In a statement following his party’s defeat in the Sunday’s elections, Basha said that “the battle for democracy has just begun and Albania will win.”

“We have been fighting for democracy over the years. It took many years for us to topple the communist regime and we succeeded. We succeeded because we are strong people, who believe in democracy,” Basha said in his remarks in front of his party’s headquarters.

“Over the past months too, we fought for democracy. I believed that thanks to the wonderful strength of our people we would win and restore democracy in Albania. But this was not enough this time. It was not enough, because these elections had nothing to do with democracy. We entered this battle, not against a political opponent, but against a regime that did everything to destroy fair electoral race. They amended Constitution and the Electoral Code by breaking any rules,” Basha said.

“Thousands of invalid ballot papers, the highest ever recorded and twice higher than difference between two parties, millions of euros injected to deliver on largest industrial vote-buying operation, deforming the voters’ will. They used the millions generated from corrupt concession contracts; they stole the citizens’ personal data, used criminals and gangs, intimidated and blackmailed voters, the public administration, journalists and the media, further expanding the size of electoral massacre,” Basha said.

DP leader vowed he and his party will continue “battle for democracy with all their strength.”

“We will keep fighting with whatever we can for democracy. We will keep fighting till victory because our mission is larger than all of us. If we surrender, Albania will have no other chance, and this will never happen,” he vowed.

/j.p/r.e/u.sh/