A new political accusation has been made amid the clash over the protests and the climate within the governing camp. Sali Berisha claims that an informal control structure has been set up within the majority to monitor positions on social media, with the aim of identifying officials who have not publicly lined up against the protesters.
Allegation of pressure on government representatives
According to Berisha, the government is exerting pressure on its representatives over how they react on social media regarding the protest. He portrayed the situation as a climate of fear and internal control within the ranks of the majority.
Along these lines, he said a structure has been created to monitor the posts of figures linked to the government, in order to identify those who have not taken a stance against the youth civic movement that has been protesting every day.
‘Balla Commission,’ Berisha’s ironic label
In ironic tones, Berisha called this alleged mechanism the “Balla Commission.” According to his version, this structure is checking the social media statuses of what he described as the governing nomenklatura.
The accusation remains a political statement made by the opposition leader and, in the content made public, is not accompanied by evidence or an official reaction from the side mentioned.
Peleshi mentioned as the first name
In his statement, Berisha said the “first victim” of this commission would be Niko Peleshi. According to him, Peleshi has been considered inactive in posts against the protesters and for this reason could be politically targeted.
He further added that Peleshi could be replaced by Taulant Balla. This claim, too, was presented without any public confirmation from the institutions or from the representatives mentioned themselves.
Political clash over the protests and message control
Berisha’s statement comes at a moment when the protests and the way the government is responding to them have become a strong ground for political confrontation. At the heart of his accusation is the idea that within the government, not only the political stance but also public behavior on social media is being managed.
In the absence of an official response to these claims, the statement remains part of the political battle between the opposition and the majority, in which social media are being presented as a tool of pressure and internal disciplining.
Berisha suggested that, in his view, there may be other names affected by this alleged control, but without providing further details.
So far, there has been no public position from the government, Taulant Balla, or Niko Peleshi regarding these accusations.