Schinas: Detention of ethnic Greek mayor in Albania ‘profoundly anti-European’
The continued incarceration by the Albanian authorities of an ethnic Greek who was elected mayor of Himare in May is “profoundly anti-European” and risks becoming a barrier to the “Albanian people’s European aspirations,” European Commission Vice President for Protecting the European Way of Life Margaritis Schinas has said.
In a pre-recorded video message relayed at a demonstration on Monday staged by the Omonoia organization in the southern Albanian city demanding the immediate release of Fredi Beleri, Schinas said that the “the European way of life is about democracy, justice, freedom to vote, and to be elected.
“This is the foundation for all those who want to become members of our great European family. And Albania cannot be an exception to that.”
The commissioner added that he has asked his colleague in charge of EU enlargement “to make it absolutely clear to Albania that this issue cannot and must not become a barrier, a wall, to the country’s and the Albanian people’s European aspirations.”
He called on the authorities in Albania “not to persist in a tactic that is not in the interest of their country, that is not in the interest of the European aspirations of the Albanian people.”
“Too much time has been lost, but even now, at this very last moment, it is not too late to redress the injustice done to Fredi Beleri. For what is happening to Fredi is profoundly anti-European.
“I am confident that even at the eleventh hour, Fredi will be able to take up his duties as mayor of Himare, with no other option being acceptable to the European Union.”
