Berisha defends Himara's mayor-elect

Former PM, Sali Berisha has defended the elected mayor of Himare, Fredi Beleri, who was arrested two days before the May 14 local government elections on charges of vote buying.

According to the former PM, Beleri, who is an ethnic Greek, didn’t even have 50 leks in his pockets at the moment of his arrest. Berisha added that Beleri was arrested while he was dining out and according to him, the charges of vote-buying that he faces, are bogus.  

Meanwhile, Beleri’s arrest and the fact that he’s being kept in jail, without giving him a chance to be sworn in as mayor of Himare, has put a strain on relations between Tirana and Athens.