✍🏽 Urim Gjata, former head of the branch of the Albanian Democratic Party in Thessaloniki, Greece.
Panajotis Psomiadhis – The Noble Leader Who Opened the Doors of the Thessaloniki Prefecture
In the memory of Albanian emigrants in Greece, the name of Panajotis Psomiadhis, former Prefect of Thessaloniki, remains a symbol of respect, gratitude, and deep admiration. He was never merely a state official – he was a sincere friend, a man of extraordinary heart, who saw us as human beings first, beyond residence permits, paperwork, or the documents we lacked.
Our meetings with him in his office were more than friendly—they were warm, personal, and full of understanding. He always made us feel at home, greeting us with a genuine smile and often sharing his beliefs and principles:
“A neighbor is the best brother” and
“I respect Albanians because they are hardworking and honest.”
In those challenging years, when many of us were simply emigrants—some with six-month residence permits, others without any legal documentation—we needed a strong pillar of support, someone who would listen, understand, and open doors when bureaucracy or prejudice stood in the way.
That pillar was the Prefecture of Thessaloniki, where Mr. Psomiadhis always welcomed us with dignity, patience, and genuine care.
Thanks to him, many of us found solutions to our daily problems, received fair treatment as workers and honest citizens, and gained moral support that strengthened our hope for a better future.
Prof. Vili Minarolli, senior leader of the Democratic Party and mentor of the branch of the Albanian Democratic Party in Thessaloniki, Greece.
During this time, visits from Democratic Party representatives, such as Mr. Vili Minarolli, a special envoy of Dr. Sali Berisha, further strengthened our connections.
In every meeting, Mr. Psomiadhis was present—not as a distant official, but as a friend, a respected advisor, and a compassionate listener, who always sought practical ways to help us.
He attended many of our broader meetings with the Albanian community and Democratic Party members, offering guidance and encouragement, showing that his commitment went beyond protocol—it was deeply personal.
Takim festiv në Selanik (të ftuar, Periferiaki Psomiadhis dhe dy prof/ Ferit Duka dhe Luan Malltezi
One of the most remarkable moments was his visit to Tirana, where he was received by Prime Minister Berisha. They discussed the challenges faced by Albanian emigrants in Greece, the possibilities for free movement, and ways to strengthen cooperation between Greek and Albanian institutions. This led to productive exchanges between the Prefectures of Thessaloniki and Korçë, building lasting bridges of trust, understanding, and collaboration.
Në Kryeministri ! Takim i Periferiarkut të Makedonia Thrakit P. Psomiadhi me Kryeministrin Berisha
Those years were difficult, yet full of idealism, hope, and faith in a better future. And although we were simply emigrants, even though we represented the Democratic Party and led its branch for emigrants, he was the highest-ranking official of the state institutions in the region of Macedonia and Thrace.
Me Periferiarqin z Psomiadhis
Yet he never used his authority to create distance or hierarchy. On the contrary, he opened doors, offered help, and built bridges of collaboration, showing genuine friendship, understanding, and solidarity.
He treated everyone with the same respect, whether they were seeking help or not. As we have learned over the years: a person is valued not only when you have asked for and received their help, but also when you are far away and no longer need their assistance. This truth perfectly captures the enduring greatness of Mr. Psomiadhis—his integrity, his consistent humanity, and the respect he showed for all people, at all times.
Takimi dhe koncert madhështor ndërmjet dy prefekturave (korçë-Selanik) në Selanik
Even in moments when no official duty required it, he continued to show interest and concern for the Albanian community, always guided by the principle that friendship and solidarity are more important than status or position. He reminded us that true leadership is measured not only by authority but by the capacity to act with fairness, compassion, and respect toward others.
Urim Gjata-Klevis Milo, takim bisedë në zyrën e Psomiadhit .
Në prefekturën e Korçës (dy prefektët Frida Zefi, dhe Panajotis Psomiadhis, konsulli Shqiptar Thoma Nini, dhe Gjolekas, ministri i Makedonia Thraki )
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➡️Panajotis Psomiadhis – Drejtuesi fisnik që na hapi dyert e Prefekturës së Selanikut
Në kujtesën e emigrantëve shqiptarë në Greqi, emri i Panajotis Psomiadhis, ish-prefekt i Selanikut, mbetet simbol i respektit, mirënjohjes dhe admirim të thellë. Ai nuk ishte thjesht një drejtues shtetëror – ishte një mik i sinqertë, një njeri me shpirt të madh, që na shikonte si njerëz, përtej lejeve të qëndrimit apo dokumenteve që na mungonin.
