In alert within the Hellenic National Minority in view of the upcoming elections in the municipality of Himara is caused by the candidacy of Vangelis Tavos who is supported by Edi Rama after the removal of Beleri.

Minority officials speak of a crucial election for the Minority as they say that the messages from Tavos’ staff are worrying and that if he prevails the next day he will start a new attempt to challenge the rights of the Greek minority.

As a typical example of the real intentions of Edi Rama and his socialist party’s choice for the municipality of Himara, the representatives of the Greek minority point to the rant of a Tavos associate at a meeting in the village of Vranitsi, who called on voters to vote en masse for Tavos in order to eliminate the Greek language from Himara after August 5!

The Northern Epirus youth who raised this issue even posted a video on social media with the controversial speech of Tavo’s partner. The mayoral candidate who was right next to him not only did not react to his partner’s provocative references but seemed to agree.

Watch the video

“At this critical juncture for Himara, the August 4 municipal by-elections are becoming crucial for the future of the region. The attitude of Vangelis Tavos, a member of the Greek National Minority, is mildly unacceptable. Despite his Greek Dropolitan origin, he has declared himself a Liabi, Argyrokastriti and proud Albanian, thus proving his complete detachment from the community he is supposed to represent,” said the Youth of Northern Epirus in its post and pointed out that V. Tavos has no connection with Himara and the Himarians and that “his only connection is with Rama and his interests in the region”.

“The statement by Tavos’ associate, who called on the Liampians of the village of Branisti to vote en masse for Tavos in order to eliminate the Greek language from Himara after August 5, is proof positive of the reason why Fredis Beleris was imprisoned and deposed, despite the absence of evidence. This defiant and hostile attitude is a direct threat to our cultural heritage, our identity and our property rights,” the minority members also said, calling on the Greeks of Himara to support Petros Gikouria en masse in the upcoming August 4 elections.

Himarians have the right and obligation to protect their language, culture and property rights from such threats. Himara has its own remarkable people who can govern it with ethics and dedication. Gikurias is the man who will serve the interests of all Himarians, unlike the anti-Hellenic circles of Tirana, Rama and strategic investors who are trying to hijack our land,” they also said.

Vangelis Tavos, was recruited by Edi Rama since the beginning of the year to the post of Vlora regional governor with the aim of being the next candidate for mayor of Himara. Fredis Beleris had already revealed several months earlier that Tavos’ appointment to the position was aimed at preparing the ground for him to claim the reins of the municipality.