Another threat has come from Athens regarding the case of Fredi Beleri. The Greek Minister of Labor, Adonis Georgiadis, has warned that Greece will block any European funding for Albania if Fredi Beleri is not allowed to be sworn in as the mayor of Himara.
In an interview for the Greek television ERT, Georgiadis stated that "the neighboring country should forget the European course if it hinders Beler's oath".
"If the elections are repeated or another mayor is sworn in, for Greece it will be a bad factor in relations with Albania for an indefinite period. Albania will pay very dearly if it continues to violate the rights of the Greeks" , said Georgiadis.
The Greek minister called for Albania to review its position, as he assessed that the lack of invitation for Prime Minister Rama to the informal conference in Athens for the Western Balkans is a clear message.
"The decision of Kyriakos Mitsotakis to invite everyone else except Rama, I think, shows that the case of Fredi Beleri is not going without obstacles in the Greek Government. Those who thought Kyriakos Mitsotakis would be soft on the matter were wrong. The message for Albania today is clear. If they continue to prevent the swearing in of the new Mayor of Himara, Fredi Beleri, they will have to forget their European course and the money from Europe", stressed Greek Minister Georgiadis.
Today and tomorrow, the informal conference on the Western Balkans will be held in Athens. Prime Minister Rama was not invited by Mitsotakis, but President Bajram Begaj was invited instead. The latter will not go, as he said, because of previously scheduled meetings on his agenda.