Describing it as “a day of reflection, unity and the decision to choose the path of the future”, Basha said that “we have not gathered to tap each other on the shoulders, but to tell some truths that for a long time were not articulated, or were just mumbled ”.

Basha added that today we have gathered on behalf of the truth.

“We have been the DP of Albania for 31 years on end, with our successes and failures, in the government and in the opposition. Albania will be tomorrow like DP will be today. In order for us to be convincing for the Albanians, we must dare to tell them today how the DP will be today, Albania will be tomorrow “, said Basha in his speech.

The Democratic Party (DP) head said that “this is a great act of bravery, as we will have to prove today that we will be the cleanest party in Albania, barring from our ranks and the steering teams of the Democratic Party people who disgrace the Albanian society”.

Basha said that we need to come to agreement today on this standard.

“People who have links with the painful history of Albanians, as was the dictatorship of Enver Hoxha, will not be allowed in the structures of the Democratic Party. Also, we will not allow in the steering structures of the DP, people with criminal past, during these thirty years, who have been subject to criminal proceedings and have convictions for crimes against human beings, economic crimes, criminal offenses or involvement in criminal syndicates “, said Basha.

Basha continued adding that “we will not allow in the leading structures of DP people who threaten the western vocation of Albania, who show populist deviations and blind nationalisms aimed at destabilizing the region and creating uncertainty for the future of Albania.”

“The DP will be the guarantee of the Albanians, who will look to the west. People or anti-democratic inclinations that undermine freedom of the vote, the party institutions and twist the will of the Albanians have no place in the DP. This will be a guarantee for a free Albania that knows how to vote “, said Basha.

This, said Basha, “is a great challenge but we will grow with this trust in mind and heart because only then Albanians will trust us seeing who the Democrats are.”

“And victory can never come by having someone designated in our ranks, nor by turning the whole party into ‘non grata’, for the sake of the personal destiny of a person, whoever he is. So what happened after September 9 is changing us. “And today we choose to change for the better,” he said.
/sm/

Basha said that the Assembly convened on December 11 is nothing but a rostrum-like meeting convened in Tirana, where all participants in the meetings at district level have been invited.

“Participation in various meetings is not what the Assembly stands for. The Democratic Party Assembly is convened in accordance with the rules, the representation is determined by the rules, in order for the Assembly to represent the will of Democrats. Meanwhile this meeting could be attended by different people. They could be Democrats for whom I am genuinely sorry because during this period their sensitivities, grief and despair at the April 25 election massacre, the despair that has gripped all of Albania after April 25, political and economic stagnation, social and psychological crisis that is rife everywhere even among the supporters of the Socialist Party have been a target for manipulation. April 25 has created an anomaly, it has exacerbated the evil that would be kicked out with vote on April 25, unless the election massacre had happened. Other than such sensitivity, unfortunately there is abuse by Mr. Berisha and a group of officials around him who are fighting this battle for their personal interest. Mr. Berisha is engaged in this battle for his personal interest. And without doubt from this point of view, as chairman of the Democratic Party, I am determined to turn the Democratic Party Assembly on December 18 into a representative decision-making forum of Democrats. “On the other hand, we should give a voice and the opportunity for dialogue and civil debate to anyone who has a different opinion from us or who wants to contribute to our battle with our only adversary, which is the regime of Edi Rama”, he said.

Basha explained why the assembly was scheduled for December 18.

“The National Assembly is always notified 30 days before its organization. And the leadership of the Democratic Party, in accordance with the statute of the Democratic Party, with these definitions, has acted in this way. “The Presidency convened on November 15, and as it has already been reported, with an overwhelming majority, it decided to hold the National Assembly of the Democratic Party on December 18, at 11 o’clock, in the Palace of Congresses”, said Basha.
/j.p/sm/

Basha adds that the December 11 Assembly has been initiated by Sali Berisha to defend his interests.

“I believe that the path he has followed has not produced the desired output. Moreover, and unfortunately, extrapolitical factors irrelevant to the interests of the Democrats, organized crime, oligarchs, but also our political adversary have invested so that something initiated by Sali Berisha for his personal interest be used to split up the Democratic Party. It received the answer on 15 November. “There is one Democratic Party, there is one assembly on December 18”, says Basha.
/sm/