Official Athens has reacted after the decision of the CEC in Albania to remove Fredi Beleri's mandate.
In a statement to the media, the Greek Foreign Ministry says that Albania has violated the presumption of innocence, while adding that the Albanian authorities must now enable Beler, as an elected member of the European Parliament, to participate in the July 16 session in Strasbourg .
Statement of the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
Today's decision of the Central Election Commission of Albania to disqualify Fredi Beleris without even taking the oath of office of the Mayor of Himara is a new practice and the expected end of a process with many question marks regarding the basic principles of the rule of law.
Greece had long expressed its strong concern about the removal of the presumption of innocence, the integrity of the trial process and the disproportionate punishment imposed, as well as the fact that the Municipality of Himara has been governed by unauthorized persons for a year.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterates the obligation of the Albanian authorities to take all the necessary measures to immediately enable Beleri, now an elected member of the European Parliament, to participate in his work, starting from his Plenary on the 16 July in Strasbourg.