The chairman of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, has called for an international investigation into the “Albanian File,” voicing strong accusations against Prime Minister Edi Rama and casting doubt on the ability of Albanian institutions to handle the case independently.
Call for an investigation outside Albania
In a statement to the media, Berisha asked agencies from partner countries involved in the fight against drugs to intervene with investigations into the “Albanian File.” According to him, the case requires deeper scrutiny by international structures, while he openly expressed skepticism toward an investigation by SPAK.
He presented the file as a scandal of major proportions, claiming that its contents expose serious links between those in power and criminal interests. These remain political accusations articulated by the opposition and not findings proven by a completed investigative process.
Accusations over 523 projects approved in violation of the law
According to the version presented by Berisha, 523 projects were approved without complying with legal conditions related to property ownership, the environment, and urban planning. He claimed that these projects form the core of the file and that their approval raises serious questions about how the territory has been used.
At the center of the political attack was the claim that decision-making on these developments did not follow the normal filters of the rule of law. Berisha directly accused the prime minister of personally controlling the selection of projects and the distribution of favors, but without presenting in this statement any new evidence beyond claims already made public.
Claims of multi-billion-euro costs and studio selection
Berisha said that an average of 1.5 to 2 billion euros has been spent on the projects in question, linking that amount to what he described as a mechanism for favoring the studios involved. He claimed that the selection of the studio for each project was made by Rama himself.
Along the same lines, he also mentioned a Belgian studio, raising claims about subsequent benefits. This part of the statement also remains at the level of political accusation and requires independent verification by the responsible institutions or by any investigation that may be opened.
He also mentions the detention of a Dutch journalist
During the statement, Berisha also condemned the detention and escorting of a Dutch journalist, whom he said had been among the first to denounce this file. He linked the case to the climate that, according to him, is being created against those who touch on issues sensitive to the government.
Berisha’s statements further deepen the political clash over the “Albanian File,” a case that the opposition is using to raise serious accusations about the relationship between power, urban development, and suspicions of criminal money. So far, these claims were not accompanied in this appearance by any new documentation made public.
The request for the involvement of international agencies shifts the debate from usual political rhetoric toward a challenge for Albanian investigative institutions, which have been publicly called into question by the opposition.
Beyond the harsh political language, the core of the issue remains the same: if the claims about 523 projects, legal violations, and large financial costs have a real basis, then what is needed is a verifiable investigation and transparency, not only statements.