Berisha escalates attacks on EU ambassador, blames “biased reporting” for positive progress report

Despite being publicly condemned just a day earlier for his remarks against the EU ambassador to Albania, Sali Berisha has doubled down with fresh accusations against Silvio Gonzato — this time going beyond criticism of the ambassador’s support for gender equality legislation and accusing him of misrepresenting Albania’s reality in Brussels.

Why is this important: Berisha claims that Ambassador Gonzato’s individual stance is distorting the reports sent to EU institutions, which he says fail to reflect the country’s deep corruption and criminality. He directly linked this to the European Commission’s latest progress report, which praised Albania’s “excellent” EU integration trajectory.

Context: Speaking during a meeting with Democratic Party branch leaders, Berisha argued that the glowing assessments from Brussels are the product of what he called the West’s “limitless support” for Prime Minister Edi Rama. He warned that in response, the opposition must shift toward mass resistance.

“We must prepare for a great protest,” Berisha said, presenting the fight against perceived international bias as central to the Democratic Party’s strategy.

At the same time, Berisha called for an internal review of the party’s defeat in the 11 May elections — not only blaming what he called an “electoral massacre” by the ruling Socialists, but urging Democrats to also reflect on their own failings. He emphasized the need to open the party to new voices as part of its renewal.