Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis gave an interview to the macedonia newspaper Tis Kyriakis" where he also spoke about the latest developments in relations with neighboring countries such as Albania and North Macedonia and Turkey.
As for the meeting that Prime Minister Edi Rama had with Albanians in Athens, Mitsotakis said that there was no reason to stop such an organization despite calls made by the right wing of Greek politics.
"Edi Rama's visit here was private, as was the respective pre-election speeches he has already planned in other countries, in view of elections in Albania. The government had no reason to stop it. Simply because the Hellenic Republic has nothing to fear from such an event.
This, of course, did not prevent the well-known populists and "cannape patriots" from pointing fingers at us, demanding a blind ban, without explaining how and why."
While he continued to stress the conditions that according to him, Albania must meet to join the EU.
"The issues in Greek-Albanian and Euro-Albanian relations certainly remain. And Albania's prime minister cannot circumvent the conditions for his country's EU membership. First, respect for the rule of law, which is provided for in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union.
I will be clear: with the unlawful detention of the elected mayor of Himara, now a candidate for the European Parliament, Fredi Beleri, Albania violates the value of the rule of law, by abolishing his self-evident right to be tried, the basis of presumption of innocence. Therefore, this is not just a bilateral issue, but primarily a European issue. And since Albania's accession path depends on respect for the fundamental rights of the Greek minority, it inevitably passes from our country. Not to "reconcile" or "punish." But to see Albania joining without problems on the path of European values" - added the Greek Prime Minister.
While regarding developments in North Macedonia where the new state electors refuse to refer to their country with the name emerged from the Prespa Agreement, he said that the progress of the country's European integration process depends on respecting these agreements.