Takimet me të në zyrë ishin më shumë se miqësore – ishin të ngrohta, personale dhe plot mirëkuptim. Ai gjithmonë na bënte të ndihemi si në shtëpinë tonë, duke na përshëndetur me buzëqeshje të sinqertë dhe shpesh duke ndarë bindjet dhe parimet e tij: “Komshiu është vëllai më i mirë” dhe “Për shqiptarët ruaj respektin sepse janë punëtorë dhe të ndershëm.”
Në ato vite të vështira, kur shumë prej nesh ishim thjesht emigrantë – disa me leje gjashtëmujore, disa pa asnjë dokument – na duhej një shtyllë mbështetëse, dikush që të dëgjonte, kuptonte dhe të hapte dyer kur burokracia ose paragjykimi qëndronin në rrugën tonë. Kjo shtyllë ishte Prefektura e Selanikut, ku z. Psomiadhis na priti gjithmonë me dinjitet, durim dhe kujdes të sinqertë. Falë tij, shumë prej nesh gjetën zgjidhje për problemet e përditshme, për trajtimin si punëtorë dhe qytetarë të ndershëm, dhe morën mbështetje morale që forcoi shpresën tonë për një të ardhme më të mirë.
Përpjekjet tona për të krijuar degën e Partisë Demokratike në Selanik ishin guximtare dhe të papara më parë. Ligjet greke nuk lejonin degët e partive të huaja, dhe klima politike ishte e ndërlikuar dhe shpesh armiqësore. Megjithatë, me mbështetjen morale të z. Psomiadhis dhe udhëzimin e miqve tanë në Nea Demokratia, arritëm të organizohemi dhe të japim zë komunitetit shqiptar në veri të Greqisë.
Gjatë kësaj kohe, vizitat e përfaqësuesve të Partisë Demokratike, si z. Vili Minarolli, përforcuan lidhjet tona. Në çdo takim, z. Psomiadhis ishte prezent – jo si një zyrtar i largët, por si mik, këshilltar i respektuar dhe dëgjues i përkushtuar, që gjithmonë kërkonte mënyra praktike për të na ndihmuar. Ai merrte pjesë në shumë nga takimet tona të gjera me komunitetin shqiptar dhe antarët e Partisë Demokratike, duke ofruar udhëzim dhe inkurajim, dhe duke treguar se angazhimi i tij nuk ishte thjesht protokollar, por personal dhe i sinqertë.
➡️Një nga momentet më të paharrueshme ishte vizita e tij në Tiranë, ku u prit nga Kryeministri Berisha. Diskutuan për sfidat e emigrantëve shqiptarë, për mundësitë e lëvizjes së lirë dhe mënyrat për të forcuar bashkëpunimin ndërinstitucional. Kjo çoi në shkëmbime të frytshme mes Prefekturës së Selanikut dhe Prefekturës së Korçës, duke ndërtuar ura besimi, mirëkuptimi dhe bashkëpunimi të qëndrueshme.
Ishin vite të vështira, por plot idealizëm, shpresë dhe besim në një të ardhme më të mirë. Dhe megjithëse ne ishim thjesht emigrantë, edhe pse përfaqësonim Partinë Demokratike dhe drejtonim degën e saj për emigrantët, ai ishte drejtuesi më i lartë i institucioneve shtetërore në Periferinë e Maqedonisë dhe Trakisë. Megjithatë, ai kurrë nuk përdori autoritetin për të krijuar distancë ose hierarki. Përkundrazi, hapi dyer, ofroi ndihmë dhe krijoi ura bashkëpunimi, duke treguar miqësi të sinqertë, mirëkuptim dhe solidaritet.
