TIRANA, May 20 /ATA/ Former President and former Prime Minister Sali Berisha stated on Thursday that he has instructed his lawyer to file a direct lawsuit for public defamation against the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who yesterday designated him as ineligible to travel to the US, personally and his family members.
In a press conference, Berisha announced his decision, which he described as unusual but important.
“I am here to let you know of a decision. Yesterday the Secretary of State in the most defamatory way made misleading assessments of my personality. I want to emphasize that since I got involved in political life, since I touched the first salary in the state payroll to this day, there is no one in Albania or in the world who can say that I have been implicated in a corrupt affair. I instructed my lawyer to file a direct defamation lawsuit against Blinken. Blinken cannot be defended in court using his immunity. “My dignity cannot be harmed by political fabrications,” said Berisha.
Berisha said the lawsuit was filed in a Paris court. “This is an unforeseen decision in my life, a boundless admirer of the great country of freedom, the main ally of the Albanian nation, the USA. “But the issue of dignity is the most essential issue of a human being,” said Berisha.
According to him, “the decision to designate him as ‘ineligible’ is baseless. My family, just like me, have strictly adhered to the laws of this country.”
He pointed out that Blinken used his authority to harm me and to damage my honor and dignity, so I have chosen to pursue criminal charges against him.
“Although nothing is more important than the relations with the United States to me, human dignity is way more important than that. It is the very essence of the free man and I have gone above and beyond in my life to preserve it.”
“I do not put anything else on earth before the dignity, because I am not afraid of anything and anyone. I will restore my dignity, ” said Berisha, adding that,” my battle is only about restoring the human dignity and there is no other goal behind. ”
Berisha said that I decided to go to court and let the court decide on this issue and this is the fairest way.
Meanwhile, he stressed that “the DP parliamentary group has nothing to do with my battle.”
/a.a/r.e/sm/
