After spending 16 months in prison, Fredis Beleris was released today with a restrictive condition to maintain telephone contact with the police department.

In his statement, Mr. Beleris said: “After 16 months of continuous detention, I am now free and proud, but certainly not happy. Because the rule of law and democracy in Albania were not restored, the institutions did not work, justice was not delivered the way it should be.

Today’s decision is just a drop in the ocean of vindication that lies ahead. My fight now begins.

It is It goes without saying that I will appeal to the European Court of Human Rights for what the Albanian regime denied me in a coup d’état.

But now, exercising the duties of the Greek MEP, I will be able to focus on the issues of the Greek ethnic minority and the rule of law, without fear but only with passion.

Today, I will be among my brothers in Himara. Where my adventure began and I consider it only right to be.

I want from my heart to thank the Greek Prime MinisterKyriakos Mitsotakis who, with his courageous decision to include me in the ND’s European ballot paper, changed the course of my history. And of course my close friends, Angel Syrigos and Stavros Papastavrou for their unwavering support. It was always there, I won’t forget it.

Finally, I want to thank the Greek citizens who, all this time, have given me the strength not to bend, to endure and to keep fighting.”

The ND MEP had filed the relevant request since last July, as he is entitled to according to Albanian legislation since he has served 2/3 of his sentence.

The judges had then given another adjournment citing the summer holidays.

Fredis Beleris, after the decision of the Albanian judges to postpone his trial, was taken back to prison, while he had previously been given a few days’ leave in order to be sworn in as a member of the European Parliament.

Commenting on the release of Fredis Beleris to SKAI, his brother Leonardos called the decision “expected and a pleasant event” adding, however, that justice will come when he is acquitted in the European courts.