Albanian Stone Masons, Traditional Greek Stone Houses and the European Union

Albania has been in the news recently, as the latest country wishing to join the European Union. Greece has always had a complex relationship with its neighbour and Greeks were always a little unsure about Albanians, mainly because so little information seeped across the border from the secretive, Communist state. Now, however, many Greeks welcome this move and believe that their neighbours have earned EU membership; without Albanian migrants, the economy of Greece would be in even worse trouble.

However, whilst Albanians make up a large proportion of the agricultural workers, the main area in which they gain respect is as fine stonemasons. Over the years, Greek builders forgot the art of working with stone as they moved away from building stone houses towards the easier concrete structures. Instead of rebuilding and repairing old traditional stone houses, they simply built a new house on the same plot and let the old house fall down.

Albanian Stone Masons and Traditional Greek Stone Houses

When foreign investors began buying in Greece, many were fixated upon the dream of owning a traditional Greek stone house, a solid construction that fits in with the landscape. However, it became increasingly difficult to find a good contractor – whilst there are some fine Greek stonemasons, they are very hard to find.

Into the breech stepped the Albanians, who initially faced a little resistance when they flooded over the border. However, they brought with them the noble art of stonemasonry and allied it with a solid work ethic – they did not use jackhammers or angle-grinders, but hammers and chisels to break rocks under the hot Greek sun.

Very soon, they earned respect for their skills and hard work and, whilst they were technically illegal immigrants, the Greek authorities turned a blind eye, understanding that the Albanians were providing a service and contributing to the economy. If you are thinking of renovating a Greek house, there is a strong possibility that your workers will be Albanian.

Albanian Stone Masons and Traditional Greek Stone Houses

Albania and the European Union

For this reason, most Greeks welcome Albanians and are fully behind that country’s attempts to join the European Union. Their hard work and skill have earned them that right and the Albanian masons have shown that their country would be an asset to the rest of Europe. There is still some work to be done in strengthening the Albanian economy and tackling corruption and crime, but they have come a long way in such a short time.

If you want to buy or renovate a traditional Greek stone house, and you use Albanian stonemasons, treat them with the respect that they deserve, as skilled craftsmen.