The European People’s Party (EPP) has unanimously adopted a resolution proposed by the Democratic Party of Albania (PD), expressing deep concern over electoral manipulation, state capture, and the deterioration of democratic standards in Albania under the rule of Prime Minister Edi Rama — especially in the lead-up to the May 11, 2025 elections.

The resolution outlines several key concerns:

• Vote-buying through cash and cannabis-related revenues

• Misuse of public resources and tenders during the pre-election period

• Electoral employment practices and favoritism toward Socialist Party supporters

• The unlawful appointment of an interim mayor in Tirana following the arrest of Erion Veliaj

• Suppression of the opposition and restriction of media freedom

• Legal prosecution and pressure on opposition leaders and candidates

• Media access inequality and media ownership concentrated in favor of the government

• The pre-election TikTok ban as a threat to freedom of expression and digital rights

• Political capture of the judiciary and widespread impunity

• Politically controlled institutions lacking independence

• Unpunished electoral crimes fostering a culture of impunity

• Suspected ties between political actors and criminal networks, particularly within the police and justice systems

The resolution also calls on the EU, OSCE, and Council of Europe to:

• Demand an end to vote-buying and misuse of public funds

• Deploy additional observers to high-risk municipalities

• Publicly document and denounce electoral violations

• Apply conditionality mechanisms in the EU integration process if violations persist