Berisha argued that unlike free elections that serve the rule of law, the electoral farce produces the opposite effect.

“I think that most fundamental question is: do we have elections or an electoral farce. Elections serve the rule of law; electoral farce has the opposite effect. I strongly condemn Russian interference in the elections of other countries, but I am also here to denounce two other major factors that can destroy the elections. One of them is the party-state, as noticed by observers, that in Albania the elections took place in the climate of a party-state”, he said.

According to him, the organized crime has turned drugs into votes and votes into political protection. “28 MPs have entered the Parliament supported by the most powerful drug cartels. After that, these were rewarded with 450 construction permits for hotels, motels, construction and tourist resorts. Then, their mandates were used to completely block the Prosecution Office,” he said. The leader of the DP also spoke about the lifting of the immunity of the Deputy Prime Minister, arguing that Prime Minister Edi Rama blocked and does not allow the initiative of the Prosecution Office. /p.s./

According to Berisha, the government used “The 100-euro bonus as a gift for 760 thousand pensioners to influence their vote given that it was paid during the electoral period.”

Berisha also said that the government bought votes “using payments for people with disabilities.”

“Payments for people with disabilities were used at the height of the electoral campaign to buy votes. Government provided 4 thousand lekë or 40 euros as a reward to 164 thousand people with disabilities,” Berisha said.

“I condemn once again this ugly electoral farce and declare that the DP will never recognize it, will not accept it,” said Berisha.

“We are dealing with an autocratic dictatorship, which has drugs, crime and theft of Albanians as its driving force. The general resistance of Albanian citizens is the only way out of this situation,” said Berisha. /m.q//a.f/p.s./

According to him, Prime Minister Edi Rama used all the executive power to influence in all ways the electoral process and change it into a farce.

Berisha stated that Edi Rama bought votes with 450 building permits for drug trafficking gangs during the period when these permits were prohibited by law.

“From April 2024 to May 2025, there were granted over 1 thousand construction permits. 450 of them were issued during the election period. This does not include thousands and thousands of permits granted for building additional floors, reconstructions, etc., throughout Albania by municipalities across the country”, Berisha stated.

Berisha mentioned several cases where, according to him, such permits were granted.

“The Democratic Party will undertake all battles so that Albanians can vote freely”, said Berisha. /gj.m/j.p/p.s./

Berisha said that these elections are not justified, while adding that the battle of the DP is comprehensive.

“We do what we do for two reasons: First of all, to shed light as an obligation to the Albanians; secondly, to the international community with the deepest conviction that the problem will be solved by the Albanians themselves and the opposition.

Of course, the battle will be complex. It is a very broad, very complex battle, but with our deepest conviction that it will be won”, said Berisha.

Berisha underlined that, “Our motto is technical government, free elections”.

Asked about the by-elections expected to take place in the fall, Berisha described them as “the routine farce.” “The routine farce will take place. We say that the routine farce will take place. With Edi Rama there is only farce, this is the truth,” Berisha emphasized./m.q//r.e//a.f/p.s./

According to Berisha, “The primitive electoral farce of May 11 constitutes the most serious electoral constitutional crime in the history of Albanian pluralism”.

“As a matter of fact, the vote of Albanian citizens expired, in the sense of a free vote, without being cast into the ballot box”, said Berisha.

Berisha also listed some of the reasons to back his claim.

“The vote expired without falling into the ballot box due to the use of 76 million euros as a gift, 100 euros for each pensioner, 4,500 activities organized during the period prohibited by law, the pardon two days before the elections of 200 million euros in fines”, he said.

“The free vote of Albanian citizens expired before the vote because of tens of thousands of construction permits, legalization permits and property certificates, all given to get the votes”, said Berisha, among other things.

Berisha also published several videos that, according to him, prove “The electoral farce, from the Bulgarian train to the stuffing of the ballot boxes”.

In his speech, Berisha also leveled accusations at the head of the Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime Altin Dumani.

According to Berisha, “He is a fierce enemy of pluralism, of the free vote of Albanian citizens because through files 184 and 339, he installed the practice of impunity for electoral crime”.

Berisha said that the opposition will never accept the electoral farce.

/j.p/p.s./

In a statement to the media, Berisha said that they are demanding, “A caretaker government and new elections,” while emphasized that “The DP will not recognize the elections.”

“There is only one solution, a caretaker government and new elections where Albanians vote freely. This is our stance,” Berisha said.

Accompanied by the would-be MP of Elbasan region Blendi Himçi, Berisha spoke of Bulgarian train during elections.

According to Berisha, “There has been found evidence of stamped ballot papers in the coffee-bar of the village alderman Dervish Beqiri”.

“There was a predetermined results. There has been the Bulgarian train”, said Berisha.

Berisha added that, “We have hundreds of evidence that show transformation of the electoral process into an electoral farce”.

“So, this is the real electoral farce and we want Albanians to vote and not suffer the electoral farce and its consequences”, said Berisha.

Berisha underlined that, “We will stand with all our potential, our power, so that Albanians vote as free citizens of a country and not experience shameful electoral farces”. /a.f/p.s./

Asked if he would abide by the DP’s statute according to which, “The leader who loses the elections resigns”, Berisha said that the elections were an electoral farce.

“There were no elections, there was an electoral farce, as warned”, Berisha said.

Berisha stated that, “The overthrow of Edi Rama is not done through the help of internationals, but with a popular movement from within”.

Berisha said that in 32 years of campaigning, this campaign for the May 11 elections was the best, where he dedicated himself to present to Albanians a program consulted with two specialized foreign foundations.

“I have taken the world’s chief strategist, Chris LaCivita, to this campaign, and I have done everything to be totally committed. I have said that I will defend the vote, but never with a Kalashnikov. Dictators are overthrown only by popular movements,” said Berisha.

According to him, the denunciations and facts collected by the DP that will be sent to international partners will prove that on May 11 there was no election, but voting.

On the other hand, he said that he expects the internationals to enable early elections in Albania. /r.e/p.s./