Ai trajtonte çdo person me respekt, qoftë kur kishte nevojë për ndihmë apo jo. Siç kemi kuptuar me kalimin e viteve: një njeri vlerësohet jo vetëm atëherë kur ke kërkuar dhe marrë ndihmë, por edhe atëherë kur je larg dhe nuk të nevojitet ndihma e tij. Kjo thënie pasqyron përsosmërisht madhështinë e z. Psomiadhis – integritetin e tij, njerëzillëkun e vazhdueshëm dhe respektin që tregonte ndaj të gjithëve, në çdo kohë.
Edhe në momentet kur detyra zyrtare nuk e kërkonte, ai vazhdoi të tregonte interes dhe kujdes për komunitetin shqiptar, gjithmonë i udhëhequr nga parimi se miqësia dhe solidariteti janë më të rëndësishme se statusi apo pozicioni. Ai na kujtoi se udhëheqja e vërtetë matet jo vetëm me autoritet, por me aftësinë për të vepruar me drejtësi, dhembshuri dhe respekt ndaj të tjerëve.
➡️Faleminderit, z. Psomiadhis! Për ndihmën, për miqësinë dhe shpirtin njerëzor që treguat ndaj shqiptarëve në Greqi. Ju do të mbeteni përherë një mik i vërtetë, një udhërrëfyes dhe një shembull i gjallë i fisnikërisë dhe integritetit për komunitetin tonë.
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Παναγιώτης Ψωμιάδης – Ο ευγενής ηγέτης που μας άνοιξε τις πόρτες της Περιφέρειας Θεσσαλονίκης
Στη μνήμη των Αλβανών μεταναστών στην Ελλάδα, το όνομα του Παναγιώτη Ψωμιάδη, πρώην Νομάρχη Θεσσαλονίκης, παραμένει σύμβολο σεβασμού, ευγνωμοσύνης και βαθιάς εκτίμησης. Δεν ήταν απλώς ένας κρατικός αξιωματούχος – ήταν ένας ειλικρινής φίλος, ένας άνθρωπος με μεγάλη καρδιά, που μας έβλεπε πρώτα ως ανθρώπους, πέρα από τις άδειες διαμονής ή τα έγγραφα που μας έλειπαν.
Οι συναντήσεις μας στο γραφείο του ήταν κάτι περισσότερο από φιλικές – ήταν ζεστές, προσωπικές και γεμάτες κατανόηση. Πάντα μας έκανε να νιώθουμε σαν στο σπίτι μας, μας χαιρετούσε με ειλικρινές χαμόγελο και συχνά μοιραζόταν τις πεποιθήσεις και τις αρχές του: «Ο γείτονας είναι ο καλύτερος αδελφός» και «Σέβομαι τους Αλβανούς γιατί είναι εργατικοί και έντιμοι.»
Σε εκείνα τα δύσκολα χρόνια, όταν πολλοί από εμάς ήμασταν απλώς μετανάστες – κάποιοι με εξάμηνες άδειες διαμονής, άλλοι χωρίς κανένα νόμιμο έγγραφο – χρειαζόμασταν έναν ισχυρό στήριγμα, κάποιον που θα μας άκουγε, θα κατανοούσε και θα άνοιγε πόρτες όταν η γραφειοκρατία ή η προκατάληψη μας εμπόδιζαν. Αυτό το στήριγμα ήταν η Περιφέρεια Θεσσαλονίκης, όπου ο κ. Ψωμιάδης μας υποδέχθηκε πάντα με αξιοπρέπεια, υπομονή και ειλικρινή φροντίδα. Χάρη σε αυτόν, πολλοί από εμάς βρήκαμε λύσεις για τα καθημερινά μας προβλήματα, αντιμετωπιστήκαμε δίκαια ως εργαζόμενοι και έντιμοι πολίτες, και λάβαμε ηθική στήριξη που ενίσχυσε την ελπίδα μας για ένα καλύτερο μέλλον.
Οι προσπάθειές μας να δημιουργήσουμε το παράρτημα του Δημοκρατικού Κόμματος στη Θεσσαλονίκη ήταν τολμηρές και πρωτόγνωρες. Ο ελληνικός νόμος δεν επέτρεπε παραρτήματα ξένων πολιτικών κομμάτων και το πολιτικό κλίμα ήταν περίπλοκο και συχνά εχθρικό. Παρ’ όλα αυτά, με την ηθική υποστήριξη του κ. Ψωμιάδη και την καθοδήγηση των φίλων μας στη Νέα Δημοκρατία, καταφέραμε να οργανωθούμε και να δώσουμε φωνή στην αλβανική κοινότητα στη βόρεια Ελλάδα.
