ndërtuese e Kishës Orthodhokse Autoqefale të Shqipërisë gjatë viteve 1992-2012. Volumi I. Tiranë 2012. “Vepra ndërtuese. Përzgjedhje e vëllimit II dhe III”. Tiranë 2014. “Vepra ndërtuese e Kishës Orthodhokse Autoqefale të Shqipërisë gjatë viteve 1992-2012. Volumi II, Tiranë 2015».
The Albanian Orthodox Church reminds about her donations about monuments which after the restoration by the Church, were abandoned by the State and for this reason they were destroyed again. The Church gave 54,830 USD for the restoration of Saint Athanasius in Karavasta and 130,000 USD for the church of Saint Spyridon. Unfortunately, the State did not do anything to keep the safety of the monuments.
Lastly, the Albanian Church considers that it is very strange that her great contribution to the restoration of the Albanian cultural monuments is kept in silence even though in the official information of the Parliamentary Assembly. For this reason she gives in public photos of the restored monuments by the Church.
