Controversial politician doing time for vote buying in Albania, elected to European Parliament in Greece

Fredi Beleri, who is serving a two-year sentence for vote buying in Albania, Albania, became a Member of the European Parliament for the Greek New Democracy ruling party.

Why is this relevant

The case of Beleri, a member of the Greek minority in Albania, has strained relations between Greece and Albania. The Greek Government has accused Albania of lacking rule of law and of not respecting the rights of the Greek minority because of Beleri. Running him as candidate signals a hardening of the Greek position.

Context

Fredi Beleri was caught in flagrante buying votes during the local elections of 2023 and consequently sentenced to two years imprisonment. He was running as an opposition candidate for the Municipality of Himara that has long been claimed by Greece as a Greek minority area, but is not recognized as such under Albanian law. Following his arrest, Greece reacted furiously and has threatened Albania repeatedly that the case will harm relations between the two countries and block Albania’s EU integration process.

However, despite their protests Greece has so far failed to secure any international support for its claims. Beleri was prosecuted and sentenced by the Special Anti-Corruption Structure and the Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime, both well respected institutions established as part of the justice reform in Albania with the support of the US and EU. Indeed, the performance of these institutions in the fight against corruption was one of the main reasons behind the decision of the EU to open accession negotiations with Albania.

Greek demands that Beleri be released or that he be allowed to be sworn in as Mayor despite this not being allowed under Albanian law, have been met with incredulity and accusations of double standards by many Albanians. Many have pointed out that the fact that Beleri is a member of the Greek minority does not confer immunity on him. Others have derided the standards of Greek candidate selection underlining the fact that due to EU and US supported reforms, individuals with a criminal record cannot run in elections.

Mr. Beleri was already a notorious figure in Albania because of allegedly being part of a Greek terrorist commando of the so-called MAVI (Front for the Liberation of Vorio Epirus) that killed two Albanian soldiers in a border post in 1994. According to Greek media he was arrested alongside other members of the commando, armed to the teeth, on their way to the Albanian border.

Mr. Beleri has claimed that his election is as a triumph of democracy and there were celebrations among his supporters in Himara. However, his election does not affect the ongoing criminal proceedings against him in Albania, as MEPs only hold immunity within EU member states, not in Albania.