How Berisha's 'non-grata' status could spell disaster for the Democratic Party

The U.S. and Great Britain’s decision to designate Sali Berisha and his family as “non-grata” was based on decades of information on Berisha, with records stretching from 1991 to 2021, when the sanctions were imposed. The aim of these designations was to sever the Democratic Party's ties with Berisha and to push him out of Albanian politics.

Sali Berisha understood this objective immediately, which is why, after the designation, he essentially took the Democratic Party hostage. This is of little concern to Washington or London; they have the luxury of waiting for time to resolve the issue. The Democratic Party, however, has trapped itself by allowing Berisha to control it, placing its future in the hands of a politician with no realistic path to electoral victory. Even the party’s doorman has a better chance of leading the DP to success than Berisha.

Now, the DP is setting another trap for itself. For three days, Albanian Democrats have been claiming that the U.S. will lift the sanctions against Berisha. They have less hope for Britain, as Berisha recently lost a case there attempting to reverse his non-grata status.

In reality, Berisha has also lost his case with the U.S. He announced plans to sue U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a French court, but the court declined even to review his complaint. The U.S. sanctions list includes 230 individuals worldwide, and none have successfully appealed.

Berisha seems to be stalling, hoping to feed his supporters with illusions until the next election. Until January, he may tell them, “Nothing can be done until Donald Trump is back in office.” By May, he’ll say, “Trump is prioritizing the reversal of my sanctions.” Then, when the Albanian elections come and Berisha loses, he will once again claim the votes were stolen.

The bigger question is what will happen to the DP members who insist Berisha’s status will be reversed when, in reality, it won’t. Instead of planning a return to power, their main promise now seems to be the hope that Berisha’s non-grata status will change. This means Edi Rama’s fourth term will continue uncontested, and by the time he seeks a fifth, Berisha may still be non-grata—or even in jail, facing charges of corruption and his role in the January 21, 2011 protest deaths.

The DP is setting itself up for a bleak future, not only dimming any hope of reclaiming power but also leading its supporters into a tunnel with no light at the end. Rather than addressing their political challenges truthfully, they are clinging to the false hope of Berisha’s redemption.

Their current leader is under house arrest, and the chances of him being free again are slim. Nothing can change this reality. Berisha is not a U.S. president who can override sanctions; his leadership of the Democratic Party might decorate his prison cell, but it won’t set him free.

The article initially appeared in Albanian titled: "Përse PD po i ngre kurth vetes me 'non grata'-n e Berishës"