Targeting judge Pellumbi: Berisha’s tactic to intimidate justice

The debate over why Sali Berisha scrutinizes the personal lives of judges and prosecutors who rule against him has little to do with their character or qualifications. It doesn’t matter whether they are professional, ethical, or possess moral integrity.

Berisha has a well-established tradition: facts become irrelevant when he launches his attacks on members of Albania’s justice system. His goal is not to inform the public about the individuals who have ruled against him. Instead, it’s a warning to those judges and prosecutors—showing them the personal consequences they might face if they dare to find him guilty. This fearmongering is the essence of his hysteria.

Take the case of Judge Engert Pellumbi, for example. Pellumbi reinstated the measure requiring Berisha to report to authorities twice a month while the corruption investigation against him continues. Berisha responded by alleging that the judge had an uncle who once served as a senior government official during one of the Socialist Party's administrations. The irony? This same judge had previously sentenced a Socialist minister, and that ruling went unquestioned.

Berisha’s obsession with people’s biographies is central to his strategy. He fixates on family connections, accusing individuals of being culpable for the actions of their relatives. To him, it seems crucial to expose what their family members have done or where they have worked.

On a personal note, I have experienced this firsthand. During Berisha’s tenure as Prime Minister, whenever I  criticized him or attempted to expose his family’s corruption, I discovered relatives I never even knew existed. Berisha’s revenge—firing individuals simply because they were distantly related to me—brought many of them to my doorstep, complaining about losing their jobs because of their connection to me.

Last month, for instance, Berisha pointed out that a cousin of Special Prosecutor Altin Dumani’s wife worked at Tirana City Hall. Based on this tenuous link, he accused Dumani of refusing to investigate Tirana Mayor Erion Veliaj. Now, Berisha claims that Judge Pellumbi’s uncle served as a deputy minister in Ilir Meta’s government in 2000—ironic, given that Meta has long been one of Berisha’s allies.

This fixation isn’t new. It stems from Berisha’s past as a Party Secretary during the communist regime, where one’s biography determined one’s career. It also reflects his outdated belief that power means bestowing privileges on one’s entire extended family.

During Berisha’s time as Prime Minister, corruption revolved around his children and their friends and cousins. Even corruption, it seemed, had to stay within the family. Career advancements and the benefits of power were dictated by family ties.

So, don’t bother analyzing whether the judges Berisha targets have good or bad professional records. That’s not the issue. They are attacked not for their competence but to intimidate anyone who might investigate or rule against him in the future. The message is clear: their entire extended family will be dragged into the public spotlight.

And these tactics work. Many rulings in Berisha’s favor are the result of the fear he instills, ensuring that his intimidation continues to shape the Albanian justice system.

The article initially appeared in Albanian titled: "Gjyqtari i Berishës po sulmohet që të bëhet 'shembull' për të tjerët"