Latest News from Albania
‘Let him be sworn in,’ Greece tells Albania
Athens is concerned that Fredi Beleri, the ethnic Greek who was elected mayor of Himare in southern Albania in the municipal elections of May 14 (but has not been allowed to be sworn in as he was arrested for alleged vote-buying two days earlier), may lose his seat as a consequence of the tricks played by the government of Edi Rama over the past three months.
Analysts predict that North Macedonia may Fall Behind in EU Membership Negotiations
A political crisis in the Republic of North Macedonia after debates on constitutional changes ended inconclusively and a vote on them was postponed indefinitely. MPs in Skopje debated whether to change their basic law, including whether Bulgarians should be included in the constitution. According to analysts, North Macedonia risks seriously falling behind in negotiations with the EU.
Stern message to Tirana over Beleri
The decision by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to invite the president of Albania, Bajram Begaj, tο an informal dinner of Western Balkan leaders in Athens on Monday rather than the neighboring country's premier, Edi Rama, is seen as a reflection of Greece's dismay with Tirana over the ongoing detention of ethnic-Greek Fredi Beleri, who has not been permitted to take office as mayor of Himar
Schinas: Detention of ethnic Greek mayor in Albania ‘profoundly anti-European’
The continued incarceration by the Albanian authorities of an ethnic Greek who was elected mayor of Himare in May is "profoundly anti-European" and risks becoming a barrier to the "Albanian people's European aspirations," European Commission Vice President for Protecting the European Way of Life Margaritis Schinas has said.
Athens mayor to meet ethnic Greeks in Himare
Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis is due to travel to Himare on Monday to meet with members of the ethnic-Greek community in the southern Albanian city. He is also expected to express support for the mayor-elect of Himare, Fredi Beleri, who has been held in pretrial custody since being arrested in May on charges of vote-buying.
FM sends stern message to Albania over mayor-elect’s continued detention
Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis sent a stern message to neighboring Albania on Tuesday, saying that it was "shooting itself in the foot" with the continued detention of the elected mayor of the ethnic Greek city of Himare, Fredi Beleri, saying that it is "unlawful" to keep him in custody pending trial for allegedly tampering with the May vote.
Investigation under way into police response to deadly hooligan clash in Athens
Investigations are under way to determine how an estimated 100-120 Croatian hooligans traveling on buses and in cars made their way to Athens from Zagreb on Monday and engaged in deadly clashes with local soccer fans despite a ban on supporters traveling to Greece for a match between Dinamo Zagreb and home team AEK on Tuesday.