Greek-Albanian politician Fredis Beleris, convicted of vote-buying, has been released from prison after causing tensions between Albania and Greece.
Fredis Beleris, an ethnic Greek politician in Albania, was released from prison on Monday. His release is a big news story that has stirred up tensions between Albania and Greece.
Beleris was arrested in May 2023 during his campaign to become the mayor of Himare, a town in Albania with many ethnic Greeks.
He won the election while in jail but was never sworn in. In March this year, he was convicted of vote-buying. Greece argues that Beleris was wrongly convicted and that the charges were politically motivated.
Diplomatic Tensions Rise
Greece’s ruling New Democracy Party supported Beleris by nominating him for the European Parliament. Despite being in jail, Beleris won a seat in June and took his oath in Strasbourg before returning to prison.
Tensions between Albania and Greece have often been strained due to cultural and historical differences. The treatment of Albanian immigrants in Greece and the Greek minority in Albania have also been issues. Beleris’ lawyer, Geni Gjyzari, announced that a court in Fier had granted an early release for Beleris.
In a statement, Beleris said he felt free and proud after 16 months in jail. However, he was not happy because he believed that the rule of law and democracy in Albania had not been restored. Beleris accused Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama of plotting against him. Rama has denied these claims, saying that the situation is a judicial matter, not a political one.
The Greek government welcomed Beleris’ release but has not forgotten the issues surrounding his case. A Greek spokesperson said that while they are pleased with his release, they are still concerned about what happened.
Beleris, now a member of the European Parliament, must stay in contact with the prison service for five weeks as a condition of his release. His lawyer confirmed that Beleris has six weeks left to serve on his sentence.
After the court ruling, Beleris posted on Facebook, saying he would take his case to the European Court of Human Rights. He believes the Albanian government denied him justice.
Greek Minister Pavlos Marinakis called Beleris’ release a positive step. However, he emphasized that the Greek government and the Greek minority in Albania still have a representative in the European Parliament who will advocate for their rights.
Despite his imprisonment, Beleris received over 230,000 votes in Greece during the European elections. He came fourth on the candidate list of the New Democracy party, showing his strong support among Greek voters.
Beleris, who is 52, was elected mayor of Himara in May 2023. He was arrested two days before the election on charges of vote-buying. He claims that the case against him was a setup by Albanian police. The Albanian government denies this, saying it had nothing to do with his arrest or imprisonment.
In March, the Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime sentenced Beleris to two years in prison. The Court of Appeals upheld the conviction in June, which could keep him out of Albanian politics for up to 20 years. The Albanian Central Elections Commission removed his mandate in July.
