Beleri granted leave to be sworn in as MEP

Fredi Beleri, a jailed member of Albania's ethnic Greek minority elected last month to the European Parliament, has been granted leave by the Albanian authorities to attend the legislature to be sworn in.

Greek state broadcaster ERT said that Beleri, who was elected MEP in Greece for the ruling New Democracy party, will on Monday fly to Athens and then transfer to the French city of Strasbourg.

Last year, Beleri was elected mayor of Himare in southern Albania but lost his office and is now serving a two-year sentence for vote-buying in that election, a conviction he contests.