Greek response to arrest is meddling in country’s internal affairs: Albania

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) – Albania has accused neighboring Greece of meddling in the country's internal affairs over Athens’ reaction to the arrest last week of an ethnic Greek politician.

The “inflammatory” response by Greece is related to the country’s elections set for Sunday, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama told a late Monday press conference, reported public broadcaster RTSH.

He said would try to act with self-restraint until the Greek elections are held, adding: "I am determined to do my best before I am forced to react accordingly.”

"I believe that the Greek minority (in Albania) is not fodder for anyone's electoral cannons, neither in Albania nor in Greece."

Fredi Beleri, an ethnic Greek minority candidate running for mayor in Himare, an Albania coastal city with a large Greek population, was detained by police on May 12 on charges of trying to buy votes ahead of local elections in Albanian, which took place this Sunday.

His arrest strained the relationship between Tirana and Athens.

The Greek government lodged a formal protest with the Albanian Foreign Ministry.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday threatened to block Albania’s EU bid over the detention, stressing that his country respects the rights of ethnic minorities.