TIRANA, Sept 10 /ATA/ – Main opposition Democratic Party (DP) leader Sali Berisha stated Wednesday that street antigovernment protests will begin “very soon,” as part of what he described as a renewed mission to restore free and fair elections in the country.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the party’s leadership, Berisha said there is no fixed date yet but pledged the opposition would not remain passive.
He framed the fight as a “new mission to save Albania from an authoritarian dictatorship based on drugs and crime,” insisting the party has the strength to act.
He emphasized his party’s openness to international cooperation but said only Albanian citizens could reclaim their democratic rights. Berisha noted that DP remains committed to internal debate and transparency, saying a full internal review is underway and all members and supporters are invited to contribute.
On returning to parliament, Berisha stated his proposal faced no opposition from the party leadership, though there were discussions about the format.
Responding to questions about leadership changes, Berisha asserted that the party had full authority to take any necessary decision. He confirmed that party elections will be held in accordance with its statute, while acknowledging that previous local elections were not analyzed due to his house arrest and other legal obstacles.
Berisha also pointed to a so-called “Black Book” compiled by the party, which he said documented election irregularities and was the basis for four international resolutions condemning the 2023 local elections. “This work exposed the elections as fraudulent and portrayed Edi Rama as a ‘people’s dictator,’” he said.
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