PM: Beleri case clouds relations with Albania
Tirana’s handling of the case of Fredi Beleri, the ethnic Greek elected mayor of Himare in southern Albania, has adversely impacted bilateral relations with Greece, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told Skai TV in an interview on Tuesday.
“We have expressed our strong reservations about the fact that he was not allowed to be sworn in while in custody and whether it was a fair trial. We will continue to insist that there is no final decision but a first instance decision,” Mitsotakis said, essentially confirming the deadlock that has arisen between Athens and Tirana after the first instance decision on the conviction of Beleri last week by the Albanian judiciary on vote-buying charges.
His comments echoed the conditions set by Greece in order for Albania’s accession negotiations with the EU to proceed without problems – namely that Beleri be allowed to be sworn in regardless of the outcome of the trial, and that his presumption of innocence be respected.
“The way Albania has handled this issue has negatively affected relations with Greece and it is not something we want,” Mitsotakis added, underlining that he still hopes that “this issue will be resolved.”
Mitsotakis basically hinted that Athens expects a goodwill gesture from the Albanian side even at the second instance, as the anti-corruption court will have to decide on the appeal of the first instance decision by Beleri.
The somewhat mild tone employed by Mitsotakis was seen to be due to the aggressive tactics of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, who a few days ago denounced alleged attempts from abroad to influence the Albanian judiciary.
“It is the Albanian judiciary that decides on every issue within the territory. The gentleman [meaning Beleri] is an Albanian citizen… it sounds alarming to hear voices commenting in foreign languages on the decisions of Albanian courts,” Rama said on Sunday, in a bid to present himself as a champion of judicial independence and the separation of powers.
