“THE Fredi Beleris The elected mayor of Heimarra he continues to be in prison as of May 12. On May 14, the citizens of Heimarra elected him their mayor”, said Manolis Kefalogiannis, who is in Albania to meet with him and support him. The ND MEP will attend today the hearing before the Albanian judiciary of the request of Fredis Beleris to be granted a special permit that will allow him to be sworn in and assume his duties as Mayor.

“Fredis Beleris, seven months now violating the presumption of innocence, remains in custody. For seven months now, the Albanian government has stubbornly denied him his inalienable right. To swear in a Mayor as decided by the citizens of Heimarra. He stubbornly refuses to assume his duties, which is simply an administrative act which does not affect the independence of the judiciary. And the oxymoron: In Heimarra, the former mayor who was defeated in the elections of last May is acting as mayor today,” said Mr. Kefalogiannis.

And he added: “As the European Parliament’s report on Albania’s accession process explicitly states, the prevention of the swearing-in of Fredis Beleris reflects contempt for the fundamental principles of the Rule of Law. It is in complete contrast to European values. With the criteria for joining the European Union and the European acquis which are non-negotiable”.