The veteran leader of the Democratic Party (DP), Sali Berisha declared in his meeting in the frame of the talk with the party grassroots so called Foltore in the city of Peshkopia, the region of Dibra, northeastern Albania, on Tuesday that the DP Assembly will be held and will present a program for reestablishment and revival of this right-wing political force for it to gets the physiognomy it deserves.
Berisha called on the Democrats to unite and everyone should understand that those who advocate for Prime Minister Edi Rama are also advocating for the former head of the DP, Lulzim Basha. “I urge the Democrats to unite. We have no problem with those who think differently from us. I guarantee that their opinion will be fully respected. It is the vote which decides. We vote and decide together,” he said. He was worried that the DP has lost its soul, has lost its free vote, and its leadership has lost the massive trust of its membership. “We will return these with transparency,” said Berisha who announced that three-thirds of the votes to convene the Assembly have been gathered.
In a direct message to Prime Minister Edi Rama Berisha warned him of DP’s battle and only battle. “You (Rama) will face the Democrats for all that you have done,” he said, creating enthusiasm in the hall filled with hundreds of DP militants and other supporters of Berisha.
The former premier denounced Rama for the critical situation created in Albania by his regime which is a terrible harm for Albania and Albanians. According to him, Rama has established the state of crime and drugs, and has created the first narco-state in Europe instead of building the rule of law in these eight years. “This regime not only did not advance the standards of democracy and living standards in these 8 years, but, on the contrary, plunged Albanians into poverty and misery,” said Berisha.
In the meantime the founder of the DP apologized again that during these years he did not raise the problems that DP faced. “In 2017, I had to decide to return, so that Rama does not get a governing mandate which he has today,” said Berisha. He said that Rama has blocked integration and has made the country a vassal of Belgrade.
Further on, he said that the US decision to declare him persona non- grata was taken after he came out against the ‘Soros republic’. “From day one, I went to court in Paris and sued the person who designated me persona non-grata. I said to bring every fact and every proof. But I never admit my guilt.”
Further on during his speech he said that the current situation of DP has been aggravated by its former chairman Lulzim Basha. “Today, Edi Rama has blocked integration, and has massively killed the hope of Albanians. But where is the opposition? The opposition backed the government, as in 8 years it was not able to impose any initiative other than decriminalization. We will stand tough against this regime that is cleansing Albania and Albanians.”
The former DP premier said four defeats weigh on Lulzim Basha. “You may not love Berisha and you are free to express your opinion, but can you trust in a man who goes from loss to loss? … Therefore, I invite our friends to think because we go from defeat to defeat in this way.”
Opinions were expressed by the participants in Foltore and the main message was their call for Berisha to return to the helm of the DP in order that it could overcome the deadlock. They expressed the determination to fight by all means against what they called the Rama regime for changing the very difficult situation of Albania. / /Argumentum.al