LOBBYING IN THE USA/ Millions of euros paid to Albanian parties for decades

2025-04-28 12:16:00, Editorial CNA

The Democratic Party's expensive lobbying of around 6 million euros has caused a strong debate in the middle of the electoral campaign. Albanian political parties have been lobbying in the US for decades, and these lobbying processes have not been without scandals.

A day ago, the Democratic Party signed a contract with an American company, owned by people close to President Donald Trump. The purpose of the contract is to establish relationships with key actors in the US government and Congress to facilitate policy development, support for democracy promotion, anti-corruption initiatives, and government reforms in line with US-Albania relations.

$6 million is not the real value of the DP contract. So far, the contract value is $750,000. It is a long-term contract, which will operate with payment only for the months that there will be lobbying in the US on behalf of the DP.

DP lobbying contract with American company/ SPAK begins verification
April 27, 15:23

So, the total contract is 6 million euros, but it could end up being worth 750 thousand, 1.5 million, 4 or 6 million euros. It is an open lobbying contract that is paid based on the time and service that the DP receives for everything that the lobbying company does in the US in the interest of the opposition, or if it comes to power tomorrow.

Since the publication of the contract came in the middle of the electoral campaign, this issue was immediately used by the opposing side. From an electoral meeting in Vlora, Prime Minister Edi Rama declared that the contract aims to remove the "non grata" for Berisha. Raising questions about where the money was found, Rama said that the purpose is Berisha's personal interest. On the other hand, the DP declared that the contract is in accordance with the law, while SPAK immediately began verifications.

But as we emphasized above, this is not the only contract signed in the history of Albanian politics. Below we will bring you some of the cases.

RAMA'S LOBBYING

An Albanian-American from New Jersey, Bilal Shehu, stated in September 2012 that he received a wire transfer of $80,000 "from a foreign source" with full knowledge that this money was to be used to pay for participation in a fundraising event for the Obama campaign.

In October of that same year, Edi Rama was photographed with President Obama and it is precisely this photo that was promoted at the time as a good relationship with the head of the White House during the parliamentary elections in our country, which brought Rama to power. Rama denied the accusations regarding this lobbying, while the opposition continuously demanded that Rama be investigated for lobbying. Bilal Shehu, together with an American citizen for the use of foreign funds in American elections. The source of that money was not investigated in Albania.

This was not Edi Rama's only lobbying. In 2017 alone, the Socialist Party paid $240,000 to the lobbying firm Ballard Partners. The firm was known for its ties to US President Donald Trump and as one of the main fundraisers for Trump's presidential campaign in the state of Florida.

Basha's offshore payments and Rama's Bilal/ Some questions that bring the DP leader to his knees
December 2, 12:59

BASHA LOBBYING

Lulzim Basha was an integral part of the list of lobbying scandals. At the height of the 2017 election campaign, opposition leader Lulzim Basha traveled to the US and posed for a photo with US President Donald Trump. The photo allegedly contained a hefty fee of around $1 million.

Basha's lobbying payments were not made from DP accounts/ What will Mond Spaho audit?
September 26, 16:15

The scandal deepened because the money transfer was made by a company with Russian connections. Payments to the lobbying company for lobbyist Nick Muzin were made through two contracts signed in late March by the Democratic Party and a shell company registered in Scotland under the name “Biniatta Trade LP”. The case was dismissed and the source of the money was never found, but 7 versions were told.

ILIR META'S LOBBYING

The leader of the PL, Ilir Meta, who is in prison, is accused, among other things, of lobbying in the US. For the year 2016-2017, the LSI made undeclared payments in the amount of 369,785 USD to pay for services provided by the lobbying company GSIS LLC. The source of the funds that financed the LSI party's lobbying and consultancy contracts was not declared according to the law.

SMI lobbying in the US/ Meta signed contracts with 3 companies, paid over 463 thousand dollars
October 21, 19:17

Albanian politicians have spent millions of dollars lobbying the United States over the past decades. In almost all cases, from the contracts published by American authorities, there are strong suspicions of payments with dirty money.

Albanian politics has many problems with corruption and transparency, but the basic problem they bring is the way political parties are financed. During election campaigns, lobbying increases and with it the questions that the money that covers these costs comes from dubious sources./ CNA