The Central Election Commission is discussing Fredi Beler's mandate and the announcement of early elections in the Municipality of Himara. The debate in the CEC was basically whether Fredi Beler's mandate should be resolved through the decriminalization law or through the law of local government bodies.
Fredi Beleri's lawyer, during the meeting of the CEC, said that there is no legal reason to initiate and discuss Beleri's mandate.
She also said that we are not in the conditions where the CEC can make a decision, since the powers of this Commission are only on the case of candidacy or the decriminalization form. The lawyer claimed that it is the other institutions that can make a decision.
The CEC was set in motion for the Beleri case after a request by the head of FRESSH for the Municipality of Himara, who asked the Commission to announce early elections in the Municipality of Himara, following the Appeal decision of the GJKKO which decided that Fredi Beleri to be sentenced to two years in prison.
Eridian Salianji, the SP representative in the CEC, said that as long as we have an Appeal decision, which is final, based on the decriminalization law, Fredi Beleri cannot exercise public functions.
"The only issue that can be discussed is: is there a decision of the Court of Appeal? We have a Court decision, so is it subject to the decriminalization law? Of course it is, and this is where the debate ends," said Salianji. He stated that if Fredi Beleri had taken office, then the Prime Minister or the Government could dismiss him. Salianji said that in this particular case he has not officially taken office, so there is no dismissal, then the decriminalization law must be acted upon.
While Ivi Kaso, representative of the Democratic Party at the CEC meeting, said that there is confusion regarding the law on decriminalization and that of local government bodies.
"Yes, Fredi Beleri is subject to the decriminalization law. Fredi Beleri has a mandate given by the CEC, he has a mandate that is recognized by the Court, but he has not been able to exercise it due to the stubbornness of other institutions, including the Prime Minister. Beleri is an elected person, he has not exercised his mandate, he is convicted, but the law on decriminalization is not applied, but the law on local government. So in this particular case, the Government should dismiss Fredi Beleri and not treat the issue as a hot potato. "Edi Rama should take responsibility, say that Fredi Beleri has been sentenced by a final decision and dismiss him," said Beleri.