TIRANA, Aug 5 /ATA/ Democratic Party chairman Sali Berisha, during a press conference, blamed the sharp decline in tourism today on the influence of the narco-euro.
Berisha said that “the nation’s tourism potential is exceptional, with its riversides, coastlines, and lakes representing a remarkable natural wealth.”
“From 2005 to 2012, following the development of road and digital infrastructure, the number of tourists increased from 300,000 in 2005 to 4.7 million,” Berisha said.
He asserted that the number of tourists has undeniably continued to rise.
“Nonetheless, over the last 2-3 years, claims of reaching 10 million visitors have surfaced, which he described as a clear misrepresentation, as these figures count all Albanian and regional passengers on EasyJet and Ryanair flights departing from Rinas,” he stressed.
But Berisha added, “Despite this major deception, the number of tourists has undeniably increased.”
However, the Democratic Party leader noted, “Last year recorded a drastic decline in tourists along Albania’s coasts, beaches, and lakes.”
He said that this sharp decline has worsened even more this year.
“The reason for this decrease is being kept under wraps in an unbelievable, dishonest, and shameful manner by the narco-government, its controlled media, as well as the country’s economists, local press, and tourism operators. Whether this is due to ignorance, fear, or adherence to a mafia code, I cannot determine,” Berisha remarked.
‘I affirm that the primary cause of this sharp decline is the narco-euro. Both the euro and the dollar have lost 35 percent of their value, and this rapid devaluation means that a tourist who used to purchase certain services and goods for 100 euros now has to spend 135 euros in Albania a year later. Concealing this fact makes one complicit in a crime.”
Berisha further explained, “The devaluation of the euro and dollar in Albania—resulting from shipments of these currencies by Albanian drug traffickers—delivered a severe blow to tourism. As a result, every tourist now has to spend 35 percent more euros to cover the same costs and purchases.”
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