Albanian Ionian Sea Coast

Greek officials are pressing Albania to address concerns about the integrity of Sunday's local elections in the southwestern town of Himare.

Freddi Beleri, the town's previously elected mayor and a member of the ethnic Greek minority, was removed from office, convicted of vote-buying, and jailed. Both he and Greece have alleged that the case was politically motivated.

The vote counting began shortly after midnight at the electoral commission center in Himara‘s football stadium to determine the successor of Fredi Beleris, the elected mayor and current MEP who remains in prison.

The Omonoia organization representing the ethnic Greek minority in southern Albania, and the parties of the Albanian opposition chose as their joint candidate in the repeat municipal elections of August 4 in Himare Petro Gjikuria, an ethnic Greek Albanian who lives and works in the United States.

The authorities in Albania proceeded with the removal of Fredi Beleris from his position as Mayor of Himara.

Fredi Beleri, the mayor-elect of the predominantly ethnic Greek city of Himare in southern Albania and elected MEP, is due on Tuesday to hear the verdict of his appeal against a conviction for vote-buying in last year's local polls.

It was seen as no surprise in Greece that the final decision on the appeal of jailed ethnic Greek mayor Fredi Beleri was deferred on Friday to the Special Court of Appeal of Tirana later this month, namely on June 25. 

Pyrrhos Dimas appeared emotional during the presentation of New Democracy’s ballot for the European elections, referring to Freddie Beleris, the elected mayor of Himara who is currently in an Albanian prison

The municipal council of Himare in southern Albania appointed Blerina Bala as the new acting mayor of the town on Friday, following the detention of Jorgo Goro.

Goro, affiliated with the ruling Socialist Party, was arrested last week on charges of alleged abuse of office, which he denies.

Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis said on Wednesday that the case of Fredi Beleri, a mayor from Albania's Greek minority who was recently sentenced to two years in prison for buying votes, should be viewed as a European concern rather than a bilateral issue between the two Balkan neighbors.

It came after a complaint by the elected mayor of Himara Fredi Beleris – Albania hopes the presence of another member of the minority will appease Greece