The leader of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, attacked the government over the euro’s fall against the lek, presenting the strengthening of the domestic currency not as a sign of stability, but as an alarm for the economy. In a statement delivered in sharply political tones, he claimed that Albania is marking an extreme case in the relationship between the euro and the lek.
Political accusations over the exchange rate
Berisha said that, according to his interpretation of data he attributed to Eurostat, the Albanian lek emerges as the currency that has exerted the greatest devaluation against the euro among 40 currencies included in the analysis.
He called this a “black record” for the country, arguing that the strengthening of the lek at these levels does not automatically translate into economic health, but raises serious questions about the real sources influencing the foreign exchange market.
Claims of comparison with other countries
In his statement, Berisha drew comparisons with other countries, claiming that after Albania came Israel with a much lower devaluation of the euro, while also mentioning Switzerland, Serbia, Mexico, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Norway.
He used these comparisons to stress that the euro’s movement in Albania, according to the version presented by the opposition, falls outside the usual logic of the markets and cannot be read simply as a normal financial phenomenon.
“Narcotics,” the new political label for the lek
Continuing his accusations against the government, Berisha used an extreme political label for the Albanian currency, declaring that the lek has been transformed into “narcotics.”
With this wording, he sought to link the strengthening of the lek to a long-standing opposition narrative about the distortion of the economy by money of criminal origin, without presenting new evidence in this statement beyond the political accusation.
The clash also moved to parliament
In addition to the exchange rate, Berisha also commented on the Ethics Committee’s decision to suspend deputies Gazment Bardhi and Klevis Balliu for 60 days.
He directly accused Prime Minister Edi Rama of ordering a measure “without any legal basis,” while describing the decision as unlawful and unconstitutional. According to him, the PD parliamentary group will examine the position it will take on this issue.
Berisha’s statement further escalates the tone of the political conflict over the economy and institutions, in a debate in which the opposition reads the strengthening of the lek as a sign of distortion, while the figures and interpretations surrounding the exchange rate remain the subject of political confrontation.
In the absence of a detailed institutional clarification of the claims raised, the debate over the euro, the lek and the real impact on the Albanian economy is expected to remain open.