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ANALYSIS: "Belerization" of Greek-Albanian relations and the consequences

2024-05-30 20:46:36Fokus SHKRUAR NGA ELONA ELEZI
The "bellerization" of Greek-Albanian relations and the consequences

Among the 42 candidates for MEPs of the "New Democracy" party is the elected mayor of Himara, Fredi Beleri, who is currently serving a 2-year sentence for buying votes during the 2023 local elections.

In April of this year, when the debate about the punishment of the elected mayor of Himara Fredi Beleriishte was at its peak, the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the party he represents "New Democracy" officially proposed the name of Beleri as a candidate for Euro-deputy. The news sparked debate on both sides of the border, where the neighbors still technically have been under martial law since 1940. Mitsotakis was also criticized for his candidacy by his country's largest opposition party, SYRIZA. This is the first time that a candidate for the European Parliament is in a cell.

"Beleri" - Pros and cons

"This is an unprecedented act, which has not happened before and I do not believe that it will bring any result in the expectations of Mr. Mitsotakis to wake up the sleeping Greek nationalist votes and even more so to realize the release of Mr. Beleri from prison . If a part of the opposition made a mistake when they nominated Beleri for the mayor of Himara, Mitsotakis is making a second, even bigger mistake, by nominating him for the member of the European Parliament. This political act may backfire. There are hundreds of other honorable figures who have Albanian and Greek citizenship, who could be selected as candidates and would help the expansion of the electoral base of this party more than a problematic character like Beleri" - tells DW Arben Çejku, former - ambassador, head of the "Albanian Center for Good Governance".

For Marin Suli, representative of Omonia, Beler's candidacy is good news. " I see the candidacy of Mr. Beleri as a member of the European Parliament as a positive approach in relation to the denied democracy in Albania. Also, I see it as a normal process within a democratic and European country such as Greece, candidacy which originates from the proposal and passing through the selection filters of candidacies within the New Democracy and a clear reading of the preliminary polls, polls which bring out Mr. Beleri the winner, even with a large number of votes. Contrary to those who are skeptical, I believe that this election is good news first for the opposition, but also for the Albanian people in general".

Barka: Beleri is being used by the Greek Prime Minister's party

Panajot Barka has worked for years as a correspondent from Albania for the Greek News Agency. Beleri's personal stance on the issue has cost him his job. Beleri, as an individual and presented as a defender of the rights of the Greek ethnic minority, is used by the Greek Prime Minister's party to create a shield preventing the flow of votes from this party to the extreme right. So, an issue which was promoted as a "Greek national asset", is used for internal political and ideological purposes. This has sparked a strong political debate in Greece. It has a double consequence for the Greek minority in Albania. First, both he and the political group he represents do not have the real support of this minority. But even if we accept this, then the protection of these rights takes place here, next to this minority. So it seeks it here and not by exporting it outside, even to the European Parliament. Second, the New Democracy's published intention for his candidacy identifies Beler with the extreme right, even with significant influence there. This hurts the minority a lot!" – says Barka for Deutsche Wellen.

Christopoulos: Beleri didn't come out of nowhere

For the expert of political sciences, human rights and minorities, Dimitris Christopoulos, at the same time dean of the Faculty of Political Sciences at the "Panteion" University in Athens, the expression: 'It takes two people to dance the tango', best suits this situation .

ANALYSIS: "Belerization" of Greek-Albanian relations and the
Dimitris Christopoulos, dean of the Faculty of Political Sciences at "Panteion" University in Athens, expert in political sciences, human rights and minorities

"Of course, Mitsotakis bears his own personal responsibilities for the selection of Beler to the European Parliament, but this decision must be seen in the context of the previous actions of both parties. If Beler were not in prison, he would never be a candidate. So, if we want to be fair about this matter, then no one is innocent. Although sharing responsibilities does not mean that both parties have the same amount of responsibility. The "bellerization" of Greek-Albanian relations is mainly an initiative of Athens. And if we really want to understand what is happening in the region today, we must read impartially and without national passions what happened in Himara during the last century and especially after the end of the Cold War. Himara turned into the battleground of clashes between Greek and Albanian nationalism. We are paying for this today. Albania must accept that there are Greeks in Himare who are looking for their properties. This doesn't help the plan to turn Himara into a mega-tourist paradise, but it's not the end of the world. Beleri didn't come out of nowhere. If we really want to understand who made him a strong political figure, then we say both sides, the Greek side and the Albanian side".

