The killing of 20-year-old Portuguese national Luis Miguel Varela Mendes in Ksamil has immediately spilled into the political clash as well. Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha used the incident to attack the government and the state of public order in Sarandë, speaking of a reality in which, according to him, the line between the state and crime has been erased.
Political reaction after the incident in Ksamil
In a statement to the media, Berisha described the killing of the foreign tourist as “almost a state killing.” According to him, this is not linked to the direct involvement of officials in the young man’s killing, but rather to what he described as a breakdown of public order and control of the area by criminal elements.
The statement comes after the State Police announced that it had arrested the suspected perpetrator, several other people, and declared another person wanted in connection with the serious incident. At this stage, the official version speaks of procedural actions and the pursuit of those involved.
Accusations against the government and the tourism industry
Berisha accused the government of allowing, in his words, the tourism industry in Sarandë to fall “into the clutches of crime.” At the core of his statement was the claim that there is no real rule-of-law control in the area and that economic activity, especially at the peak of the season, takes place under pressure from powerful groups.
These are strong political accusations, made in this statement without being accompanied by new public evidence beyond his political position. Nevertheless, the serious incident involving a foreign tourist once again brings to the forefront questions about safety in tourist destinations and the effectiveness of state control along the coast.
‘In Sarandë, the state and crime are one’
In his statement, Berisha said that “in Sarandë, the state and crime are one” and that, according to him, the law does not exist. He also referred to claims of an economy linked to trafficking and to nightlife operating until the early morning hours.
He went on to speak about occupied beaches and a lack of public spaces, claiming that the coastline is dominated by strongmen selling sunbeds at very high prices. These too remain part of the opposition’s political denunciation in this reaction.
The incident that sparked the debate on order in tourist areas
The killing of Luis Miguel Varela Mendes in Ksamil has triggered not only a criminal response and police investigation, but also a direct debate over security in the south of the country during the tourist season. When the victim is a foreign tourist, the blow does not remain only criminal, but also affects the image of territorial administration.
Beyond the political clash, the case raises a broader question: how real is the control of institutions in areas with high tourist traffic, and how credible does the official version of public order remain when such incidents occur at the height of the season?
The incident in Ksamil remains under investigation, while political statements are giving the issue even greater public weight.
For the moment, the confirmed facts are the killing of the young Portuguese man and the police actions against the suspected individuals; the rest remains in the realm of political accusations and responsibilities that institutions must clarify with transparency.