Former Democratic MP Ervin Salianji has further expressed criticism of the current leadership of the Democratic Party, accusing Sali Berisha of closing the race and distorting processes within the party.
During a meeting with supporters in Peshkopi, Salianji declared that his candidacy was blocked without any formal decision, as according to him, Berisha was afraid of losing.
"We are facing a leadership that is closing the race. Instead of opening, we have closure. You saw that my candidacy was blocked without any formal decision," he said.
Salianji stated that he was not even given the "minimal right" to compete, as according to him, an open process would bring new energy and turn the DP into a winning force.
"They were not even given the minimum right to compete, because Berisha knows that in an election he would have won, that the energy would have been different and that the DP would have emerged victorious," declared the former Democratic MP.
He described this situation not only as a personal injustice, but as a deformation of the Democratic Party in favor of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
"This is not only an injustice towards an individual, but a distortion of the process to serve Edi Rama," said Salianji.
He further criticized Berisha for not resigning after the electoral losses, considering this a lack of political responsibility.
"His failure to resign after the defeat shows a lack of responsibility and disregard for the rules of the DP," he said.
Salianji also used a direct challenge to the leader of the Democrats.
"When Berisha can't beat me despite having everything, how will he beat Edi Rama?" he declared.
According to Salijanj, the exclusion of opposing voices and the control of the party for personal interests are leading the Democratic Party towards contraction.
"They are shrinking the DP for personal interests. With this path, they will extinguish the DP, but we will not allow it," he said.
Salianji demanded the opening of the party, allowing factions and respecting different opinions.
"Let's open the party, allow competition and factions, respect different opinions and build real representation. Albania does not deserve to be in transition yet. This will end when the dinosaurs holding the DP hostage change," concluded Salianji.
Ervin Salianji: The leadership closed the competition, controls the processes and protects its own personal interests. Instead of openness, we have closure, instead of competition, exclusion is attempted, instead of rules, arbitrariness.
Despite a 5-month campaign across the country and the broad support we have from the membership, you saw
that my candidacy was blocked without any formal decision, was not even given the minimal right to compete because Sali Berisha knows as all of Albania knows that with elections I would win, that the energy throughout Albania would be different, that the DP would become the winner. This is not only an injustice done to an individual, but the deformation of the process to serve Edi Rama.
He is an obstacle to change. The open violation of the statute and the promises he made here in Dibër, about not resigning after the defeat, clearly shows a lack of responsibility and rejection of the basic rules on which a political party functions. Many will rightly say what I am saying here, when Sali Berisha cannot defeat me with the list, financial resources, media, regime, how will you defeat Edi Rama, sir?! Because if these are not enough, he excludes all opponents, all different voices. They want to extinguish the DP, but we will not allow it.
