The Democratic Party paints Trump’s triumph in the U.S. as the beginning of the end for justice reforms in Albania

Luciano Boci stands out as the only member of the Democratic Party to openly express what the party hopes to gain from Donald Trump's return to the U.S. presidency. He sees Trump’s victory as a potential opportunity to undo Albania’s recent justice reforms, which could lead to the cancellation of legal cases against DP leader Sali Berisha and his family, as well as the lifting of Berisha’s non-grata status in the U.S. Though Boci has no confirmation that this will happen, he argues that Trump, facing multiple legal cases himself, could close them now that he has won the election.

In essence, Albanian Democrats believe Trump’s presidency could roll back the justice reforms that the U.S. and EU pushed for in Albania.

Boci’s frankness comes shortly after Sali Berisha’s recent public attack on Altin Dumani, the Chief Prosecutor of SPAK (Albania’s Special Prosecution against Corruption and Organized Crime). Just days ago, Berisha launched a series of personal insults at Dumani, implying that Dumani’s influence would soon diminish.

The crude and inflammatory rhetoric used by the Albanian opposition raises concerns more about their own hopes for the future than about the state of SPAK or justice institutions. The first risk is that it heightens U.S. and EU vigilance over any attacks on SPAK, reinforcing its political and legal independence. This could set the opposition up for disappointment if, in the coming weeks, a high-ranking U.S. official reaffirms that supporting SPAK remains the U.S.'s top priority in Albania. Such a statement from the U.S. would be the first reality check for Berisha and the Albanian opposition, dampening their enthusiasm over Trump’s victory. They see themselves as winners in Trump’s mold, though their support is far weaker than even Kamala Harris’s vote count.

Another risk is that SPAK prosecutors could respond proactively by intensifying their investigations into Sali Berisha, using their legal authority to examine his threats against prosecutors and their families. From his apartment, where he remains under house arrest, Berisha has continued his daily political activity, openly defying the legal restrictions placed on him and pressuring the justice system. Essentially, he is exploiting the leniency of house arrest, to launch attacks on Albania’s judicial institutions.

Ultimately, the notion that Trump’s presidency will lead to a reversal of Albania’s justice reforms is insulting, even to Trump himself. The Albanian opposition’s rhetoric implies that Trump is little more than a pawn of Berisha, ready to act on his behalf. Meanwhile, by fostering these unrealistic expectations, Berisha’s supporters are unwittingly inviting a strong response from the U.S. and EU in defense of the justice reforms—pushing their own hopes toward another inevitable disappointment.

The article initially appeared in Albanian titled: "PD po përpiqet ta përkthejë fitoren e Trump-it si fund të drejtësisë së re nga SHBA"