“Today’s decision of the court in Avlon, if the evidence is not irrefutable, it is scandalous,” reports Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement in the case of mayoral candidate Heimarras Dionysus-Freddy Beleris.

“Arresting a mayoral candidate two days before an election is not the rule of law,” he adds characteristically. “The decision to pre-trial detention of a mayoral candidate leads to the complete abolition of equality rules in the municipal elections in Heimarra, the most important center of the Greek national minority in Albania,” he emphasizes.

“Such a decision will also affect the EU’s relations with Albania, since the condition of this European course is the commitment of the candidate countries to European rules and principles of the rule of law.”

“Decisions like today’s, which violate the above principles, mean that in practice Albania is not following the European path,” he concludes.

Earlier, the Avlona court decided on the preliminary detention of a candidate for the mayor of Heimarra and a Greek emigrant. Beleris will be transferred to the prison of Tirana, where he will stay for at least 10 days.

KEAD President Vangelis Dulles described the decision as political, as was the whole scene prior to his arrest.

The judicial authorities will announce the decision of Pantelis Kokavesis in the Tirana hospital, where he was transferred due to health problems.

It is noted that Beleris was arrested just two days before the municipal elections in the neighboring country.

Recall that Kyriakos Mitsotakis sent a message to Tirana that if Albania wants to get closer to the EU, it must ensure free municipal elections and immediately release those whom it has imprisoned.