Çamëria

Çamëria is a geographical and historical region in northwestern Greece, bordering Albania. The name is derived from the Chameria (Tsamia) people, an Albanian ethnographic group who historically inhabited the area. The region's territory encompasses parts of the modern Greek prefectures of Thesprotia and Preveza. Historically, Çamëria was a significant area for the Albanian-speaking Muslim population for centuries.

Following the Balkan Wars and particularly after the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922, the demographic composition of Çamëria underwent significant changes. The Treaty of Lausanne in 1923 mandated a population exchange between Greece and Turkey, which did not directly apply to the Albanian population of Çamëria. However, during World War II, many Cham Albanians were accused of collaborating with Axis forces occupying Greece, leading to their expulsion from Greece in 1944. This event resulted in the displacement of the vast majority of the Cham Albanian population, who then fled to Albania.

The issue of Çamëria remains a sensitive topic in Greek-Albanian relations. Descendants of the displaced Cham Albanians continue to advocate for their right to return and for the restitution of their properties. The Greek government maintains that the expulsion was a justified response to collaboration with enemy forces and that the properties were forfeited due to abandonment. The region itself today is predominantly inhabited by ethnic Greeks.