Greece has taken action after months-long threats to hold up Albania’s EU accession path as it has refused to back a letter from the 27 member states, to the European Commission, on opening up the first five chapters of the process, as Euractiv reports.
Tensions between Greece and Albania have simmered since May when the Albanian ethnic Greek mayoral candidate, Fredi Beleri, running under an opposition banner, was arrested two days before the local elections on suspicion of vote buying.
He won the elections but has been unable to be sworn in as mayor, due to his incarceration and despite appeals to be allowed to take the oath, or be downgraded to another security measure.
Athens has repeatedly called on Albania to allow him to take the oath, calling it politically and ethnically motivated. The Albanian Government has said it cannot interfere in judicial proceedings and the justice system must take its course.
Over the weekend, rumors swirled that Athens had refused to back a letter asking the Commission to open the first five chapters of negotiations. An EU Council source close to the matter confirmed to Euractiv that this is true.
Athens, according to the source, emphasizes that there are several issues regarding the rule of law, such as the case of Beleri as well as the implementation of some laws related to Albania’s Greek minority.
The source emphasized that the Albanian side must show “creativity” for the solution of the crisis in the matter of Beleri.
Athens is asking that he be allowed to be inaugurated as a major as it is an administrative decision that could be taken by the Albanian Government, not a judicial one – and then the independent judiciary to make its decisions.
Other oath-swearing measures such as marriages, declarations, and agreements can be taken either by the presence of a notary or competent official in the prison facilities, or by the individual being escorted to the institutions’ premises, under police guard.
Sali Berisha, former president and prime minister and currently under criminal investigation himself, said that Beleri’s arrest and trial were staged by the police and prosecutor. He implied that Rama was behind the case which has “led us into a confrontation with our neighbors” in reference to the deterioration in relations.
Prime Minister Edi Rama, in a recent interview with Euronews Albania on the “Inside Albania” podcast hosted by Alice Taylor, reiterated that he has no hand in the situation and cannot interfere in any way.
“I believe I have done my part in explaining this. It is not a debate between the Government of Albania and the Greek Government because it is about justice …it is in the hand of the justice system”.
He added, “At the end whatever anyone says will not solve a problem that can only be solved in the path of justice”.
When asked by Alice Taylor about letting Beleri swear his oath, Rama said, “There are different theories on it, but the point is, anyhow, this must be defined by the court of law”, adding so far there was no concrete indication of how this can happen.
