Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs spoke out on the case of Freddie Belleris AlbaniaOlta Jaska, after the reaction to his arrest two days before the elections.

In a Twitter post, he responds to the Greek side, citing a lack of respect for Albanian institutions, while accuses Beleris of criminal activity against “free and fair elections” in Albania.

“It’s almost impossible to understand how our Greek friends have the right to challenge a court decision in our country when the hard evidence they were looking for couldn’t be more complicated – Freddie Beleri was convicted of criminal activity against a free and fair election.” says Jaska originally in his post.

And he continues: “We do not understand how the fact that he is a Greek citizen exempts him from the law as an Albanian citizen. We call on our Greek friends to refrain from making statements that do not show respect for the independent institutions of our country.”

1/2 It is almost impossible to understand how our🇬🇷friends have the right to challenge a court decision in our country, when the hard evidence they were looking for could not be more difficult – Fredy Beleri was convicted of criminal activity against free and fair elections.

— Olta Dzhachka🇦🇱 (@xhacka_olta) May 13, 2023

Greek Foreign Ministry for the arrest of Beleris

“Today’s decision of the court in Avlon, if the evidence is not irrefutable, then scandalous,” according to the message of the Ministry of Foreign Affairsin 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 court of Avlona decided to imprison the candidate for the mayor of Heimarra and the Greek emigrant in a prison in Tirana, where he will be held 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.