Former Prime Minister Sali Berisha announced on Thursday in a press conference that his lawyer has filed a defamation lawsuit against the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Berisha stated that this will be the first time that he heads to a court, adding that he would have never thought to sue the secretary of state of a country that he highly values.
“Today, at 77-years old, will be the first time that I head to a court and I’d never imagined that I would sue the secretary of the United States, a country that I admire so much”, said the former premier.
In May, Secretary Blinken designated Sali Berisha, and his close family members, as persona non-grata over allegations of “serious corruption”.
Berisha called on Blinken to publish the evidence behind this decision, which he referred to as “politically motivated” while informing that his attorney has already filed the libel lawsuit.
In addition, Berisha explains that he is willing to go through this entire process solely to “reinstate his dignity” and “be transparent with the Albanian citizens”.
Regarding a recent meeting between US Ambassador Yuri Kim and the leader of the Democratic Party Lulzim Basha, Berisha explained that Basha had called on the ambassador to reveal what were the accusations.
Apart from Berisha, the US Department of State has also publicly designated former Prosecutor General Adriatik Llalla, former Durres mayor Vangjush Dako and former Socialist MP Tom Doshi.
‘No other parliamentary group other than the Democrats’
Former Prime Minister Sali Berisha emphasized that he will not renounce his parliamentary mandate.
Asked from Euronews Albania journalist Ardit Hoxha whether he will join the DP’s parliamentary group, despite the appeal of US Ambassador asking Democrats to distance themselves “for the interests of a single person”.
“There is no other parliamentary group other than the DP, I’ve said before that even if there’s only one left, I’ll stand by as the second. This my solemn oath to the Democrats”, insisted Berisha.
According the parliament protocol, MPs have 5 days to declare which parliamentary group they intend to join, and Berisha asserts that he will represent the Democrats as “per the will of those who elected him”.
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