Irregularities and disputes mark Democratic Party primaries

The Democratic Party (DP) held its primaries over the weekend to select candidates for the May 11 parliamentary elections. However, the process unfolded in chaos, with irregularities and, most notably, without a verified membership count, severely compromising the credibility of the results.

Why is this important: While DP primaries have always been marred by accusations of manipulation, this time it can ill afford the tensions and divisions. However, the most controversial element of the primaries was the triumph of notorious figures with problematic pasts in the justice system in the candidate selection process. Former judge Gjin Gjoni declared non grata by the U.S., and former prosecutor Arjan Ndoja, who failed the justice vetting process, both secured nominations, despite their notorious history. Their inclusion reinforces Berisha’s intent to weaken SPAK and reshape the judiciary.

Context: Among the most contentious selections were Gjin Gjoni, a former judge and member of the High Council of Justice, and Arjan Ndoja, a former prosecutor.

• