Greece did not agree with the letter of the 27 EU member states on opening the first chapters with Albania. A possible reason for this is the arrest of the mayor of Himare, Freddie Belleri, who is an ethnic Greek, after which Athens accused that his rights were being violated, the media added.
According to the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, this development of events represents the separation of Macedonia and Albania on the common European path.
Athens will reconsider its position, only if Tirana takes steps to show that there is room for discussion, Kathimerini’s text emphasizes. Greece is insisting that Belleri be given a chance to be sworn in as mayor, a request that Albanian courts have so far denied.
Belleri was arrested two days before the local elections, which were held in Albania on May 14th, on suspicion of “electoral corruption”. Although in prison custody, he was re-elected mayor of the seaside town of Himare, mainly inhabited by members of the Greek minority.
