The Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, gave an interview to the newspaper “Macedonia tis Kyriakis” in which he also touched on Prime Minister Rama’s visit to Athens.
He said that the visit of his counterpart was a private visit and emphasized that they had no intention to stop him, as Greece has nothing to fear from such events.
“Edi Rama’s visit here was private, just like the relevant pre-election speeches he has already planned in other countries, as a function of the elections in Albania. The government had no reason to stop it. Simply because the Hellenic Republic has nothing to fear from such an event.
Mitsotakis emphasized the conditions that, according to him, Albania must fulfill in order to join the EU, he said that with the “illegal” detention, he emphasized, of Fredi Beleri, “Albania violates the value of the rule of law”.
“Issues in Greek-Albanian and Euro-Albanian relations certainly remain. And the prime minister of Albania cannot ignore the conditions for his country’s membership in the EU. First, respect for the rule of law, which is provided for in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union.
I will be clear: with the illegal detention of the elected mayor of the Municipality of Himara, now a candidate for the European Parliament, Fredi Beleri, Albania violates the value of the rule of law, abrogating his self-evident right to trial, the basis of the presumption of innocence.
Therefore, this is not only a bilateral issue, but primarily a European issue. And since Albania’s membership path depends on respecting the basic rights of the Greek minority, it inevitably passes through our country. Not to “conciliate” or “punish”. But to see Albania joining without problems on the path of European values” – added the Greek Prime Minister.
/Argumentum.al