Κατά τη διάρκεια αυτής της περιόδου, οι επισκέψεις εκπροσώπων του Δημοκρατικού Κόμματος, όπως ο κ. Βίλι Μιναρόλι, ενίσχυσαν περαιτέρω τις σχέσεις μας. Σε κάθε συνάντηση, ο κ. Ψωμιάδης ήταν παρών – όχι ως απομακρυσμένος αξιωματούχος, αλλά ως φίλος, σεβαστός σύμβουλος και στοργικός ακροατής, που πάντα αναζητούσε πρακτικούς τρόπους να μας βοηθήσει. Παρακολουθούσε πολλές από τις ευρύτερες συναντήσεις μας με την αλβανική κοινότητα και τα μέλη του Δημοκρατικού Κόμματος, προσφέροντας καθοδήγηση και ενθάρρυνση, δείχνοντας ότι η δέσμευσή του δεν ήταν απλώς τυπική, αλλά προσωπική και ειλικρινής.
Ένα από τα πιο αξέχαστα γεγονότα ήταν η επίσκεψή του στα Τίρανα, όπου έγινε δεκτός από τον Πρωθυπουργό Μπερίσα. Συζήτησαν τις προκλήσεις που αντιμετωπίζουν οι Αλβανοί μετανάστες στην Ελλάδα, τις δυνατότητες ελεύθερης μετακίνησης και τρόπους ενίσχυσης της συνεργασίας μεταξύ ελληνικών και αλβανικών θεσμών. Αυτό οδήγησε σε παραγωγικές ανταλλαγές μεταξύ των Περιφερειών Θεσσαλονίκης και Κορυτσάς, δημιουργώντας διαρκείς γέφυρες εμπιστοσύνης, κατανόησης και συνεργασίας.
Ήταν χρόνια δύσκολα, αλλά γεμάτα ιδεαλισμό, ελπίδα και πίστη σε ένα καλύτερο μέλλον. Και παρόλο που εμείς ήμασταν απλώς μετανάστες, ακόμα και αν εκπροσωπούσαμε το Δημοκρατικό Κόμμα και διεύθυνουμε το παράρτημά του για τους μετανάστες, εκείνος ήταν ο ανώτατος αξιωματούχος των κρατικών θεσμών στην Περιφέρεια Μακεδονίας και Θράκης. Παρ’ όλα αυτά, δεν χρησιμοποίησε ποτέ την εξουσία του για να δημιουργήσει απόσταση ή ιεραρχία. Αντίθετα, άνοιξε πόρτες, προσέφερε βοήθεια και δημιούργησε γέφυρες συνεργασίας, δείχνοντας ειλικρινή φιλία, κατανόηση και αλληλεγγύη.
Αντιμετώπιζε κάθε άνθρωπο με σεβασμό, είτε χρειαζόταν βοήθεια είτε όχι. Όπως έχουμε συνειδητοποιήσει με τα χρόνια: ένα άτομο εκτιμάται όχι μόνο όταν έχεις ζητήσει και λάβει τη βοήθειά του, αλλά και όταν βρίσκεσαι μακριά και δεν χρειάζεσαι πλέον τη βοήθειά του. Αυτή η αλήθεια αποτυπώνει τέλεια το μεγαλείο του κ. Ψωμιάδη – την ακεραιότητά του, την αδιάκοπη ανθρωπιά του και τον σεβασμό που έδειχνε σε όλους, κάθε στιγμή.
Ακόμη και όταν τα καθήκοντα δεν το απαιτούσαν, συνέχιζε να δείχνει ενδιαφέρον και φροντίδα για την αλβανική κοινότητα, πάντα καθοδηγούμενος από την αρχή ότι η φιλία και η αλληλεγγύη είναι πιο σημαντικές από την εξουσία ή τη θέση. Μας θύμιζε ότι η πραγματική ηγεσία μετριέται όχι μόνο από την εξουσία, αλλά και από την ικανότητα να ενεργεί κανείς με δικαιοσύνη, καλοσύνη και σεβασμό προς τους άλλους.
AL in Sweden. 