“Speaking out loudly and acting against autocracy is the only way to defend democracy and the aspirations of the people in the Western Balkans,” said Lulzim Basha, chairman of the opposition Democratic Party (DP).
In a hint on the speech of Prime Minister Edi Rama in the Economic Prespa Forum full of blames against the EU Basha said that it was a time when the EU officials, like Reinhard Priebe, spoke about the violations of the Balkan autocrats on Democracy and Rule of the Law.
“The prime ministers of the Balkans and their colleagues trembled, reflected or left by the vote,” said Basha without mentioning PM Edi Rama by name.
Basha has lost in the April 25 general elections being defeated by Rama’s Socialist Party for the fifth consecutive time since 2013 but despite the wide condemnation he could be re-elected chairman of the largest opposition political force in Albania. Rama has invited Basha to cooperate without any ‘red lines’ but without the veteran DP leader Sali Berisha and Socialist Movement of Integration, a party founded by President Ilir Meta.
According to Basha, that time of autocrats is back for the moment. “The corrupt Balkan autocrats have the courage to blame the EU for the lack of progress, instead of their terrible blows to democracy and the rule of law,” DP’s head said, adding that speaking out and acting against autocracy are the only way to protect democracy and the aspirations of the people in the Western Balkans. /argumentum.al
