In a video message posted on social media, Berisha praised those who took part in what he described as a nationwide civic protest, comparing it to the events of Feb. 20, 1991, when protesters toppled the statue of former communist dictator Enver Hoxha.

He said demonstrators had staged what he called the “political funeral” of Prime Minister Edi Rama through symbolic acts during Saturday’s protest.

“Last night, hundreds of thousands of protesters symbolically toppled the statue of the narco-dictator Edi Rama outside his offices and staged his political funeral,” Berisha said.

According to Berisha, the protest reflected citizens’ demand for political change and Rama’s resignation.

He called on the Prime Minister to step down and urged the government to meet the protesters’ five key demands, which he said were consistent with the Democratic Party’s positions.

“On behalf of the Democratic Party, I express my gratitude to the hundreds of thousands of Albanians who protested yesterday in such a powerful and impressive way. I assure them that the Democratic Party will continue to stand firmly behind their protest and their demands,” Berisha said.

Berisha also criticised the government’s handling of the demonstrations and called for violence to be avoided.

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Speaking after a meeting of the DP leadership, Berisha said the demonstrations would bring together citizens from across the political spectrum, who are willing to speak out against what he described as the theft of public funds and state assets.

Berisha said there were “irrefutable documentary evidence” as well as “the most serious international reports” showing that Albania’s elections amounted to an electoral farce.

“Edi Rama used criminal gangs, which he brought into parliament one by one, producing 28 MPs,” Berisha claimed, accusing the Prime Minister of having “grotesquely manipulated” the vote of the Albanian diaspora.

He said the opposition would deploy all forms of protest. “Never has this country needed more the creativity, courage and determination of Albanian idealists,” Berisha added.

Commenting on the recent appointment of the Ombudsman, Berisha said the official was elected without opposition support, arguing that this move eliminated what he described as the last remaining element of institutional power-sharing.

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