Albanian Democrat MP dismisses CDU criticism of protest as misinformed

Albana Vokshi, a Democratic Party (DP) MP, has responded to the recent statements made by Gunther Krichbaum, a spokesperson for the CDU/CSU in Germany. Vokshi dismissed Krichbaum’s criticism of DP leader Sali Berisha, labeling it as misinformed and personal rather than an official stance from the CDU/CSU group.

Why is it importants: Vokshi’s rebuttal highlights growing tensions between the DP and its former European allies, particularly within the European People’s Party (EPP), which the DP belongs to. The response also underscores the Democratic Party’s attempts to manage internal and external criticism following violent protests led by Berisha amidst a dramatic international isolation.

Vokshi’s Response:

• Speaking on the Albanian TV program Open, Vokshi argued that Krichbaum’s statement was a personal opinion.
• She claimed that Krichbaum is misinformed about the situation in Albania, noting that this wasn’t the first time he had made personal comments. “It sounds more like a personal opinion than a reflection of the [CDU] group’s official stance,” she said, referencing a prior statement from Krichbaum on Albania’s Democratic Party leadership dispute.
• Vokshi also expressed concern over Krichbaum’s critique of Berisha, arguing that the German politician’s call for Berisha to distance himself from the protests was based on incorrect information about the events and Berisha’s role in them.

Context and Krichbaum’s Statement: Gunther Krichbaum, CDU/CSU spokesperson for European Affairs, released a statement from Berlin calling on Sali Berisha to distance himself from violent protests organized by the DP. Krichbaum asserted that Berisha should expel those responsible for the violence and questioned Berisha’s credibility as a leader.

• Krichbaum emphasized that violence was unacceptable for a country like Albania, which is striving for European Union membership.
• He also suggested that Berisha’s leadership had increasingly alienated the Democratic Party from European values, resulting in the CDU/CSU and the European People’s Party (EPP) distancing themselves from the DP.

Conclusion: Vokshi’s dismissal of Krichbaum’s statement as personal underscores the DP’s defensive stance against growing international criticism. The criticism by their former European ally, comes on top of Berisha being declared non-grata by the US and UK and further underscores the isolation of the Democrats.