PM reacts following the arrest of opposition candidate, calls for a full and independent investigation

Prime minister Edi Rama has reacted today following the arrest of the opposition's controversial candidate, Fredi Beleri on charges of vote buying.

In a message posted on social media, the PM says "our battle against that candidate has nothing to do with the investigations taking place or the prosecutor's office conclusions", adding that authorities must be allowed to conduct a full and independent investigation of these allegations against the opposition's candidate.

Meanwhile, according to the PM, the charges raised against the opposition candidate must be proven and his arrest must be legally motivated.

Controversial opposition candidate arrested on suspicion of vote-buying

Opposition candidate for mayor in Himara, Fredi Beleri has been arrested by police in the early hours of Friday morning.

Beleri, who also represents the Greek community in the southern municipality, is suspected of vote-buying. At the moment police arrested him, Beleri was in his restaurant in Himara.

During a televised interview on Thursday, Prime Minister Edi Rama accused the opposition candidate of vote buying. Rama also alleged that the opposition candidate had hired men to threaten Albanian migrants in Greece to vote for him in Sunday's municipal elections.

The opposition candidate, Fredi Beleri has recently been under fire following his statements that he will Hellenize Himara in case he's elected mayor of this town.