The Foreign Ministry of Greece has reacted after the decision of the GJKKO that imprisoned Fredi Beleri, the candidate for mayor of Himara who was caught buying votes against significant sums of money.
"Today's decision of the Court of Appeal of Tirana comes to reinforce the concerns about the level of the rule of law and the protection of minorities in Albania", it is said, among other things, in the reaction of the MFA of Greece.
Announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
From the beginning, Greece had expressed its concern and reflection on many aspects of the case regarding the criminal prosecution of the elected mayor of the Municipality of Himara, Fredi Beleri. In particular, the reservations related to the violation of the presumption of innocence, the nature of the evidence presented, the reduction of his sentence, the imposition of a disproportionate sentence and the removal of his right to take an oath, with the result that the Municipality of Himara is administered by a year by persons who do not have democratic legitimacy. Today's decision of the Tirana Court of Appeal supports these concerns about the level of the rule of law and the protection of minorities in Albania.
Today, Mr. Beleri is not only the elected mayor of Himara. He is also an elected member of the European Parliament. It is, therefore, an obligation of the Albanian authorities to take all the necessary measures to give him the opportunity to participate in the work of the European Parliament, starting from its Plenary, next July.