Greek minority businessman Petros Gikourias announced his candidacy for the municipality of Heimarra today, which is expected to be supported by the Albanian opposition parties and the democratic union of the Greek ethnic minority "OMONIA", in the August 4 elections.

"I made the decision to take a step forward for the city, to run for Mayor and to ask the political parties, the associations and every fellow citizen to support this candidacy so that we can move on to the next day. I was born in Drymades and I come from a family that fought for two sacred battles: for our Land and for Democracy. I worked hard in Greece and in the USA, I learned a lot working in the field of catering and hospitality. And I want to use all this knowledge and experience in my country, working together with my compatriots for the advancement and development of Himarra in all sectors" he says.

And he continues: "On August 4 we are not voting for a prime minister, we are voting for a mayor!" We are voting for the next day of Chimara! The next day for the Municipality of Himara will not have exclusions. He will have no children of a lesser god. Permanent residents and emigrants. Socialists and Democrats. Have and havenots. We will have no corruption. There will be no insecurity for the property of every citizen. You will not have an appointed Mayor, faithfully carrying out the orders of those who want to usurp our properties. Wherever they come from. We are all citizens of Himara and we must not allow anyone to divide us, no matter how high they are. Above all and above all it is local interest!"

"The next day for the Municipality of Himara has a program! What the citizens of Himara voted for last May. The next day has work. It has solutions! It has investments! It has Europe! It has Democracy, which is guaranteed first of all by the Mayor! It has a Mayor who will have doors open in Tirana, in Brussels, in Athens, but also in Washington to claim the best for the next day of Heimarra. With these words, I ask for your support and vote" he concludes.

In a bold political move, Greece’s ruling conservative party announced that it is leading its lineup of candidates for the upcoming European elections with an ethnic Greek Albanian mayor implicated in election fraud.

After a difficult electoral battle, pre-arrested Fredis Beleri managed to defeat Giorgi Goro, and to be elected mayor of Himara, in the context of the local government elections that took place throughout Albania. In fact, before the announcement of the results, there was tension, when it became known that vote counting was stopped.

Also, when the predominance of the Greek expatriate was announced, his voters burst into celebrations. The newly elected mayor made his first statement from Tirana prisons.

Fredis Belleri's first statement

Through his personal Facebook account, Fredis Beleri reported on the result that: "Democracy won! Himara won! I am grateful to those who showed levity. I sympathize with those who succumbed to terrorism.

Today there are no winners and losers, all the citizens of Himara and I as Mayor, first among equals, walk united to become even stronger, defending Democracy and Human Rights!"

The celebration of the voters of Beleris is in full swing

Immediately after the announcement of the results, a party started on the beach of Himara. Hundreds of residents of the municipality are singing, dancing, hugging and celebrating his narrow victory over defeated Giorgi Goro who was supported by Albanian PM Edi Rama's party.

As time goes on the crowd grows and so does the mood and a feast is set up that will last until the evening.

Strong reactions to his arrest

Earlier there were reports in the electronic press of the neighboring country, according to which the two candidates were running neck-to-neck with 50% of votes counted, but the results from the remaining 50% of the ballots were expected to favor Beleri.

The arrest of Beleris caused intense reactions in Greece as well.

The Foreign Ministry of the Hellenic Republic spoke about a "complete reversal of the rules of equality in the municipal elections in Himara, the most important center of the Greek National Minority in Albania", in its announcement regarding the decision to pre-trial detention the candidate for Mayor.

"The decision to remand Omonia's candidate for the position of Mayor of Himara, Freddy Beleris, one day before the local elections without any solid evidence against him, is provocative and raises serious concerns and questions. Especially, after the systematic, public targeting of him by the Albanian government", emphasizes SYRIZA - Progressive Alliance in a statement.

"Fabricated political charges" says his lawyer

Freddy Beleris' lawyer has spoken of illegal imprisonment and "fabricated political charges".

"The buying of votes was not proven, that's what we requested from the court as it is not documented automatically. The information came from a person identified by the police. This is a political acusation and construct. During the prosecutor's speech, the existence of the lists (of the supposed voters to be bought off) was not proven. At that moment, Beleri was leaving the cafeteria and the manner of his abduction proved that the goal was to find something on him, at his own expense. It turned out that nothing was found. The electoral process is not affected, on the contrary it is strengthened," his lawyer Geni Gjyzari said, according to Albanian media.

In fact, they quote the statement of Fredis Beleri in the courtroom, who emphasized: "I have nothing to do with the accusation, I was with my relatives, I did not have the money to buy votes."