The President of the Republic, Bajram Begaj, has decreed the date of August 4 for the holding of elections in the municipality of Himara.

The decision was made after this Friday morning the CEC declared the invalidity of Fredi Beleri’s mandate, under the argument that it is affected by the decriminalization law after the final decision of the Special Appeal that sentences him to 2 years in prison for electoral corruption.

The decision came after the government addressed an official letter to the Presidency, where it communicated the vacancy created in the leadership of the Himara Municipality, following the CEC’s decision to remove the mandate of Fredi Beleri.

After a consultation with the head of CEC Celibashi, Begaj chose August 4 as the most optimal date within the legal deadlines for holding elections.

“The elected mayor of the municipality of Himara was found by the Central Election Commission to be in the conditions of the invalidity of the mandate, due to the punishment with a final decision for the criminal offense of “active corruption in elections”, provided by article 328 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Albania.

The President of the Republic, Bajram Begaj called Ilirjan Celibashi, State Commissioner of Elections for a consultation to be informed about the capacities and readiness of the election management institution, for the conduct of the elections in this municipality, within the calendar framework of the Electoral Code.

After this consultation, the President of the Republic, Bajram Begaj, decreed on August 4, 2024 for the conduct of the mayoral elections in the municipality of Himara, as the best alternative that reconciles the need for the preparation and development of a regular election campaign and the need for the optimal preparation of the election administration, with the conditions, circumstances and load that the tourist season brings for the municipality of Himara, as a coastal unit of local government”, it is stated in the announcement of the Presidency.

This Friday morning the CEC declares the invalidity of Fredi Beleri’s mandate, under the argument that it is affected by the decriminalization law after the final decision of the Special Appeal that sentences him to 2 years in prison for electoral corruption.