Albanian government

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.

Greece is anticipating an initiative from the Albanian government of Prime Minister Edi Rama to address the ongoing deadlock in bilateral relations caused by the detention of Fredi Beleri, the ethnic Greek mayor-elect in the southern town of Himare, on charges of alleged vote-buying.

Albanian mayoral candidate Gjergj Goro, who assumed office amid the incarceration of opponent Fredi Beleri in the Albanian region of Himare, reportedly resigned on Saturday. 

Beleri, an ethnic Greek, has been incarcerated pending trial since May on vote-buying charges after his arrest on the eve of municipal elections which he won against Socialist candidate Jorgo Goro.

The decision on the request by incarcerated ethnic Greek Fredi Beleri to be sworn as mayor of Himare in southern Albania will be made by the neighboring country's Special Court on December 4, "after six months of procrastination," he told Skai Radio in an interview on Tuesday.

The road to Albania's EU membership negotiations faces an unexpected halt due to Greece's recent action, reported EurActiv. Greece has wielded its influence within the Council of the EU to obstruct the opening of the initial five chapters necessary for Albania's EU membership negotiations to commence.

Efforts by the Albanian government to effectively annul the election of the ethnic Greek mayor of Himare cannot be allowed to pass; we are talking about a blatant violation of the elected official's human rights. 

One of the fundamental principles of foreign policy, after all, is that if you want your powerful rivals to respect you, the less powerful need to do the same.

The Albanian parliament has approved a draft law on the use of cannabis for medical and industrial purposes, Albanian media reported.

According to information from Albanian media, the draft law also specifies a series of criteria that must be met by those who want to obtain a permit to grow the plant, as well as sanctions in case of possible violations.

The mayor-elect of the predominantly ethnic Greek city of Himare in southern Albania lashed out against the country's Prime Minister Edi Rama after authorities refused to grant him leave from pretrial detention to take his mayoral oath.

Border Force and the military escort migrants ashore at Dover after they crossed the English Channel in Dover, Britain, 27 August 2022. Photo: EPA-EFE/STUART BROCK

"Designating a state as a 'safe country' necessitates the confirmation that 'there is … no serious risk of persecution of nationals of that State'. Unfortunately, Albania does not meet this criterion," the letter reads.

The "golden passports" scheme promoted by Albania's government in recent years has been suspended, PM Edi Rama has told the vice president of EU Commission Josep Borrell and Olivér Várhelyi, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement.