With a promise “to continue his fight for North Epirus Hellenism and our national rights”, the New Democracy and EPP MEP, Fredi Beleris, held the cutting of the new year’s cake of his political office, in the presence of the Minister of State and keynote speaker of the event, Makis Voridis, as well as numerous citizens who flooded the main hall and the surrounding areas of the Royal Olympic Hotel.

Fredi Beleris, after thanking the attendees for their moving presence at his first event as an MEP in Athens, referred to the visit of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Himarra, saying that “it was this historic visit that inspired the people of Himarra, that made them feel that they are an integral part of this nation, it was the day that mother Greece covered us. This atmosphere, this passion, this aura remained alive until 14 May 2023”.

He then added that “they may have managed to hijack the administration of our municipality through coup practices, but they will never be able to overwrite history. The story of a handful of Greeks who resisted propaganda and intimidation and won. And for that victory, I never bowed my head during the 16 months I spent in prison. I did not negotiate, I did not compromise, I did not bend. I could not do it since my compatriots did not bend and bow their heads. Because I knew what my retreat would mean for our entire minority.”

Elsewhere in his speech, the MEP for the New Democracy and the EPP said that “next week, in the Petitions Committee, testimony will be heard for the first time about the hardships and oppressions experienced by our minority. One of our compatriots will be in Brussels to speak about our property and other rights,” adding that “we will find many more ways for the history of Northern Epirus to travel continuously in the European Parliament.”

“In closing, let me appeal to the members of the Greek ethnic minority who are here today given the elections that will take place in Albania on May 11. These elections are the first time that all of us can vote by absentee ballot. We all must register and send our strength through the vote because never forget that this is where our homeland is. After all, this is what my adventure has shown. That is what the 245 thousand Greeks appreciated in my struggle for my homeland. Don’t forget, your parents are waiting for you, the graves of your grandparents are waiting for you”, he concluded.

State Minister Makis Voridis, in turn, stood by the candidacy of Beleri, saying that “it was much more, it had an additional symbolic weight. It was a response to the illegal imprisonment of Freddy and the rape of the will of the Himarians. It was an affirmation that the Greeks were close to Himarra. All the Greek people. Not just the government, but the government itself. Without Kyriakos Mitsotakis, we would not be here today, with Freddy representing the Hellenism of Northern Epirus in the European Parliament. All the adventures and persecution have steeled Freddie. Together with Vangelis Doole, we have been fighting for the values and ideals of Hellenism all these years.”

Among others, several members of the Council of Ministers, MPs, MEPs, Mayors, local government officials, as well as representatives of institutions and associations were present. Among them were the Deputy Minister of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, Mrs. Zetta Makri, the Deputy Minister of Maritime and Island Policy, Mr. Stefanos Gikas, the Deputy Minister of Citizen Protection, Mr. Andreas Nikolakopoulos, the Deputy Minister of Development, Mrs. Zoe Rapti, the Deputy Ministers of Rural Development and Food, Mr. Dionysios Stamenitis and Christos Kellas, the former Minister of State, Mr. Stavros Papastavrou, the former Deputy Minister of State for Citizen Protection, Mr. Lefteris Economou, the Head of the European Group of the Southwest, Ms. Elise Vozemberg, the Press Spokesman and MEP of the South West, Mr. Dimitris Tsiodras, the MEP of the South West, Mrs. Eleonora Meleti, the Secretary of the Central Party and MEP of the South West, Mr. Mr. Stavros Kalafatis, Secretary of the K.O.K., Mr. Stavros Kalafatis, the Members of Parliament of the South-West, Mr. Angelos Syrigos, Thanos Plevris, Maria Kefala, Giorgos Amyras, Giorgos Stylios, Lefteris Avgenakis, Xenophontas Baraliakos, Filippos Fortomas, Anastasios Dimoshakis, Miltos Chrysomallis, Dionysia-Theodora Avgerinopoulou, Anna Karamanlis, Maria Eleni Sukouli-Villiali, Dimitris Kalogeropoulos, Spyros Kyriakis, Spyros Kulkoudinas, Athanasios Kavvadas, Christos Kapetanos, G.Mr. Athanasios Balerbas, the Mayor of Souliou, Mr. Athanasios Danis, Mr. Nikos Romanos, the Press Spokesman of the Southwest, Mr. Orpheus Georgiou, the President of ONNED, Mr. Orpheus Georgiou, the Governor of Asclepion Voulas General Hospital, Mr. Emilio Vougiouklakis and the President of KED, Mr. Evangelos Doules.