TIRANA, July 1 /ATA/ – Main opposition Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha on Wednesday said that a report and resolution adopted by the European People’s Party (EPP) Political Assembly present a critical assessment of Albania’s political and institutional situation and recommend the establishment of a technical government to ensure free and fair elections.
Speaking at a press conference, Berisha said Albania featured prominently in discussions at the EPP Political Assembly, where a fact-finding mission report on the country was presented, placing it second on the agenda after Ukraine.
He said the report, based on an EPP fact-finding mission carried out on February 26-27, 2026, describes Albania as a “captured state” in which elections are held under conditions of what he called an “electoral farce,” with executive power, the media and the justice system concentrated under government control.
Berisha said the document raises concerns about organised crime, corruption and drug trafficking influencing the state, as well as vote-buying, the use of political patronage networks and the involvement of criminal groups in elections.
“The report is an exceptionally faithful reflection of the harsh truths of Albania under the Edi Rama regime, which has turned elections into an electoral farce, concentrated all powers in one hand, and controls the media and the justice system,” Berisha said.
He further claimed that the report highlights blurred boundaries between state institutions and party structures, as well as issues related to public procurement, concessions and public-private partnerships.
Berisha said one of the key recommendations in the report is the formation of a technical government, which he described as necessary to guarantee free and fair elections.
“The report suggests a technical government as a solution for a free and fair electoral process. It supports the Democratic Party in its efforts under very difficult conditions,” he said.
He also said the EPP resolution expresses strong support for what he described as a civic youth protest movement in Tirana.
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