MEP Dionysios-Fredis Beleris has shared his critical views with The Brussels Morning Newspaper regarding the European Parliament’s recent report on Albania and the current state of judicial reform, media freedom, and minority rights in the country.
Beleris, a Greek Member of the European Parliament representing New Democracy and a prominent advocate for the Greek minority in Albania, highlighted what he sees as significant misrepresentations in the European Parliament’s assessment of Albania’s progress towards EU integration.
“The report overall failed to reflect the reality in Albania and the lack of progress of the Albanian state in incorporating the EU acquis,”
he stated.
While acknowledging that amendments adopted during the Plenary provided some clarity, he argued the report still obscures critical issues.
He specifically criticized the recent Albanian census, which was presented as a success in the report. Beleris described it as
“severely criticised due to the flaws in the methodology implemented and the intentionally misleading results obtained.”
Notably, eight out of nine recognized national minorities and three religious communities have questioned the census outcomes. Additionally, he condemned the so-called judicial reform as a failure “due to relentless government intervention,” accusing Prime Minister Edi Rama of seeking to “control every aspect of public life and perception,” which negatively affects press freedom and democracy.
Beleris also referenced concerns raised by the OSCE and EU Parliamentary observers during Albania’s last parliamentary elections, which pointed to
“efforts to manipulate the media, shady funding of the government party, and the involvement of organised crime in extorting and threatening people to vote a certain way.”
Although the report acknowledged these issues, he said it did not adequately capture their devastating impact on the rule of law.
Another point of contention was the adoption of the self-determination law, which the report highlights; however, Beleris pointed out that it
“has, deliberately, not been implemented in practice yet.”
He further drew attention to the problem of unregulated “black money” circulating in the country. Citing the Governor of Albania’s Central Bank, Beleris said,
“In 2024, 4 billion euros were being circulated in Albania without being transferred through the banking system, while Albania’s GDP is only 27 billion.”
When asked about broader governance issues, Beleris was blunt:
“The Albanian government has taken the judiciary hostage. Albania never fulfilled its promise of judicial reform. Instead, Prime Minister Rama uses the courts to suppress his political opponents, as he did in my case.”
He also highlighted systemic problems such as the high rate of preventive detention—60% of prisoners are held in this status compared to an EU average of 23%—and extremely slow administrative court decisions that take over a decade. Journalists, Beleris noted, are put under pressure by law enforcement to reveal their sources, despite constitutional protections.
Looking ahead, Beleris urged that fundamental reforms are essential to restore public trust and support the EU accession process.
“The principle of separation of powers must be enshrined in Albania, as well as integration into the European acquis,”
he said.
He also emphasized the importance of respecting the rights of the Greek national minority, which
“must not be marginalised, but must be actively respected.”
MEP Beleris’s statements offer a critical insider’s perspective on Albania’s challenges on its path toward EU membership, reflecting concerns about democratic backsliding, governance, and minority rights. His insights underline the need for a more comprehensive and honest appraisal if meaningful progress is to be achieved.
