Greece blocks Albania's EU accession process
Speaking on behalf of the President of the Greek Parliament, Konstantinos Tasoulas, Giogiakas emphasised that the struggle for the respect of the rights of the Greek national minority on Albanian territory has been a difficult path and that OMONOIA has contributed to the respect of the rights of the Greek national minority in Albania.
MP Vasileios Giogiakas said that the 33rd anniversary of OMONOIA was overshadowed by the case of the elected mayor of Himara, Fredis Beleri, who is currently imprisoned, and that the issue is not a bilateral issue between Greece and Albania, but is related to the progress that the neighbouring country has to make in terms of accession prospects and respect for the rule of law.
Giogiakas emphasised that the struggle for the respect of the rights of the Greek national minority on Albanian territory is an arduous path and that Greece will not accept the next stages of Albania's accession process unless a clear step is taken towards the reinstatement of Fredi Beleris and a fair trial.
Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), made a statement on the issue and said "We see the sensitivity of our country Greece to the rights of the Greek minority in Albania. The statement of the MP of the New Democracy Party that the detention of Fredis Beleri, the Mayor of Himara Municipality, is related to the rule of law and is not a matter between Albania and Greece but is related to Albania's accession to the EU inevitably brings to mind the situation of the Turkish community in Western Thrace in our country which became a member of the EU in 1981. The rule of law must be fully and completely respected not only by the EU candidate countries but also by the current EU member states. Unfortunately, our country Greece does not respect this principle. Since 2008, there are three ECtHR judgements awaiting implementation, in the Bekir Usta group of cases, our country persistently does not implement the ECtHR judgements. We also raise this issue in the Rule of Law reports prepared by the EU Commission. Our country should look at itself while correcting Greece and Albania. We want to live in a country that fully and completely fulfils the principles of the rule of law and democracy."
