"Greece under pressure from the EU", Kathimerini gives details about the blockade against Albania: Spain is irritated with Athens

2023-11-29 10:17:00, Politikë CNA

"Greece under pressure from the EU", Kathimerini gives details about

Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Edi Rama

Greece is facing pressure from the European Union for the blockade it has decided to impose on Albania on its way to EU integration.

On this issue, Greek media Kthemerini has published an article entitled: "Athens under EU pressure for Albania", where it is underlined that "European diplomatic sources said that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has declared through diplomatic channels that the membership process should not be a bilateral issue".

The Greek media points out, quoting a European official, that the Spanish presidency of the EU is particularly irritated with the position of the Greek side in relation to Albania.

On November 14, after the problems with the "Beleri" case, Greece did not sign the letter of the 27 member countries addressed to the EU Commission for the opening of the first five chapters of the membership process.

It was reported in the media that Athens is putting pressure on Tirana on some issues related to the rule of law, such as the case of Beler and the implementation of some laws related to the Greek minority in Albania, such as property rights.

The tension between the two countries started in May of this year, when the candidate for mayor, Fredi Beleri, who is running under the opposition flag, was arrested on suspicion of vote buying. Although under security measures, Beleri won the elections in Himara, but he could not be sworn in as mayor due to his conviction.

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Intensive diplomatic consultations are said to be underway to get Greece to agree to send a letter on behalf of the European Council to Tirana so that Albania can begin negotiations on the first set of EU membership chapters.

The relevant discussion is expected to take place at the meeting of permanent representatives in the EU (Coreper) on Wednesday, after Albania successfully completed the first phase of EU membership negotiations (the review process) last Friday after 14 months of consultations. It is no secret that Athens has been pressured to come on board and, in comments to Kathimerini, European diplomatic sources said that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has stated through diplomatic channels that the membership process should not be a bilateral issue. Even, according to a European official, even the Spanish presidency of the EU appears particularly irritated with the attitude of the Greek side.

Against this background, Greece cannot, said diplomatic sources, continue blocking the letter in question for a long time after the completion of Albania's review process. Because of this, and in case it finally decides to send the aforementioned letter from the European Council, Athens is considering the scope for "blocking" the next stage of the relevant process, which includes a report outlining all the standards for what it already has or should have been fulfilled by Tirana (permanent membership report), as well as the convening of a relevant intergovernmental conference.

Greece has vowed to block Tirana's aspirations to the EU until the issue of the elected ethnic Greek mayor Fredi Beleri, imprisoned since May, in Albania, emphasizing that his human rights are being violated, is resolved.

In response to the accusations aimed at Greece to make the issue bilateral, State Minister Stavros Papastavrou emphasized that Athens' position is related to the protection of European principles.

"The Beleri issue is deeply European, it is not bilateral. It is about respecting the rule of law," said Papastavrou. / CNA