Fredi Beleri, the ethnic Greek mayor of an Albanian seaside town, has been released on probation after a court in Fier accepted his request with six weeks left in his prison sentence for vote-buying charges. His imprisonment strained relations between Albania and Greece, with Greece threatening to impede Albania’s EU bid. Beleri’s release has been met with celebration in his town of Himarë, where a rally is planned by the Democratic Union of the Greek Minority in Albania. Despite claims of political motivation behind his conviction, Albanian officials deny this and stress the independence of the judiciary.
After being elected to the European Parliament while in prison, Beleri was released on probation, with the Greek government viewing it as a positive development. They pledged continued support for the Greek ethnic minority in Albania. Following Beleri’s imprisonment, an early election was held in Himara, resulting in a win for the Socialist Party candidate.
The case against Beleri stems from disputes over property ownership in post-communist Albania, with allegations of ethnic bias in land distribution. Beleri claims the charges were an attempt by Prime Minister Edi Rama to control Himarë’s lucrative tourism sector. Despite his release, the tensions caused by his imprisonment continue to linger.
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