European Commission’s progress report on Albania highlights Beleri case
The European Commission’s progress report on Albania, an EU hopeful, highlights the case of Fredi Beleri, an issue that continues to cause tensions between Athens and Tirana. Beleri has been in detention since May, facing allegations of vote buying, following his election as the mayor of the predominantly ethnic-Greek city of Himare in southern Albania.
While the report, which was published Wednesday, acknowledges the overall positive state of bilateral relations with Greece, it points out that property rights of the Greek minority in Albania remain a point of contention in these relations.
“The pre-trial detention of an ethnic Greek mayor-elect, who was arrested on the eve of the local elections, and whose trial started on 14 September on charges of vote-buying has been a source of bilateral tensions and raises serious concerns, the report says in reference to Beleri.
“His requests to be granted special leave to be able to swear the oath have been dismissed and the High Court is expected to deliberate on the assignment of the related appeal to a court. The Constitutional Court accepted in October to pronounce itself on the constitutionality of the criminal judicial procedure following his arrest,” the report adds.
It is important to note that these comments are found in the section regarding good neighborly relations, not in the section dealing with the rule of law.
Furthermore, the same section addresses the matter of delimiting the maritime border between Greece and Albania, explaining that both countries have agreed to jointly refer this issue to the International Court of Justice.
