The Beleri/Xhaçka case responds to the Greek counterpart: Regrettably, but you should not start from...

2023-08-31 20:56:00, Aktualitet CNA

The Beleri/Xhaçka case responds to the Greek counterpart: Regrettably,

The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Olta Xhaçka, has reacted after the statement made by the Foreign Minister of Greece, Giorgos Gerapetritis, to Greek journalists, where she said that Beleri's swearing in and taking office is simply a matter of political will, on the part of the government Albanian.

Xhaçka has said that the issue of the mayor's oath prohibited by justice is an issue of justice. Not the Albanian government, nor the Greek government.

"I told my Greek counterpart, for whom I have a lot of respect, that this issue should not be based on Greek law but on Albanian law," she says.

"There is no way that our Greek friends & neighbors are the only ones who have the right, when they insist on a request dismissed by the Albanian courts and clear to other friends and partners, who say that this is a matter of Albanian justice ! https://t.ly/8N8Qo

The new Albanian justice bodies have spoken clearly with their decisions and the Albanian government has also spoken clearly: The issue of the oath of the mayor banned by justice is a matter of justice. Not the Albanian government. Nor the Greek government.

I told my Greek counterpart, for whom I have a lot of respect, that this issue should not be based on Greek law but on Albanian law.

And according to Albanian law, there is no political will to get Mr. Beleri out of prison or to put a notary in prison for him to take the oath as mayor.

Unfortunately, this is the way it is and only the way it is."

The Foreign Minister of Greece, Giorgos Gerapetritis, said earlier in an interview with the Greek media that this issue, especially Beleri's oath and assumption of office, has nothing to do with the judicial function in Albania, but is simply a matter of political will, on the part of the Albanian government. And for this reason, Greece will continue to exhaust every difference, so that the swearing in of the mayor becomes possible.

"The case of Fredis Beleris, the unjust temporary detention, which prevents his swearing in as mayor of Chimarra, has already been raised by the Foreign Ministry, by me, in all possible forums. All the ministers of the EU member states, the High Representative for the Foreign Policy of the EU and the Secretary General of NATO, Mr. Stoltenberg, have been informed personally. Regarding the case of Mr. Beleris, I want to emphasize that, regardless of the issue of the judicial crisis, the independence of the Albanian judiciary, here comes the issue of detention that prevents him from taking office. This is a clear violation of the presumption of innocence, the rule of law, civil rights, and the civil rights of the citizens who elected him. And I want to emphasize that this issue, especially the swearing in and assumption of office by Beleri, it has nothing to do with the judicial function in Albania, but is simply a matter of political will, on the part of the Albanian government. And for this reason, Greece will continue to exhaust every difference, so that the swearing in of the mayor becomes possible," said the Greek minister./ CNA