TIRANA, Nov 2 /ATA/Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha appeared at the Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organised Crime (SPAK) on Monday to fulfil his reporting obligation under the security measure imposed on him in connection with the “Partizani” case.
“Once again, I want to denounce what I consider the grave wrongdoing of this party-driven institution in shielding electoral crimes from accountability. Electoral malpractice in Albania has been documented by key international organisations responsible for monitoring elections. It has reached its most extreme and brutal form, that of a party-state. Leading international institutions, including ODIHR, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament, have concluded that the May 11 elections saw the merging of the ruling party and the state, with public institutions and party structures operating as one,” Berisha said.
Berisha further claimed that the Democratic Party had submitted documents and evidence of electoral violations to international observers. He also referred to a resolution by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and reports issued by European institutions.
Berisha also commented on the ongoing student protests, reaffirming the Democratic Party’s support for the movement and the boycott of universities and high schools, which he said had been backed by the party’s Youth Forum.
“The Democratic Party’s Youth Forum, which has branches in universities throughout the country, played a significant role in the university and high school boycotts, even before the student union formally announced the university boycott,” Berisha stated.
The Democratic Party leader pledged that protesters who had served prison time for taking part in demonstrations would receive compensation amounting to three times the rate stipulated by law.
