Recently, supporters of jailed ethnic Greek politician Fredi Beleri gathered in front of the appeal court in Tirana after it upheld a lower verdict on election fraud. The decision by the Central Electoral Commission of Albania to remove Beleri from the office of mayor of Himare, after he was elected but not sworn in, is part of a series of irregularities by the government of Edi Rama.
The Greek Foreign Ministry criticized the outcome and highlighted legal issues, emphasizing the disregard for fundamental principles of the rule of law. Beleri was elected mayor of Himare, but before he could take office, he was arrested on vote-buying charges and sentenced to prison.
This situation has strained Greek-Albanian relations, and there are doubts about whether Beleri will be allowed to attend the European Parliament session. The Greek Foreign Ministry emphasized the importance of Albanian authorities facilitating Beleri’s participation in Parliament events.