Greek minister says ongoing Beleri detention a European issue, not bilateral
Greece’s State Minister Savros Papastavrou emphasized on Monday that Albania’s continued detention of Fredi Beleri, the Greek mayor-elect of Himare in the southern part of the Balkan country, is not just a bilateral matter but a European one.
“The issue of Beleri is fundamentally European, not bilateral. It revolves around respect for the rule of law,” Papastavrou said in an interview with Skai radio.
“If Mr Beleri were not a member of the ethnic Greek minority or any minority, it’s evident that Greece might not have expressed the same level of interest. However, as far as the EU is concerned, this should be viewed as a European issue. If an executive authority in any state has the ability to refuse to swear in someone solely based on personal preference, this constitutes a problem for Europe,” he said.
The Greek minister, who last week visited Beleri in prison, hinted that a lack of progress on this issue could have repercussions on Albania’s aspirations for EU membership.
“Clearly, Greece consistently and unwaveringly supports the European integration perspective of the Western Balkans,” Papastavrou said, noting that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reiterated Athens’ support at the Berlin Process Summit held in Tirana last month.
“We all benefit from [Albania’s] European prospects, especially the Greek national minority. However, this integration path has certain conditions and criteria,” he said.
