A crucial meeting of the European Council begins on Thursday in Brussels with important issues on the table. One of the main issues that concern European leaders is the debate on the mid-term review of the Multiannual Financial Framework (2021-2027).
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has pointed out that a solution cannot only include funding for Ukraine and has stressed the need to increase funds for migration in the European budget. Moreover, Greece claims additional resources for dealing with natural disasters.
After all, Greece had always supported the European Commission’s proposal for more funds in the European Solidarity Fund, pointing out that the resources available today are extremely limited. It is recalled that Kyriakos Mitsotakis had taken an initiative in this direction both at the MED9 Summit last September and at the European Council in October (a relevant letter was sent to the European institutions, which was co-signed by other EU leaders).
Government sources noted – regarding today’s European Council – that Greece is in favor of enlargement as a strategic choice of the EU and as an investment in the future, under conditions.
They also emphasized that Greece agrees with the proposal of the European Commission and supports the start of EU accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, while it is in favor of granting candidate status to Georgia.
Greece’s red lines for the Beleri case
Greece has made it clear that it will not consent to Albania’s accession process if there is no progress on the issue of the elected mayor of Himare, Fredi Beleri. Yesterday, Kyriakos Mitsotakis – who participated in the EU-Western Balkans Summit – referred to the issue of Beleri and his right to a fair trial saying that it is not a bilateral Greece-Albania issue but a matter of respect for the rule of law, which is the crown of the accession process.
Government sources underlined that the prime minister reiterated Greece’s sincere desire to resolve this issue, adding that “our country was and remains among the pioneers of the Western Balkans’ accession perspective.”
A request by the remanded ethnic Greek mayor-elect of Himare, Fredi Beleri, to be sworn-in was rejected on Monday by Albania’s Special Appeals Court for Corruption and Organized Crime.
