TIRANA, Albania — Albania’s prime minister on Tuesday responded to not being invited by Greece to a dinner for high officers from 9 Balkan nations and the European Union by saying that in “such turbulent times” Europe’s unity is “larger than what divides us.”

A day earlier, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis hosted a casual dinner for 9 Balkan leaders, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council head Charles Michel to debate the area’s European future.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama was not invited in a protest over his nation’s jailing of ethnic Greek minority chief Fredi Beleri, who was arrested earlier than a mayoral election in May on vote-buying allegations. Albanian President Bajram Begaj was invited to attend however declined.

Greek authorities spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis stated “it was not possible to invite Mr. Rama to such an important initiative.”

The dinner was held on the twentieth anniversary of an EU-Western Balkan summit within the Greek metropolis of Thessaloniki as Balkan states sought to affix the bloc.

Rama stated he didn't react a day earlier as a result of he didn't need “to disturb the host and his guests, by adding to the noise before my good friends gathered in Athens finished their work.”

Rama hailed Greece’s efforts “to discuss the European future of the Balkans against the backdrop of the Russian aggression.”

“The region needs Greece to be more involved in our common path.” he stated.

In May, Greece’s Foreign Ministry demanded Beleri’s instant launch, suggesting that the case may negatively influence Albania’s software to affix the European Union.

Rama stated his authorities may do nothing whereas the nation’s judiciary offers with Beleri’s case. On Monday, Beleri was denied launch by a courtroom.

Beleri belongs to the Human Rights Union Party of the ethnic Greek minority, however he was the candidate for a coalition that additionally included the center-left Freedom Party of former President Ilir Meta and a breakaway group from the center-right opposition Democratic Party.

Beleri, who received the election, can't be sworn in as mayor whereas below arrest.

Albania plans to host an Oct. 16 summit on the Berlin Process, an initiative from Germany and France to encourage the six Western Balkans international locations - Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Albania - that are at totally different levels of integration into the bloc and have to preserve working to align their insurance policies and practices with the bloc’s.

In a reconciliatory transfer, Rama stated Mitsotakis “has of course been invited to participate.”

“What should unite us in such turbulent times for the sake of our people, our countries, our region, our Europe is larger than what divides us,” Rama stated. “Too much is at stake globally for us to become hostage of tribal domestic politics.”

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