Athens blocking EU-Tirana defense pact

Athens is standing in the way of an EU-Tirana Defense and Security Agreement over the Albanian government's intransigent stance regarding the incarceration of the ethnic Greek mayor of Himare, Fredi Beleri.

The EU is in the process of speeding up the procedures for signing agreements with third countries outside the Union with a view to better defense cooperation.

A few days ago, a meeting was held in Brussels at a technical level, the main purpose of which was to conclude a series of defense and security agreements with countries inside and outside Europe, namely Canada, Japan, Ghana, Moldova, Norway and South Korea.

Greece objected with regard to Albania, insisting that being a country wishing to join the EU it must comply with the European acquis, which includes respect for the rule of law as a basic element.

Against this backdrop, the Greeks proposed...