Unlike MP Besart Xhaferraj, who sought elections in 2026 for the chairman of the Democratic Party, Agron Gjekmarkaj has decided to come out in defense of Berisha, showing more than coherence, "loyalty" in these difficult days. Invited tonight on "Kjo Javë" with moderator Nisida Tufa.
Gjekmarkaj spoke about the OSCE/ODIHR report on the May 11 elections and the future of the opposition and its leader Sali Berisha.
Regarding the latter, Gjekmarkaj says he won the battle to prove to Albanians that we are dealing with an electoral farce.
"No one has fought as relentlessly as Berisha for free and fair elections. He has entered into unequal conditions, house arrest, separation from the electorate and the party. And like no one else, he believed in the concept of electoral farce, arguing it every day, with endless videos. Whoever had eyes to see and ears to hear understood that there is a farce in Albania. And today you have the report that dismisses the elections as stolen and manipulated."
Meanwhile, Gjekmarkaj adds that Berisha is the DP's asset, but the public debate should not shy away from topics that have more weight, such as the future of governance, rather than dealing with the opposition and its leader.
"You see, when we are asked questions about what the DP will do, we avoid the big topics of the government in this country. If we have the opportunity, we will hold elections tomorrow. We do not wait for the time when the legislature expires. In the time ahead, we have greater challenges than we can imagine for the future. We must fight every day to provide an alternative for Albanians. Berisha is an indispensable asset to the history of the DP.
It divides votes in democracy. I am concerned about whether we will have a parliament on Monday, we have been talking about problems not just about elections for everyday life for two months. They do not want opposition control over the government. In any case, they find a trick to pressure the opposition. It is not us who, being educated with the recipes of Balla or Pelesh, can tell us today that you are not serious and close the parliament. They want a pretext. This is my concern, the closure of institutions.”
Further asked if he would run against Berisha next year for the leadership of the DP, Gjekmarkaj denies having such an ambition.
"I have never had leadership ambitions in my life. Even though I am in these positions. It was circumstances that called me to the stage and it is circumstances that can remove me from the stage."
