The European Parliament plenary on Wednesday approved a recently proposed amendment to a 2022 European Commission report on Albania, in relation to the detention of Himare Mayor Fredi Beleri by the country’s authorities, said New Democracy party’s press office.
The amendment had been proposed by the European People’s Party (EPP), an initiative of New Democracy’s European Youth, the party noted in its announcement. This followed Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ recent statements on the issue, which he raised with Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama during the NATO Vilnius summit as well, it was added. Beleri has been held in detention since May, allegedly over voter bribery.
Therefore, the approval sends “a clear, resounding message from Brussels, that the tactics of Albanian authorities against the ethnic Greek Minority of Albania are not tolerated by the Greek Government or by the European Parliament.”
The European accession path for Albania passes through observance of the principle of the rule of law, and respect for the human rights of all its citizens, New Democracy stressed.
