Greek Ambassador in Albania for the Greek Minority mayor
Ambassador Teoharis Lalakos, Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, travelled to Albania to meet with the Mayor of Himara Fredi Beleri and Panteli Kokavesi, who were detained by the Albanian police two days before the elections on charges of vote-buying.
It was noted that Lalakos, who travelled to Albania on the instructions of Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, will be informed about the health status and detention conditions of the persons in question, as well as the next steps to be taken in consultation with the Greek Embassy in Tirana.
It was stated that the Greek Ambassador to Tirana, Konstantina Kamiçi, requested a meeting with Beleri and Kokavesi and was in constant contact with the families and lawyers of the detainees.
Beleri's arrest, which strained relations between Athens and Tirana, took place two days before the elections. In the local elections held on Sunday in Himara, Albania, Fredi Beleri, the candidate representing the Greek minority, was elected Mayor of Himara, leaving behind his rival Jorgo Goro, who received the support of Prime Minister Edi Rama's government.
This attitude of Greece, which is closely interested in the Greek and Greek minorities in various countries of the world and does not spare all kinds of material and moral assistance, attracted attention.
Greek administrators who intervene in the relevant countries for their own kinsmen when it comes to them, accuse Türkiye, the guarantor country, of interfering in the internal affairs of Western Thrace Turks who react to the violation of their rights. This double standard is met with reaction by Western Thrace Turks.
