Former MP Ervin Salianji has continued his criticism of the current leadership of the Democratic Party, stating that change in the opposition cannot come without a renewal of the leadership.
During a meeting with supporters, Salianji stated that the Democratic Party cannot expect new results with the same figures who, according to him, have produced consecutive losses.
"Change does not come without a renewal of the DP leadership. How can you expect new results from figures who have produced the same losses?", he declared.
Salianji also mocked the people who, according to him, stay close to party leaders for personal interests.
"For these typologies that are being licked around the leaders of the DP, Einstein had a label: fools who work only for personal interests," said the former MP.
He emphasized that change in the DP is no longer a matter of choice, but a political necessity.
"This is the moment of truth. Either we will continue on the path that has led us to defeat, or we will have the courage to change the DP once and for all," said Salianji.
Further, he criticized the statements of democratic leaders regarding the elections and Prime Minister Edi Rama.
"Today, from morning to night, the DP leadership is demotivating us by saying that there is no election with Edi Rama. This is surrender and we do not accept this. Rama can win with votes and we have the power for this," he declared.
Salianji added that the Democratic Party is created to win and that Democrats should focus on their political and moral strength.
"The DP has victory in its genes, but we do not have the power to choose who our opponent is. We have the power to choose ourselves, to choose whether we will be an alternative or an excuse," he said.
In the end, the former MP stated that the Democratic Party is facing an important choice for its future.
"The DP is facing an election also due to the usurpation of the current leadership. Will the DP be a party that stands behind a person who has usurped it for personal interest? History is clear, parties that have turned into personal parties will disappear," concluded Salianji.
Excerpt from Salianj's speech
Ervin Salianji: The DP is facing an election also because of the usurpation that the current leadership has made of it. It will be the party of blind loyalty to an individual who has usurped it for personal interest, or it will be a party that serves Albania through victory. Because these two do not match today. A party that loses the purpose of power, that sacrifices victory for a single individual is a party that is heading towards extinction.
History is clear, any party that has become a personal property has unfortunately disappeared. And if we do not change, this is the real danger that our party faces.
Let's say it unequivocally, Sali Berisha is the historical leader of the DP, his contributions to the DP are indisputable in the years of pluralism, but today he is my age, he has been in politics for 36 years, he is politically exhausted today, internationally isolated, unable to unite the opposition and his position at the head of the DP harms the opposition and helps Edi Rama by becoming the "lever" that keeps Edi Rama in power. Sali Berisha is a burden for the opposition and must open his arms to another generation.
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, I 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.