Deutsche Welle also contacted representatives of the Greek government and opposition on the matter, but they did not respond to our request for comment.

Legal or political trial?

From the first moments after Fredi Beler's arrest in Himare, he himself, but also representatives of the Greek minority in Albania, have claimed a political rigged process. These claims have been repeatedly rejected by Prime Minister Rama, who has insisted that the "Beleri" case belongs only to the judiciary.

"We no longer have claims, but we have written and scientific evidence given by SPAK itself, that Mr. Beleri is the victim of a political process assembled and manipulated by Mr. Rama" says Marin Suli. According to him, the prosecution has falsified documents and openly violated the law. The only faith they have, according to Sul, is the Strasbourg court.

"If the Albanian Prime Minister wanted the world to believe that this is a court case, he should refrain from the statements he made on television against Beler, a few days before Beler was arrested. I am not in a position to know what actually happened, but what I do know is that such practices, for which the elected mayor of Himara was imprisoned, are not uncommon in Albania. Let's talk seriously... I am the last one who would say that the mayor of Himara is innocent. However, in Albania there are many who are still free and successful. This is the problem. On the other hand, Athens bears a major responsibility for promoting such a person to protect the interests of minorities. The second major fault of Greek diplomacy is the expectation that the European Union and the United States of America will respect Athens' claims on this matter. But this is not the case and we are already in an impasse" - analyzes Professor Christopoulos.

For ex-diplomat Çejku, the accusation of vote-buying should be investigated and punished, but he draws parallels with the past, when characters of the current governing majority were accused of vote-buying on an even larger scale, but were not punished.

Could it be that he was caught precisely because he "bought a few votes", while other characters of the majority "bought a lot of votes" and maybe for this "merit" they are neither investigated nor punished? On the other hand, I think that Greece was hasty in its involvement and intervention, prejudicing the investigations and the judicial process from the beginning. Athens had to be content with monitoring the process and in the end, based on the facts, draw up a report on all the claims. But, with the frequent emotional reactions, the political statements at a distance, the investigation and the trial against Mr. Beleri fell into the trap of a prejudiced and politicized legal process. Who politicized this more will be analyzed by others in the future, but the tactless interventions of official Athens did not bring any benefit either to Beleri or to the climate of relations between the two countries".

Deadlock (un)resolvable?

For Panajot Barka, the election of Beler would further complicate the relations between Albania and Greece, especially in relation to the European Union. " Beleri with three criminal convictions, two for ethnic issues on both sides of the border and one now for electoral corruption, creates a handicap or a stalemate, not easily overcome".

"I think that any act that undermines democracy, freedom of human rights and the Constitution of the country, makes Albania's European path difficult. In this particular case, the serious violations of a part of the population that enjoys dual citizenship, Albanian and Greek, are included" - argues Marin Suli.

ANALYSIS: "Belerization" of Greek-Albanian relations and the
Meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama

However, Prime Minister Rama expressed his determination a little while ago, when he was asked about the obstacles that Greece may set again for the country's EU membership. "I don't believe that the concern of Greece will continue until 2030 and if this job will remain in Beleri, so be it, let's never join the EU".

"During the last years, the Greek behavior towards the Albanians in Greece and the Greek minority in Albania has provoked and cultivated a lack of trust on the Albanian side. I do not hesitate to say that Athena bears a greater weight of responsibility in this escalation, being stronger and the one from whom more prudence is expected. Now, the Albanian side feels that it has the power to react through national pride. I understand, however I must remind both sides that a well-intentioned national pride can easily turn into fierce nationalism and arrogance. And these are not good "advisors" in international relations. Greece and Albania have more and more good reasons to find an agreement and start a new chapter. There are much more important things to deal with in the future" - concludes Christopoulos. /DW

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