The Albanian government is closing the Orthodox church lyceum Holy Cross in the city of Gjirokastër.

This was reported by the Orthodoxia news agency.

According to a government decision signed by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, the suspension of the school’s operations is being carried out as part of the implementation of the Constitution and the law “On the System of Pre-University Education in the Republic of Albania.” At the same time, the 1999 decision that granted the institution its operating licence is being revoked.

The decision, which has raised many questions, was approved by the Council of Ministers following a proposal by Albania’s Minister of Education Mirela Kumbaro. However, some circles claim that the main reason is the decline in the number of students, which has had a strong impact on the region’s demographics and on the Greek minority.

The Holy Cross church lyceum was one of the first educational institutions founded by the late Archbishop Anastasios in September 1998. The school operated as a private bilingual religious educational institution, as provided for under Albanian legislation.

The lyceum is located in one of the traditional districts of Gjirokastër, known for its medieval stone buildings. The school is the lawful property of the Orthodox Church of Albania and was fully restored by Archbishop Anastasios in strict accordance with the traditional architecture of the settlement’s buildings.

The school was regarded as one of the main pillars supporting the Greek diaspora in Albania.