Democratic Party Chairman Sali Berisha has made public details from his meeting with MEP Marco Tarquinio at the DP headquarters, where, according to his version, the discussion focused on what the opposition calls the country’s main problem: links between those in power and organized crime. At the end of the meeting, Berisha again used this line to increase political pressure on the government and revive his call for a technocratic government.
Meeting at the DP headquarters
The meeting took place a day earlier between Sali Berisha and Marco Tarquinio, chairman of the Albania-EU Parliamentary Committee on Stabilisation and Association. Berisha presented the MEP as a friend of Albania and part of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament.
Based on what was made public by the DP leader, the conversation focused on the political, economic and institutional situation in the country, with strong emphasis on the opposition’s accusations against Edi Rama’s government.
Berisha’s accusations of a “narco-state”
Berisha said he had presented to Tarquinio his conviction that Albania is facing serious consequences from what he calls a “narco-state.” According to Berisha, this phenomenon is harming democracy, the rule of law, society and the economy.
In his remarks, the opposition leader made direct accusations against the government, alleging links between organized crime structures, drug trafficking and high levels of the state. These claims were presented by Berisha as matters already established, but in this appearance they were not accompanied by new public evidence beyond the political references he has used previously.
Economy and demographics at the center of the criticism
Berisha said an important part of the discussion concerned the economic impact of this situation. He mentioned the devaluation of the euro and the dollar, the decline in exports and the contraction of industrial production, also referring to data that, according to him, come from Eurostat.
He also linked the growth of the construction sector to money laundering, while also raising concerns about emigration and the decline in births. According to him, these indicators show not only an economic crisis, but also a deep demographic shock in the country.
Political demand: not only investigations, but a technocratic government
In conclusion, Berisha argued that the problem, in his view, cannot be addressed only by prosecutors and individual investigations. He called for a broader political response against what the opposition describes as state capture.
Along the same lines, the DP chairman repeated his demand for the creation of a technocratic government. According to him, referring to the conditions under which the last parliamentary elections were held and the findings of international reports, this remains a condition for free and fair elections.
Berisha used the meeting with Tarquinio as another platform to internationalize the accusations against the government and to reiterate the thesis that the crisis in the country is not simply a matter of public order, but also a matter of how the state functions.
So far, based on the information made public, there has been no reported reaction from the government side regarding the claims raised at this meeting.