The member of the Presidency of the Democratic Party, Ervin Salianji, has addressed a letter to the President of the European People's Party (EPP), Mr. Manfred Weber, as well as to the leaders of the main European center-right parties, part of the EPP, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, expressing concern about the recent developments in the Democratic Party of Albania and, according to him, the violation of democratic standards in its functioning.
In the letter to European partners, Salianji raises concerns regarding the process for electing the chairman of the Democratic Party, citing a lack of competition, non-implementation of the party's statute, arbitrary exclusions of members and candidates, as well as a lack of transparency and respect for the basic principles of political pluralism.
He emphasizes that the issue goes beyond an individual candidacy and is related to the preservation of democratic standards, internal pluralism and institutional credibility of the largest opposition force in the country. According to Salianj, the Democratic Party, as part of the European political family, should reflect the values of internal democracy and not exclusionary practices or personal interests.
The letter also states that candidacies for the internal competition have been effectively obstructed, the office responsible for submitting documentation has not functioned within the deadlines, while supporters and candidates have been excluded without formal decisions and without statutory arguments. Salianji also claims that the article of the statute that provides for the resignation of the chairman after losing the parliamentary elections has not been respected.
In conclusion, he calls on the EPP and the leaders of the European right-wing parties for a principled and constructive commitment to encourage dialogue, respect for statutory norms and the preservation of democratic standards within the Democratic Party. Salianji also reiterates his commitment to European values, the rule of law, pluralism and Albania's European integration.
