Albanian PM defiant over Beleri issue

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has reiterated his position on the case of Fredi Beleri, the ethnic Greek mayor-elect of Himare, southern Albania, currently in pretrial detention on charges of vote-buying, stressing the matter is exclusively within the jurisdiction of Albania’s judiciary.

In an interview with A2 CNN TV, Rama stated that neither he nor his government has intervened or plans to intervene in the issue, which has strained relations with Greece.

“Greece is not correct on the Beleri issue,” he said, adding that Albania has a unified justice system for all its citizens, regardless of ethnic background. Rama also resisted pressure from EU officials who called for a resolution to the matter, which has led to warnings from Greece regarding potential hurdles to the Balkan nation’s membership of the bloc.

“Even if the European Council is turned upside down, we will negotiate nothing beyond the strategic interest of Albania, which is the implementation of judicial reform and ensuring the independence of judicial institutions,” he said.