Greek policeman, 98 other Greeks denied entry to Albania

TIRANA, Albania – Albanian police say a Greek policeman has been arrested after he was found with a pistol.

A statement Saturday said that 98 other Greeks were denied entry to the country due to a lack of documentation or being on a list of banned persons.

All, including the 35-year-old policeman from the northern city of Igoumenitsa who was identified only by the initials M.G, were heading to the village of Bularat, in southern Albania, to take part in a family ceremony for an Albanian-Greek citizen who was killed in a gunbattle with police in October.

Konstantinos Kacifa died Oct. 28 during an event to celebrate Greece’s entry into World War II against Italy.

The incident has heightened tensions between Greece and Albania.