Death of Aristotelis Goumas
Encyclopedia
The death of Aristotelis Goumas took place on August 12, 2010, in Himara, Albania
, when the motorcycle of 37-year-old ethnic Greek
shopkeeper Aristotelis Goumas was hit by a car driven by three Albanian
men from Vlore
. According to eyewitnesses the death occurred after an altercation in Goumas' store, when the three men demanded that Goumas not speak to them in Greek
in his own store, which Goumas refused. The suspects reportedly drove over the victim at least twice to make sure he was dead.
The death sent shockwaves through the ethnic Greek community of Albania, and demonstrators blocked the main highway from Vlore to Saranda, which passes through the region. The event was reported by all major news outlets in both countries, and was strongly condemned by both the Greek and Albanian governments. Three suspects have been charged with murder and are awaiting trial.
accosted Goumas in his store in the predominantly ethnic Greek town of Himara, and demanded that he not speak to them in Greek according to eyewitnesses. According to eyewitness reports, Goumas refused, resulting in an altercation. The three men then assaulted Goumas. Several hours later, as Goumas was leaving his store, patrons at the store saw the three men leave in a hurry. Suspecting something to be amiss, friends of the 37-year-old followed them and found Goumas a short distance outside the town lying bleeding on the pavement, his motorcycle bearing marks of a hit and run
. According to police reports, the suspects had rammed Goumas' motorcycle with their Audi, injuring him fatally. The suspects reportedly drove over the victim twice, so as to make sure he was dead, then fled the scene.
.
Demonstrators blocked the main highway between the towns of Vlorë
and Sarandë
using rocks, while municipal workers in the town of Himara held a work stoppage
. According to the Himariote Union, the death of Goumas was the culmination of a series of recent provocations in the town of Himara by Albanian nationalists. Local Greeks further called for the replacement of certain individuals in the Himara police force, stating that attacks against ethnic Greeks have occurred frequently in the past and been duly reported, without the local police authorities showing the slightest interest.
Initial reports in the Albania news media characterized the incident as a traffic accident resulting from road rage
. However, Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha
issued an unusually strong condemnation of the incident, calling the incident an "act of extreme and blind fanaticism" and demanding that police authorities make every effort to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice. The death of Goumas was also condemned by the main opposition Albanian Socialist Party and the Socialist Movement for Integration party.
The ethnic Greek mayor of Himara, Vasil Bollano, spoke of a "premeditated crime" as the suspects had been "provoking the victim for days".
Vangjel Dule, leader of the Unity for Human Rights Party
, which champions the rights Greek minority in Albania, called for restructuring of the police force in Himara, and for greater recruitment of local Himariotes to the local force.
The death was reported by all major news outlets in Greece, and was strongly condemned by the Greek government. George Papandreou
, the Prime Minister of Greece
, strongly condemned the incident, adding that "the rise of nationalism among extremist groups targeting the Greek minority in Albania is a very serious matter". Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Dimitris Delavekouras said that the perpetrators acted out of ethnic prejudice and that such incidents were designed to stir ethnic tensions and undermine Greek-Albanian relations. He called for "swift and proper" justice and further underlined that respect for minorities is one of the conditions for EU membership. The main opposition New Democracy (ND) party and the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) also sharply condemned the incident and called on the Greek government to take all necessary measures to ensure that a full investigation and judicial actions are taken. The issue was brought to the European Parliament
by three Parliamentary Questions.
The Albanian police treated the incident from the start of the investigation as a homicide and immediately launched a manhunt in the region, initially arresting seven individuals aged 19 to 22, while the main suspect remained at large. The main suspect, one Ilir Mukaj from Vlore, surrendered to police late on Sunday, August 15. Seven people were eventually charged in all: Three for the murder of Goumas, and the other four for hiding the murder suspects.
Several days after the incident, two cars driving on the road from Vlore to Saranda stopped in front of the Goumas residence and provocatively fired shots in the air. The Goumas family, which was in the house at the time, notified the police, who took eyewitness statements and collected bullet casings. According to diplomatic sources, there has recently been an upsurge in nationalist activity among Albanians, especially following the ruling of the International Court of Justice
in favor of Kosovo
's independence.
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, when the motorcycle of 37-year-old ethnic Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
shopkeeper Aristotelis Goumas was hit by a car driven by three Albanian
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
men from Vlore
Vlorë
Vlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912...
. According to eyewitnesses the death occurred after an altercation in Goumas' store, when the three men demanded that Goumas not speak to them in Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
in his own store, which Goumas refused. The suspects reportedly drove over the victim at least twice to make sure he was dead.
The death sent shockwaves through the ethnic Greek community of Albania, and demonstrators blocked the main highway from Vlore to Saranda, which passes through the region. The event was reported by all major news outlets in both countries, and was strongly condemned by both the Greek and Albanian governments. Three suspects have been charged with murder and are awaiting trial.
