Political Controversy Surrounding Albanian Mayor’s Imprisonment

Political Controversy in Albania

An Albanian appeals court on Tuesday upheld a two-year prison sentence for Dhionisios Alfred Beleris, an elected mayor of the country’s Greek minority, despite his lawyers’ efforts to challenge what they claim is a politically motivated incarceration. Beleris, the 51-year-old Himare mayor-elect, was arrested last year on charges of allegedly buying votes. He has consistently denied these accusations.

Legal Proceedings and Political Immunity

Beleris, who was never sworn into office due to his house arrest and subsequent sentence, will remain in prison until October as per the court’s ruling. Despite his recent election to the European Parliament as a member of the New Democracy party, granting him political immunity, this protection may not apply to his current situation as the offense took place in a non-EU member country. The strained relations between Greece and Albania following this verdict were highlighted by Greek Ambassador to Tirana, Konstantina Kamitsi, who expressed concerns on the matter.

Six countries in the Western Balkans are in various stages of their EU membership applications, with Croatia being the most recent addition in 2013. The case of Beleris underscores the complexities of cross-border legal issues and political implications within the region.

Furthermore, in a different European Parliament-related case, Italian activist Ilaria Salis was recently released from a Hungarian prison after being elected into the European Parliament. This event demonstrates the intersection of legal proceedings and political mandates in the EU context.