Greek and Albanian foreign ministers traded statements on Thursday as the dispute over Fredi Beleri, an Albanian ethnic Greek mayor arrested on suspicion of vote buying and held in pre-trial detention, rumbles on.
Beleri, the winning candidate for Himare, running with an opposition coalition, was arrested two days before the April local elections on suspicion of buying votes. He maintains his innocence but has been held in pre-trial detention ever since, along with 48 other suspects, including candidates from the ruling party.
Several appeals to reduce the security measure from arrest in prison have been refused, meaning he has been unable to be sworn in as mayor.
Athens and the Albanian opposition have reacted strongly to the arrest with accusations of violations of the rule of law, democratic values, and minority rights flying, along with claims the arrest is politically motivated. Greek politicians have even threatened to halt Albania’s EU accession path or suspend funding, leading to frustration in Tirana.
On Thursday, Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis called Beleri’s time in jail a clear violation of the presumption of innocence. He added that the issue was discussed at the informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Toledo recently.
“Especially in the case of Mr Beleri, I want to emphasise that, regardless of the issue of judicial decisions, the independence of the Albanian judiciary, here is the issue of detention that prevents him from taking office. This is a clear violation of the presumption of innocence, of the rule of law, of his political rights and of the citizens of Himara who elected him,” said the Greek diplomat.
He added that he also spoke with Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi, a hint amid ongoing threats to stall Albania’s EU accession path over the matter.
“Greece, as is already known, has taken the initiative to accelerate the steps on the path of the Western Balkans towards the European family. And 20 years after the historic Thessaloniki Declaration, Greece will always support these countries regarding their European perspective,” Gerapetritis said, adding that they discussed “the issues of the Western Balkans.
Gerapetritis’ Albanian counterpart, Olta Xhacka, shot back with her own statement on X. She said the case is not a matter for the Albanian or Greek government but rather the judicial system.
“There is no way that our Greek friends and neighbours are the only ones who are right when they insist on a request dismissed by the Albanian courts, and that is clear to other friends and partners who say this is a matter for Albanian justice,” she wrote.
The minister continued that the new Albanian justice bodies, particularly the Special Court Against Organised Crime and Corruption (SPAK), set up by the EU and backed by member states, have “spoken clearly with their decisions, and the Albanian government has spoken clearly also.”
“I told my Greek counterpart, for whom I have a lot of respect, that this issue is not based on Greek law, but Albanian law, and according to Albanian law, there is no political will to get Mr Beleri out of prison,” she said, adding it is also not possible to send a notary into prison for him to take the oath there.
On Tuesday, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said he has asked for an opinion from the government’s legal office on resolving the swearing in situation.
Opposition politicians in Albania say there is evidence Beleri did not engage in vote buying and was targeted by a police provocateur who he refused and sent away. Furthermore, they say there is much more exculpatory evidence and witnesses to support Beleri’s innocence.
The government, meanwhile, says the justice system must be left to do its job.
(Alice Taylor | EURACTIV.com)
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