The Greek Chamber of Advocates will send a delegation to the next court hearing of the mayor-elect of Himare, Fredi Beleri, who has been held in custody since two days before the April local elections on suspicion of vote buying.
“The Coordinating Committee decided that a delegation will participate in the upcoming trial of Fredi-Dionysios Beleri, where it will be decided again whether or not the term of his detention will be extended”, the announcement of the Coordinating Committee of Greek Parliament states.
The decision adds that the committee will also ask the Chamber of European Lawyers and MEPs to be part of the delegation.
“The Coordinating Committee is following with particular concern the developments regarding the prolonged detention of the mayor of Himara, Fredi-Dionysios Beleris, which is apparently related to his imminent assumption of office, contrary to the fundamental principles of the state legal protection of human rights and the rights of the legally recognised Greek minority.”
Beleri went on to win the election by a handful of votes while in prison. However, he has been unable to take the swearing-in oath as several appeals to change the security measure from arrest in prison or to allow him to swear in with the help of a notary within prison, have been denied.
On Thursday, Beleri filed two new appeals to the Supreme Court where he requested the evaluation of the measure of arrest in prison and the wiretapping carried out against him, which he says is illegal.
The Prosecution states Beleri gave money to eight citizens to vote in his favour during the elections. Beleri denies all charges and says his arrest is politically motivated.
If Beleri is not sworn in by 15 September, he risks losing his mandate, which could result in another election in the southern municipality.
The ongoing saga between Beleri, running under the opposition coalition banner, and an Albanian ethnic Greek, the government, and Athens have garnered significant column inches over the summer.
Greek politicians attended a protest in Himare, which raised the ire of Prime Minister Edi Rama, while the government in Athens have said the situation could block Albania’s EU accession if not resolved.
Earlier this week, a resolution tabled by the EPP – the family of the Albanian opposition and Greece’s ruling New Democracy – was passed, demanding the release of Beleri.
(Alice Taylor | EURACTIV.com)
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