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| Fredi Beleri and a screenshot of the video showing corruption in the background (archive) |
The Beleri issue continues to be a "sore point" between Albania and Greece. Athens has threatened to freeze relations or even impose a veto on EU integration. In response, the Albanian government has not been silent.
Most recently, Foreign Minister Olta Xhaçka has made it clear that the Beleri case falls under Albanian justice and no one else's, especially not the Greek government's. Xhaçka emphasizes that politics cannot intervene in matters of justice or send notaries to jail for Beleri to take the oath as mayor of Himara.
"It's not possible for our Greek friends and neighbors to be the only ones who have a say when they insist on a request rejected by Albanian courts and clear to other friends and partners who say this is a matter of Albanian justice! The new Albanian justice institutions have spoken clearly with their decisions, and the Albanian government has also spoken clearly: The issue of the prohibited mayor's oath is a matter of justice. Not the Albanian government. Nor the Greek government. I have told my Greek counterpart, whom I respect very much, that for this issue, it should not start with Greek law but with Albanian law. And according to Albanian law, there is no political will to release Mr. Beleri from prison or send a notary to jail for him to take the oath as mayor. Unfortunately, this is how it is and only this way," writes Xhaçka.
This reaction comes after her Greek counterpart, Giorgos Gerapetritis, said today that keeping Fredi Beleri in prison is not a matter of the judiciary but of politics.
"I want to emphasize that this issue, especially the oath and assumption of duty by Mr. Beleri, has nothing to do with the judiciary's role in Albania, but is simply a matter of political will on the part of the Albanian government. And for this reason, Greece will continue to bridge any differences to make it possible for the mayor to take the oath," Gerapetritis said.