TIRANA, June 6 /ATA/ – Democratic Party (DP) leader Sali Berisha on Saturday attended the annual Cooperation and Planning Seminar organized by the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, the official think tank of the European People’s Party (EPP), of which the DP’s Foundation for Freedom and Democracy is a member.
The event, held for the first time in a non-EU country, brought together EPP officials, policy experts and representatives of member foundations.
During a meeting with former Slovak Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda, now president of the Martens Centre, Berisha presented what he described as a comprehensive overview of Albania’s political, institutional and social situation, raising concerns about the country’s governance under the current administration.
Speaking at the gathering in Durres, Berisha thanked the EPP and the Martens Centre for what he called their growing engagement with developments in Albania. He also acknowledged the support of international partners, including the International Republican Institute, Sweden’s Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation, Germany’s Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the Foundation for Freedom and Democracy, for assisting the Democratic Party’s modernization and digitalization efforts.
Berisha said political renewal remained a central priority for the opposition and would strengthen the main opposition party’s capacity as what he described as Albania’s only democratic and pro-European alternative.
The opposition leader also highlighted the DP’s recent activities, including protests and parliamentary initiatives, while accusing Prime Minister Edi Rama’s government of undermining democratic standards and state institutions.
Berisha alleged that the government had built an organized system of vote-buying and electoral manipulation through the use of state resources, social assistance programs and cooperation with organized crime groups. He called on European institutions and the international community to support an independent investigation into Albania’s electoral process.
He further expressed concern over what he described as Albania’s transformation into a “narco-state,” arguing that international tolerance toward cannabis cultivation in previous years had contributed to the expansion of organized crime networks and drug trafficking.
Berisha urged the European Union and the United States to reassess their approach toward the Albanian government.
The Democratic Party, he said, fully supports Albania’s European Union integration but believes the accession process should be based strictly on merit and measurable reforms, including strengthening the rule of law, ensuring institutional independence, implementing EU-required reforms and safeguarding electoral integrity.
Berisha said the party opposed any attempt to lower accession standards or bypass integration criteria in order to advance Albania’s membership process.
He also criticized the establishment of the College of Europe campus in Tirana, describing it as an example of lobbying allegedly financed with Albanian public funds. Referring to allegations linked to former EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, Berisha called for a transparent investigation by both Albanian and Belgian authorities.
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