Albanian appeals court docket upholds prison phrase for Greek minority mayor, elevating tensions with Athens
TIRANA, Albania — An Albanian appeals court docket on Tuesday upheld a two-calendar year jail sentence for an elected mayor of the country’s Greek minority, in a shift expected to further exacerbate rigidity with neighboring Greece.
The appeals courtroom declined to change the verdict of the court docket of first instance in March on Dhionisios Alfred Beleris, 51, who was imprisoned on fees of vote-shopping for in municipal elections very last 12 months.
Beleris, who has twin citizenship, also received a Greek seat in the European Parliament, symbolizing the governing conservative New Democracy party, in the EU elections before this month.
Final yr Beleris was elected mayor of Himare, 240 kilometers (150 miles) south of the cash, Tirana. He was arrested two days just before the vote, accused of presenting 40,000 Albanian leks (360 euro at the time) to buy eight votes. Beleris was under no circumstances sworn in mainly because he was less than arrest and later sentenced to two a long time imprisonment.
Beleris has denied the fees, and Athens has described his detention as politically inspired.
Greece had identified as on Albania’s governing administration to end the process versus Beleris, saying the scenario could negatively effects Albania’s application to join the European Union. Albania, a applicant place, is in the method of negotiating full membership.
Albania’s governing administration explained it could do absolutely nothing although the situation was in courtroom.
European Parliament lawmakers love significant authorized immunity from prosecution, even if the allegations relate to crimes committed prior to their election.
In the scenario of Beleris, that rule is not likely to impact the result, as he is serving time for a criminal offense committed in a non-EU member country.
“It is a entirely democratic request that associates of the European Parliament be capable to be present in person at all parliamentary periods, beginning from July,” explained Greek Ambassador to Albania Kostantina Kamitsi.
Six countries in the Western Balkans – Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia – are at distinctive stages in their apps for EU membership. Croatia was the final EU member region to be approved in 2013.
Western considerations about regional stability induced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine have added urgency to the accession procedure.
Greece and Albania, a former communist place and a current NATO member, have a traditionally tense romance with uneasy relations at situations, mainly more than problems of Greek minority rights and the sizable Albanian group in Greece.
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TIRANA, Albania — An Albanian appeals court docket on Tuesday upheld a two-calendar year jail sentence for an elected mayor of the country’s Greek minority, in a shift expected to further exacerbate rigidity with neighboring Greece.
The appeals courtroom declined to change the verdict of the court docket of first instance in March on Dhionisios Alfred Beleris, 51, who was imprisoned on fees of vote-shopping for in municipal elections very last 12 months.
Beleris, who has twin citizenship, also received a Greek seat in the European Parliament, symbolizing the governing conservative New Democracy party, in the EU elections before this month.
Final yr Beleris was elected mayor of Himare, 240 kilometers (150 miles) south of the cash, Tirana. He was arrested two days just before the vote, accused of presenting 40,000 Albanian leks (360 euro at the time) to buy eight votes. Beleris was under no circumstances sworn in mainly because he was less than arrest and later sentenced to two a long time imprisonment.
Beleris has denied the fees, and Athens has described his detention as politically inspired.
Greece had identified as on Albania’s governing administration to end the process versus Beleris, saying the scenario could negatively effects Albania’s application to join the European Union. Albania, a applicant place, is in the method of negotiating full membership.
Albania’s governing administration explained it could do absolutely nothing although the situation was in courtroom.
European Parliament lawmakers love significant authorized immunity from prosecution, even if the allegations relate to crimes committed prior to their election.
In the scenario of Beleris, that rule is not likely to impact the result, as he is serving time for a criminal offense committed in a non-EU member country.
“It is a entirely democratic request that associates of the European Parliament be capable to be present in person at all parliamentary periods, beginning from July,” explained Greek Ambassador to Albania Kostantina Kamitsi.
Six countries in the Western Balkans – Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia – are at distinctive stages in their apps for EU membership. Croatia was the final EU member region to be approved in 2013.
Western considerations about regional stability induced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine have added urgency to the accession procedure.
Greece and Albania, a former communist place and a current NATO member, have a traditionally tense romance with uneasy relations at situations, mainly more than problems of Greek minority rights and the sizable Albanian group in Greece.
