Athens adamant as deadline expires for Beleri
Athens has no intention of dropping demands for the immediate release of the ethnic Greek mayor-elect of Himare, Fredi Beleri, and the fact that it is pursuing the issue through the proper institutional channels should not be construed by Tirana as a sign of weakness.
According to well-informed sources, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has conveyed as much through diplomatic channels to his Albanian counterpart, Edi Rama, in recent contacts prompted by Thursday’s formal expiry of the deadline foreseen in Albania’s constitution for the mayor to be sworn in or forfeit his mandate.
The clause, however, is not activated automatically but would require the government to dismiss Beleri and call new elections for the predominantly ethnic Greek city, a procedure that had not been initiated by Thursday evening.
Beleri was arrested on charges of vote-buying a few days before the elections in May and has been in custody ever since. His detention has caused significant tension between Albania and Greece, but also caused concern in Brussels.
