Albanian opposition leader Sali Berisha said Tuesday he will not recognize the results of the country’s May 11 parliamentary elections, which he claims were rigged by Prime Minister Edi Rama’s ruling Socialist Party.
Berisha, who has challenged the outcome of every election his party has lost since 2013, announced a protest for May 16—the same day European leaders arrive in Tirana for the European Political Community (EPC) summit. He claims the rally is intended to “sensitize the global public opinion” about what he calls “monstrous electoral crimes.”
In a combative press conference, Berisha described the elections as dominated by “killers, traffickers, and vote buyers,” and accused the government of massive vote purchasing schemes using cannabis revenues and debt amnesties. He again referred to Rama as a “narko-dictator.”
The protest is planned to be peaceful and held at 5 p.m. on Zogu I Boulevard in central Tirana. Preliminary results show Berisha’s coalition won 52 seats, down from 59 in 2021.
