Statement concerning Albania's Accession Criteria - Mayor Fredy Belleri´s case

Michael Gahler MEP and Manolis Kefalogiannis MEP stated that the European Project has been built and continues to be based on the assumption that the principle of the Rule of Law applies always and equally. It is the compass, which encapsulates the values and principles that constitute the backbone of our identity and drives our endeavours.
 
The very application of the Rule of Law principle must applies accordingly also in the accession process of the candidate countries, including Albania. It guarantees the integrity and the transparency of the procedure, which is objective, merit based and non-discriminatory. 

Based on these principal admissions, it goes without saying that in the epicentre of the Albanian accession, stands the full respect of the fundamental rights and liberties of all candidates, regardless whether they belong to government or opposition parties or happen to belong to a national minority. The recent events over the pre-trial detention of the newly elected Mayor of Himarra, who belongs both to opposition and national minority, bring in the spotlight our relevant concerns. We state clearly and firmly that we fully respect the judicial independence; At the same time we stay vigilant over the uncompromised safeguard of equally applied fundamental rights for all candidates, including those belonging to the political opposition or a national minority.