20-24 septembrie 2009 - Biblioteca Metropolitana Bucuresti

The incorporation of Epirus into the Greek state... 831Nevertheless, even after the Greek government’s decision not to includethem in the measure, bureaucratic problems regarding their status remained.The citizenship issue was one of them: According to the possibility grantedthem by article 4 of the Treaty of Athens, of November 1913, many Muslimsof Epirus had opted for Ottoman citizenship rather than Greek, with theprospect of departing for Turkey, which proved impossible to materialize,due to the First World War that followed. Subsequently they recalled theirdecision and took on Greek citizenship thus securing their properties inEpirus. When in 1923 the exchange issue was put on the table, many ofthem, recalling their initial decision, requested and acquired permissionto emigrate to Turkey. 2 All Muslims who remained in the region had thepossibility to present two identities depending on which served thembetter in each case: sometimes as Ottoman citizens in order to avoid theirbeing drafted into the Greek army, but at other times as Greek citizens ofAlbanian origin, to avoid being exchanged to Turkey or their propertiesbeing confiscated. 3The educational situation in the region of Epirus was another problemand rather out of control. The attendance in state public schools was notcompulsory for Muslim children, whereas Muslim parents refused, forreligious reasons, to accept Greek Christian teachers and the commonenrollment of boys and girls in schools, even for children below 10 yearsof age. Despite all this, the General Administration of Epirus recommendedthat teachers encourage the attendance of young Muslims in the classes.Indeed, in order to tempt them to come to school, the state had proceeded toappoint Muslim educators for the teaching of religion and Arabic languagein communities where the population was mixed. 4 The Muslims, however,generally abstained from Greek state public schools, preferring theirenrolment in unofficial Muslim schools, where they were instructed byclergymen on the Muslim religion, the Arabic language and some Albanian.Boys’ attendance was high only in the lower grades of elementary schooland insufficient in the higher grades, which resulted in them not receivingeven a rudimentary education. The gratis distribution of food, for whichgreat hopes were harboured for attracting students and for the learning ofthe Greek language, were not functioning because the necessary funds had2345, General Administration of Epirus to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ioannina 12-1-1925. And no. 45666, Dendramis to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Geneva 21-11-1924.2AYE, 1928, A/21/I, no. 3238, Kokotakis to Michalakopoulos, Tirana 8-3-1928.3AYE, 1928, A/21/I, no. 3010, General Administration of Epirus to Ministry ofForeign Affairs, Ioannina 8-3-1928. See also Société des Nations, C.575.1927.I, Protectiondes minorités en Grèce, Genève 22-11-1927.4AYE, 1928, A/21/I, no. 3010, ibidem.