Maritime Dispute Between Albania and Greece: Analyzing Foreign Policy through the Media Representation

Abstract

The main issue that has been preoccupying relations between Greece and Albania over the last decade is the delimitation of the maritime zones in the Ionian Sea and the inability to reach an agreement on the issue. In general, Greek-Albanian relations have always been one of the issues that have swayed both countries. After the independence of the Albanian state, bilateral relations have gone through periods of intense political and diplomatic crisis, while in the last decade, the strategic line followed has been that of common course and cooperation. The aim of this diplomatic thesis is to investigate the dispute over maritime territorial waters, in the context of the way the issue is relayed in the Greek and Albanian media respectively. Based on the framing approach, the way the issue is presented will be examined with the ultimate aim of drawing conclusions about the correlation between media and politics, and how this is reflected in the political agendas of the respective countries.