"VOA": Beleri is elected MEP of Greece, while he waits in prison for the decision of the Appeal in Albania

2024-06-10 16:01:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

"VOA": Beleri is elected MEP of Greece, while he waits in prison for

Fredi Beleri, during a court session

The elected Mayor of Himara, Fredi Beleri, is among the winners from the list of MEP candidates of the "New Democracy" Party of the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

At the end of Sunday's voting in Greece for the European Parliament, he was ranked fourth, among the 7 names that will represent the Greek Prime Minister's party. This is the second time that Mr. Beleri wins elections, while under arrest.

Mr. Beleri is in prison in Albania, after he was arrested two days before the local elections on May 14 last year, under suspicion of vote buying.

He was the opposition candidate in Himare, and won with a narrow margin of votes. The Special Court for Corruption and Organized Crime has sentenced him to two years of imprisonment.

Mr. Beleri, who rejected the charges, appealed the decision to the Special Court of Appeal. His trial has been postponed twice due to the absence of his lawyers, a move which appears to have sought to avoid a final verdict before the European Parliament elections.

In a reaction after the result, Fredi Beleri said through a message from Fier prison that "the war was won in difficult, unimaginable conditions for a country that wants to become part of the European family".

Albanian legislation provides that a mayor cannot hold other functions and if Fredi Beleri is declared innocent by the Special Court of Appeal, he must choose between the post of MEP or the mayor of Himara.

But if Apeli will confirm his conviction, then he practically loses the opportunity to lead the Municipality of Himara, where early elections will have to be announced.

The appointment of Mr. Beleri as an MEP will be subject to the rules of the European Union. According to the regulation of the European Parliament, before the first session of the Parliament convenes, the verification of the new MEPs is carried out.

The regulation of the European Parliament determines that after the results of the elections are official, the member states communicate the names of those who have won a seat in the European Parliament and the President, on the other hand, asks the responsible authorities of the member states to take the necessary measures to avoid issues related to the incompatibility of taking office.

Mr. Beleri differs from other MEPs as he was elected in Greece, a country of the European Union and is serving a prison sentence in Albania, a country that is not a member of the European Union.

The Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament checks the new credentials of the deputies of the European Parliament, making decisions based on the information provided by the member states./ VOA