State Commissioner of Elections, Ilirjan Celibashi, was invited this Friday to Euronews Albania, where he spoke about the situation created in the municipality of Himara, after the arrest of the elected mayor, Fredi Beleri.

Celibashi emphasized that the CEC gave the mandate to Fredi Beleri since there was no complaint about the election process in Himare.

The Chief Commissioner added that the only scenario for Beleri to lose his mandate is if he is sentenced by a final decision by the court.

Celibashi emphasized that Beleri must swear before the Municipal Council within 3 months, but he chose not to comment on what would happen if he does not take such a process.

He added that if for one reason or another, Beleri’s mandate is removed, the municipality of Himara will hold other elections.

“As far as I know, this is not the first case. There was a similar case in Tropoja with the elections either for a candidate for deputy or for mayor in 2002. The case is unusual when a candidate for mayor of a municipality is elected when he is under the security measure “Arrest with prison”. What is important to say is that as long as there is no final decision, he takes the mandate of the municipality of Himara.

The deadline within which Beleri must make the swearing is 3 months, if I’m not mistaken. However, everything depends on the progress of the investigative process, which belongs exclusively to the prosecution and the competent court.

It is a little early to talk about what will happen in different situations. If the position of the mayor for one reason or another remains empty, then new elections are held in that municipality.