Opposition candidate against Berisha: He never wanted a united DP

2025-10-20 20:36:00, Politikë CNA

The opposition candidate for the Municipality of Vlora, Gjergj Nika, in an opinion piece on social networks, says that the local by-elections are exposing a truth that, according to him, democrats should accept without illusions, that the leader of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, has never wanted a strong, open and united Democratic Party, but a submissive Democratic Party, dependent on his will, an opposition that does not rise up to win, but to justify its losses.

According to Nika, Berisha continues to invest in a false, controlled and submissive opposition, with the sole purpose of holding the democrats hostage, maintaining personal influence and serving as a guarantee of Edi Rama's political stability.

He emphasizes that instead of supporting candidates with integrity, political and professional experience, and moral weight, Berisha is selecting ridiculous and grotesque figures, often coming from the left, without political biography, and even with dubious pasts.

According to him, in Vlora, where the DP once had a strong base and a real potential for resurgence, Berisha has decided to support an individual that even the Democrats themselves do not like, do not know, and will not support, because for him, the election races in recent years have been a farce.

Gjergj Nika's opinion

Berisha never wanted a strong, open and united DP, but a submissive DP and opposition.

The partial local elections are exposing a truth that democrats must accept without illusions: Sali Berisha has never wanted a strong, open and united DP. He has only wanted a submissive DP, dependent on his will, an opposition that does not rise to win, but to justify his losses. That is why he continues to invest in a false, controlled and submissive opposition, with the sole purpose of holding the democrats hostage, to maintain his personal influence and to serve as a guarantee of Edi Rama's political stability.

Instead of supporting candidates with integrity, political experience, professional credentials, and moral weight, Berisha is "selecting" ridiculous and grotesque figures, often coming from the left, without political backgrounds, and even with dubious pasts.

This is no coincidence!

In Vlora, where the DP once had a strong base and a real potential for resurgence, Berisha has decided to "support" an individual that even the Democrats themselves do not like, do not know, and will not support, because for him, the electoral races in recent years have been a farce.

A well-thought-out farce to avoid any loss and maintain absolute control over a weak and divided opposition.

This has been Berisha's political model for years: an opposition that does not fight for power, but for the survival of its leader; a DP that does not serve as an alternative, but as a hostage to old accounts, open files and underhand bargains. In every electoral race in recent years, Berisha has known how to lose with style, not from incompetence, but from strategy.

Because a strong opposition would put him out of the game, while a controlled opposition keeps him in the spotlight and guarantees the continuity of political bargaining.

The defeat of the DP serves only one man: Sali Berisha. He does not want power for the Democrats, but for himself. He does not want victory for Albania, but to preserve the political and economic immunity that his role as "historical leader" provides. Therefore, the by-elections are just another act in a long show where the opposition loses, the bargains win and Edi Rama's power is strengthened.

Even these elections, like those of May 11, are sold out. Never, ever, can the DP support a leftist candidate. A candidate who in 2021-2023 joined as a member of the PSD, was in the LSI of the PS, and in the end was also an advisor to the Prefect of Vlora. I clearly understand that these elections were sold with the aim of putting a weak candidate in, so that the difference would be large.

Democrats must understand that an opposition that supports candidates without dignity and identity, that serves a corrupt leader and not the cause of freedom, is not a true opposition. It is an instrument to sell elections on the table and keep a rotten system alive.

As long as the opposition is held hostage by Berisha, every vote for "opposition Berisha" is a vote for Rama in power!

Let's turn our backs on this old model, break away from Berisha's hostage-taking and build a new, sincere, united and European-visioned opposition. Only in this way can the DP return to being the force that Albanians once trusted to bring about change.

And, since the "historical leader" called me a Basha appointee and unrelated to the DP, I am answering him: I have been, am and will be a democrat! Unlike those whom the DP leadership supports by continuing the May 11 agreement!

Therefore, I invite all disengaged citizens, sincere oppositionists, true democrats, and disappointed leftists to join me in this effort to turn Vlora into a city that belongs to the citizens, not the political clientele./ CNA