Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha has urged Albanians to unite as the country prepares for parliamentary elections on May 11. Speaking in Lezhë during a ceremony marking 34 years since the party’s creation, Berisha criticized Prime Minister Edi Rama’s government for its policies on emigration and pensions.
Berisha called the large number of Albanians leaving the country over the past decade a “national tragedy.” He said over one million Albanians had emigrated to EU countries between 2014 and 2023, a figure he claimed was more damaging than any war or occupation in the nation’s history.
The veteran politician also accused the government of failing to support the country’s elderly. He said pensioners had been given less than 1% of the state budget in 2025. “Edi Rama treats pensioners as if they don’t matter. They get less funding than what Germany spends on pets,” Berisha told supporters.
While acknowledging past mistakes made under his party’s leadership, Berisha said the Democratic Party had always sought to learn from them. “Unlike this government, we admit our errors and work to correct them,” he added.
Berisha called for unity among opposition supporters and other citizens seeking change. “The upcoming election is in your hands, but it will take hard work and solidarity,” he said.
Sali Berisha, a former president and prime minister of Albania, now leads the Democratic Party. The party is in opposition to Edi Rama’s Socialist government, which has been in power since 2013.
