The unanswered questions that cornered Berisha

Sali Berisha failed to answer at least three critical questions as he exited the offices of SPAK (Albania’s Special Structure against Corruption and Organized Crime).

The first question is straightforward: Why is he now complying with the court’s ruling to report to authorities when, just last year, he refused a similar order, which led to his house arrest? Instead of offering a clear explanation, Berisha deflected with vague and nonsensical statements, such as, “I told them that I defended the constitution.” This is not a justification. In reality, the Constitutional Court upheld SPAK’s original decision, which required Berisha to report to authorities twice a month. This same measure was reinstated a year later by the Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime.

Admitting his failure, however, would undermine the sacrifices of the 20 or so loyal supporters who gathered under his apartment window daily, demanding his release from house arrest. To avoid admitting he had them chasing their tails for a year, Berisha resorted to obfuscation.

The second question that left Berisha struggling for words concerned the Democratic Party primaries. He had framed the primaries as his central battle against Lulzim Basha and a promise to restore democracy within the party. Yet, in just six months, Berisha has made three contradictory statements about whether the primaries will actually take place.

When he needed to pressure MPs desperate for secure spots on the candidate lists for the upcoming elections, Berisha insisted that primaries would decide the candidates. But now, with their loyalty assured, he has abandoned the pretense of primaries, having already decided to reserve the safest positions for these same MPs.

The reality is that Berisha needs their support to protect himself in his ongoing battles with the justice system. Standing outside SPAK’s offices was not the place to remind them of their precarious standing or to acknowledge that he might sacrifice them to appease Democratic Party followers.

The third—and most painful—question for Berisha revolved around the small turnout of supporters outside SPAK. Most of those present were reportedly employed within the Democratic Party’s administration. Berisha’s call for a rally in front of SPAK, backed by official instructions sent to party branches, had raised expectations of a larger crowd. Yet, the turnout was no better than during his house arrest, with the same 20-30 people in attendance.

The reason for this is clear: even the Democratic Party’s base seems to believe SPAK’s accusations against Berisha—just like most Albanians do. This abandonment has left Berisha without an answer. Albanian Democrats, exhausted by their inability to break free from his grip, appear to have left the matter in the hands of God and SPAK.

The article initially appeared in Albanian titled: "Pyetjeve që Berisha nuk iu përgjigjet dot para SPAK"