Former President Sali Berisha announced his intention to sue US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for defamation in an extraordinary conference held on the 20th of May. The move comes after Secretary of State Blinken publicly designated the former Prime-Minister and his immediate family as persona non-grata due to involvement in significant corruption.
Dr. Berisha is the historical leader of the first anti-communist Opposition in 1991. The former President and two-time Prime-Minister remains one of the most influential figures in modern Albanian Politics. His sudden designation as a persona-non-grata sent shockwaves throughout the world of Albanian politics.
After Blinken’s decision was made public, Dr. Berisha issued a statement contesting the validity of Blinken’s claims, wherein he stated:
“Not a single legal charge of abuse of public funds or any form of corruption has been made against me from any person or institution throughout the last thirty years. I would like to add that throughout my years in public service my family has never profited from any public assets and have observed the country’s laws rigorously. The successful war against corruption and organized crime undertaken during my tenure as Prime-Minister, as documented in several reports by US Agencies has been an essential factor that enabled Albania, under the rule of a government which I led, to become NATO member, sign the Stabilization-Association Agreement and remove the visa-regime with the Schengen Area”
In his statement, Dr. Berisha invited the U.S Secretary of State to make public any sort of documented evidence to support his claims in regard to him or his family. Furthermore, the former Prime-Minister stated that this was a regrettable decision but that it would not impact his admiration for the United States of America and his gratitude for the USA’s contributions to the development of Democracy in Albania.
In a press conference Dr. Berisha stated today that he intends to sue the US Secretary of State for defamation. He considers that the U.S Secretary of State has violated his dignity and the dignity of the Albanian People.
