Why Berisha's and Meta's campaign is deeply politically charged?

Considering how politically charged they are, Sali Berisha and Ilir Meta could have stepped back and give more room to their candidates for the upcoming local elections. This would be necessary especially in the bigger cities where they hope to have some chance for competition and whose candidates are invested more in creating their own political identity.

However, this opportunity not only was banned by Berisha and Meta, but they are consciously eclipsing any individual identity of their candidates. The two of them have decided to introduce their candidates together in every city, pushing more on the political aspect of the elections rather than what each candidate has to offer. Furthermore, their campaign is obviously much more costly and reflects neither their candidates’ financial modesty, nor the fact that their coalition does not receive any official funds.

Berisha’s and Meta’s campaign resembles more to a desire to show to Albanian citizens that they are not politically dead. In an attempt to improve the campaign of Berisha’s and Meta’s candidates, some of their smaller allies suggested that they should be able to articulate political opinions that might not be in the same wavelength as their leaders. Not only does that sound impossible now, but Berisha and Metaa are pushing their candidates even further in the shadows, stealing the spotlight for themselves.

In a way, they are right in the strategy that they have chosen. For Berisha and Meta, the upcoming local elections are one of their final means for political survival. They want to impose to Albanian citizens their political power, which is their only capital for survival in face of the potential investigations and trials that expect them once they step out of politics.

Sali Berisha and Ilir Meta do not care how many municipalities they will win or lose in the upcoming local elections. They simply want to have a percentage of votes that would keep them politically alive for a while longer. Naturally, no one intends to negotiate with them despite their votes, but nonetheless this remains their only goal. Therefore, do not expect for their candidates to have the luxury of showing their own political identities during the electoral campaign. At the end of the day, this campaign does not belong to them, but to their leaders, for whom this is a matter of life and death.

Sali Berisha and Ilir Meta are trying to force Albanian citizens to either accept them or they will not care who represents them in the local elections. This is their only concern that makes these local elections the most politically charged in Albania’s history. Hence, let us not worry ourselves too much with the electoral promises of Berisha’s and Meta’s candidates. The only real promises that they can make are intended for Berisha and Meta. They have sworn that they will do their best to save their reputation and secure enough votes for them not to feel completely abandoned. This is all that matters in their campaign.