The condemnation of the Albanian government for the way of handling the case of the pre-arrested elected Mayor of Heimara, Fredi Beleri, is unanimously expressed by the European People’s Party in its resolution.

“The actions of the Albanian government against an elected Mayor who comes from an ethnic minority and its direct interference in the electoral processes, are against European values,” the resolution states.

The EPP also emphasizes that “the Albanian government’s apparent lack of respect for the rule of law, fundamental rights, the rights of the Greek minority and, above all, the Community acquis, creates a political gap between Albania and the EU”.

At the same time, it calls on the Albanian authorities to respect the results of the self-governing elections of 14 May 2023 and the presumption of innocence of each accused and to take all the necessary measures – legislative, administrative or otherwise – to ensure that the oath of the elected Mayor takes place, the which is not related to legal proceedings.

Read here the original resolution in English

See the full text:

“Considering that Freddy Beleris, as a candidate from the Greek minority for the position of mayor of Heimarra, a city in Albania inhabited mainly by members of the Greek ethnic minority, was personally attacked by the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, during the pre-election period,

Considering that the attacks of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama peaked in the week before the elections and these personal attacks against Beleri resulted in his arrest by the Albanian authorities, on the eve of local elections in Albania, on allegations of voter bribery,

Considering that Freddy Beleris, while in custody, was elected Mayor of Heimarra on May 14, 2023,

Considering that, after more than three months, the member of the Greek ethnic minority Fredi Beleris remains in custody and that his lawyer’s repeated requests have been rejected. Considering that, as a result of the continued detention of Freddy Beleris in Avlona Prison, several kilometers away from Heimarra, he has not been allowed to take the oath of office and may therefore lose the right to assume his duties as the elected Mayor of Heimarra,

Considering that the application of the law should never lead to the violation of the presumption of innocence of an accused and his fundamental human rights and that it is obvious that the detention of the elected Mayor Beleris is being used by the Albanian authorities as a pretext to prevent his swearing in and therefore prevent him from assuming his duties as Mayor of Heimarra,

Considering that Albania is a candidate country for EU accession and that democratic transformation, the rule of law, fundamental rights and respect for EU rules, values ​​and standards play a central role in the EU accession process and are a key point of reference for the assessment of progress towards EU accession. Considering that each acceding country will have to demonstrate strong, irreversible results in terms of its democratic resilience,

The Political Assembly of the European People’s Party:

Recalls the concerns expressed in the European Parliament’s resolution of 12 July 2023 on the European Commission’s 2022 report on Albania, regarding the arrest of the new Mayor of Heimarra, Freddy Beleri, on the eve of the municipal elections in May, which on the one hand he violated the presumption of innocence and on the other he prevented the elected Mayor from assuming his duties, as he remains imprisoned to this day.

It recalls that the resolution of the European Parliament of July 12, 2023 linked this matter to the general respect for fundamental rights, the pending matter regarding the properties of the members of the Greek ethnic minority in the area of ​​the said Municipality and the accusations of encroachment by the State.

He strongly condemns the actions of the Albanian government against an elected Mayor from an ethnic minority and its direct interference in the electoral processes, actions that are against European values.

He emphasizes that the Albanian government’s apparent lack of respect for the rule of law, fundamental rights, the rights of the Greek minority and, above all, the acquis communautaire, creates a political gap between Albania and the EU.

He emphasizes that no country seeking to become a member of the European Union should act in this way.

It calls on the Albanian authorities to ensure that voters can exercise their fundamental democratic right through free and fair elections. Everyone should abide by laws, electoral rules, and all major international standards.

It calls on the Albanian authorities to respect the results of the municipal elections of 14 May 2023 and the presumption of innocence of each accused and to take all necessary measures – legislative, administrative or otherwise – to ensure that the oath of the elected Mayor takes place, which does not related to legal proceedings.”