Strasbourg (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – MEP Fredi Beleri, elected by Greece’s ruling party, returned to Albanian prison after attending the EU Parliament. He is serving a sentence for vote-buying charges.
MEP Fredi Beleri, who arrived from the Greek minority in Albania to attend the EU Parliament inaugural session has returned to Fier prison after five days. He was given a five-day visit to attend the inaugural session of the new European Parliament in Strasbourg after being elected as an MEP for Greece’s ruling party.
Why Did MEP Fredi Beleri Return to Prison?
MEP Fredi Beleri, who holds dual Greek and Albanian citizenship, is serving a two-year prison penalty for vote-buying during last year’s local elections in Albania. He rejects the charges and Greece thinks he is being politically persecuted. “I don’t regret that I went back to prison”, expressed the 51-year-old after arriving at the International Airport in Tirana.
How Did Beleri Perform in the European Parliament Elections?
Beleri succeeded the seat in the European Parliament in last month’s elections under the motto of the Greek party “New Democracy”. He succeeded 238.801 votes, ranking fourth among the seven MEPs elected by the party of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Members of the European Parliament have exemption from criminal prosecution within the 27 EU member states even for expenses related to acts perpetrated before their election to the EP. But Albania is not yet a member of the EU.
What Are the Charges Against MEP Fredi Beleri?
Beleri was suspended two days before local elections on May 14, 2023, in Himare, a coastal town in Albania with a considerable Greek minority. He was apprehended as having offered around 360 euros to buy eight votes. Indicted of offering 40,000 Albanian leks (€360) for eight votes, he succeeded in the mayoral election, sponsored by the Greek minority party and other opposition to Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s ruling socialists. However, Beleri never assumed office.
What Legal Challenges Does MEP Fredi Beleri Face?
Last month, an appeals court upheld the conviction, and Albanian authorities formally removed Beleri from the Himara mayoral position, calling for new elections. According to the court’s ruling, Beleri will be eligible for release in October 2024. In last year’s local elections, Beleri succeeded with an advantage of 19 votes against the candidate of the Socialist Party. But he never considered the post of mayor as he was in custody awaiting sentencing in March of this year.
