Sali Berisha has announced a meeting with the Albanian community in Dallas, Texas, on September 8, in a move that brings renewed attention to his visit to the United States and to the political weight his camp appears to be trying to give this public appearance.
The meeting announced on social media
The event was announced through Berisha’s social media accounts. According to the promotional material published, the meeting will take place in Lewisville, in the Dallas area.
Republican Party leader Fatmir Mediu is also expected to attend, giving the meeting a clearer political profile beyond the usual format of an event with the Albanian community.
The US visit and the political backdrop
The meeting in Texas is taking place as part of Berisha’s visit to the United States, after several years in which he has been at the center of debate over his status with the American authorities.
This makes the public appearance in Dallas not simply an event with emigrants, but also a politically charged moment, because of the history that has accompanied his relationship with Washington.
The “non grata” designation issue
In 2021, the US Department of State designated Berisha ineligible to enter the United States, placing him on the list politically known as “non grata.”
For precisely this reason, every move by him on American soil is followed with political and public interest, especially in terms of how it is presented and promoted by his own camp.
What is expected in Dallas
According to the organizers, Berisha and Mediu are expected to meet members of the Albanian community in the Texas area.
The event has been presented as part of Berisha’s meetings with Albanians in the United States, while it remains to be seen what political messages this appearance will produce at a time when every development linked to his figure is read beyond the calendar of public meetings.
The September 8 meeting in Dallas comes as another sign of Berisha’s effort to keep contact with the Albanian diaspora in the United States active.
The presence of Fatmir Mediu adds to the political dimension of the event, against a backdrop in which Berisha’s name remains closely tied to the 2021 decision of the US Department of State.