Fredi Beleri, the jailed member of Albania’s ethnic Greek minority elected last month to the European Parliament, returned in prison this Saturday after he lefton Monday morning to attend the opening session of the new European Parliament in Strasbourg.

The 51-year-old, elected as an MEP with Greece’s ruling New Democracy party, was granted a five-day leave.  Greek government sources told Kathimerini that the decision to grant Beleri leave from July 15-20 was “a very positive development.”

Beleri returned in Fier accompanied by the opposition's candidate in Himara, Petro Gjikuria.

In a statement to the media, Beleri said that he asked for conditional release, while emphasizing that he hopes that justice will act this time without being influenced. He praised Gjikuri's candidacy, saying that he has nothing to do with the mercenaries brought by the government to command Himara.