{"id":31937,"date":"2022-02-21T17:31:34","date_gmt":"2022-02-21T16:31:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/euronews.al\/en\/?p=31937"},"modified":"2022-02-21T17:40:30","modified_gmt":"2022-02-21T16:40:30","slug":"berisha-kim-withdraw-your-statements-youre-interfering-in-an-election","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/euronews.al\/en\/berisha-kim-withdraw-your-statements-youre-interfering-in-an-election\/","title":{"rendered":"Berisha-Kim: Withdraw your statements, you\u2019re interfering in an election"},"content":{"rendered":"

Berisha has called on US ambassador Yuri Kim to retract her statements about the candidates running for mayor in the upcoming by-elections on March 6.<\/p>\n

Earlier today the US embassy to Albania posted a statement made by ambassador Kim, which called on Berisha’s candidates to reconsider their race and refuse to be represented by someone who has been publically designated by the United States government.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Commission considers this an unacceptable, unallowable and partial interference into an electoral process, which in this specific instance is siding with the most corrupt government in all of Europe,\u201d \u2013 read the statement <\/a><\/strong>of the Commission of Refoundation.<\/p>\n

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Above all, this statement is in complete contradiction with Article 41 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and Optional Protocols, signed in 1961 in which Albania is also a party. Article 41 point 1 expresses: \u201cWithout prejudicing their privileges and immunity, it is the duty of every person who enjoys these privileges and immunity to respect the laws and regulations of the host state. They also have no right to interfere in the internal affairs of that State.” – continued their statement.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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13 days before citizens head to the ballots to vote on the new mayor of 6 municipalities<\/a><\/strong>, the US ambassador to Albania came out with a public message regarding the candidates that are being supported by citizens that have been declared non-grata.<\/p>\n

\u201cQuestions for candidates: If your main sponsor is someone designated by the US for significant corruption, what exactly are you promising voters? Who will own you if you win and what will you owe them? What should Albanians expect? What should the US expect?\u201d \u2013 wrote the US ambassador in a post<\/a> <\/strong>on social media.<\/p>\n

So far, the United States has publicly designated a total of 4 Albanian citizens, who are now non-grata including Sali Berisha, To Doshi, Vangjush Dako and Adriatik Llalla.<\/p>\n