Incident
On the morning of Thursday, August 12, 2010, three Albanian men from the town of VlorëVlorë
Vlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912...
accosted Goumas in his store in the predominantly ethnic Greek town of Himara, and demanded that he not speak to them in Greek according to eyewitnesses. According to eyewitness reports, Goumas refused, resulting in an altercation. The three men then assaulted Goumas. Several hours later, as Goumas was leaving his store, patrons at the store saw the three men leave in a hurry. Suspecting something to be amiss, friends of the 37-year-old followed them and found Goumas a short distance outside the town lying bleeding on the pavement, his motorcycle bearing marks of a hit and run
Hit and run (vehicular)
Hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic accident , and failing to stop and identify oneself afterwards...
. According to police reports, the suspects had rammed Goumas' motorcycle with their Audi, injuring him fatally. The suspects reportedly drove over the victim twice, so as to make sure he was dead, then fled the scene.
Reaction
The death and lack of immediate police response sparked outrage throughout the predominantly ethnic Greek region of HimarëHimarë
Himarë is a bilingual region and municipality along the Albanian Riviera in southern Albania and part of the District of Vlorë. Apart from the town of Himarë, the region consists of 7 other villages: Dhërmi, Pilur, Kudhës, Qeparo, Vuno, Iljas, and Palasë....
.
Demonstrators blocked the main highway between the towns of Vlorë
Vlorë
Vlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912...
and Sarandë
Sarandë
Sarandë or Saranda is the capital of the District of Sarandë, Albania, and is one of the most important tourist attractions of the Albanian Riviera. It is situated on an open sea gulf of the Ionian Sea in the Mediterranean 2 nautical miles from the Greek island of Corfu. The city of Saranda has a...
using rocks, while municipal workers in the town of Himara held a work stoppage
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
. According to the Himariote Union, the death of Goumas was the culmination of a series of recent provocations in the town of Himara by Albanian nationalists. Local Greeks further called for the replacement of certain individuals in the Himara police force, stating that attacks against ethnic Greeks have occurred frequently in the past and been duly reported, without the local police authorities showing the slightest interest.
Initial reports in the Albania news media characterized the incident as a traffic accident resulting from road rage
Road rage
Road rage is an aggressive or angry behavior by a driver of an automobile or other motor vehicle. Such behavior might include rude gestures, verbal insults, deliberately driving in an unsafe or threatening manner, or making threats. Road rage can lead to altercations, assaults, and collisions...
. However, Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha
Sali Berisha
Sali Ram Berisha is an Albanian politician and cardiologist, currently the Prime Minister of Albania and the leader of Democratic Party of Albania ....
issued an unusually strong condemnation of the incident, calling the incident an "act of extreme and blind fanaticism" and demanding that police authorities make every effort to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice. The death of Goumas was also condemned by the main opposition Albanian Socialist Party and the Socialist Movement for Integration party.
The ethnic Greek mayor of Himara, Vasil Bollano, spoke of a "premeditated crime" as the suspects had been "provoking the victim for days".
Vangjel Dule, leader of the Unity for Human Rights Party
Unity for Human Rights Party
The Unity for Human Rights Party is a centrist, liberal-inclined party in Albania. Founded in 1992, it represents Albania's minorities and is mainly related to the Greek minority as it is the political continuation of the Democratic Union of the Greek Minority .-Election results:The party usually...
, which champions the rights Greek minority in Albania, called for restructuring of the police force in Himara, and for greater recruitment of local Himariotes to the local force.
The death was reported by all major news outlets in Greece, and was strongly condemned by the Greek government. George Papandreou
George Papandreou
Georgios A. Papandreou , commonly anglicised to George and shortened to Γιώργος in Greek, is a Greek politician who served as Prime Minister of Greece following his party's victory in the 2009 legislative election...
, the Prime Minister of Greece
Prime Minister of Greece
The Prime Minister of Greece , officially the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic , is the head of government of the Hellenic Republic and the leader of the Greek cabinet. The current interim Prime Minister is Lucas Papademos, a former Vice President of the European Central Bank, following...
, strongly condemned the incident, adding that "the rise of nationalism among extremist groups targeting the Greek minority in Albania is a very serious matter". Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Dimitris Delavekouras said that the perpetrators acted out of ethnic prejudice and that such incidents were designed to stir ethnic tensions and undermine Greek-Albanian relations. He called for "swift and proper" justice and further underlined that respect for minorities is one of the conditions for EU membership. The main opposition New Democracy (ND) party and the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) also sharply condemned the incident and called on the Greek government to take all necessary measures to ensure that a full investigation and judicial actions are taken. The issue was brought to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
by three Parliamentary Questions.
The Albanian police treated the incident from the start of the investigation as a homicide and immediately launched a manhunt in the region, initially arresting seven individuals aged 19 to 22, while the main suspect remained at large. The main suspect, one Ilir Mukaj from Vlore, surrendered to police late on Sunday, August 15. Seven people were eventually charged in all: Three for the murder of Goumas, and the other four for hiding the murder suspects.
Several days after the incident, two cars driving on the road from Vlore to Saranda stopped in front of the Goumas residence and provocatively fired shots in the air. The Goumas family, which was in the house at the time, notified the police, who took eyewitness statements and collected bullet casings. According to diplomatic sources, there has recently been an upsurge in nationalist activity among Albanians, especially following the ruling of the International Court of Justice
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands...
in favor of Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
's independence.