Greece’s ambassador to Albania describes mayor’s treatment as ‘blow to rule of law’
Greece’s ambassador to Albania has described the absence of the mayor-elect of the predominantly ethnic Greek city of Himare in southern Albania from the first meeting of its new council as a “great blow to the rule of law and the presumption of innocence.”
On Monday, an Albanian court denied the request from detained elected mayor of Himare, Fredi Beleri, for special leave to attend and take the oath of office at the council’s first meeting.
Ambassador Konstantina Kamitsi said “it would be a big setback for Albania’s efforts to join the EU if a democratically elected mayor who has not even been charged, tried, or convicted, loses the right to exercise his duties. The EU is above all a community of values, these values must be respected and implemented by every country that wants to become a member.”
Beleri was arrested last month, two days before the municipal elections on charges of buying votes, which he denies.
In an announcement issued earlier from a prison in the capital Tirana, Beleri indicated that his arrest was part of an attempt to “alter the result” of the elections.
