Albania’s opposition leader under house arrest | tagesschau.de

Sali Berisha has shaped Albanian politics since the fall of the communist dictatorship in the early 1990s. Now he is under house arrest. The accusation: corruption. He is also controversial within his own party.

Supporters of Sali Berisha hold a vigil in front of their political leader’s home in Tirana. They shout: “Berisha, you hero, the whole people love you.” They are protesting against the house arrest of the opposition leader. And thus, in their eyes, for democracy itself.

“It is nice to see how citizens are sensitized to defend democracy and the rule of law; to defend the ideals of freedom; to support the opposition’s constitutional right to exist; and to protect the justice system in this country.” “In Albania there are still citizens who reject the establishment of an autocratic system, the establishment of a republic like under Putin in Russia or Lukashenko in Belarus.”

Daughter must speak for Berisha

Sali Berisha appears at the window. He can’t talk to his followers. Not very practical because his apartment is on the 13th floor. But nothing else: Berisha is initially only allowed to speak to his family and his lawyer. This was ordered by a special court responsible for corruption and organized crime. This means that an important part of the opposition has actually been silenced.

Meanwhile, Berisha’s daughter Argita acts as her father’s mouthpiece. She believes the country is in a fight for freedom. “No dictator can oppose your free souls. There are no handcuffs of the system that can imprison your freedom,” she says. “You are the missionaries of this fight that will spread from this alley to all the streets and alleys of Albania.”

Political fronts hardened

Politics in Albania essentially consists of two forces: the Democratic Party of Albania led by Sali Berisha and the Socialist Party led by Prime Minister Edi Rama. The two parties pursue similar foreign policy goals, such as Albania’s accession to the EU. But domestically they are almost hostile to each other.

The political culture is considered confrontational. While the Socialists are the successors to dictator Enver Hoxha’s Party of Labor, Berisha was the first freely elected president after the fall of the dictatorship. Now he accuses the socialists of waging a campaign of revenge against him.

The socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama, on the other hand, emphasizes the independence of the judiciary: “There will never come a day, anywhere, when some people will not try to circumvent the judiciary and break the law. That is why the day will never come when we “We don’t need the justice system. These two things run parallel.”

Berisha is also controversial within his own party

The Albanian justice system accuses Berisha of having privatized a state sports complex for the benefit of his son-in-law. He is also under house arrest. Berisha maintains his innocence and is not cooperating with authorities. However, the US State Department also put Berisha on a sanctions list in 2021 because of suspected corruption.

The 79-year-old has had a significant influence on the country’s politics on the Adriatic for decades. As president, opposition leader and finally as prime minister. However, it is not without controversy. The Democratic caucus in the House has split. Berisha is currently fighting in court over which part can legally call itself the Democratic Party.

Observers accuse him of being unwilling to reform and of not being able to let go of power even though his time is up. His supporters, on the other hand, see him as the last guarantor of freedom of expression under the socialist Edi Rama: “This situation must definitely end, and that begins today with this spontaneous meeting. And many more actions will follow in the next few days.”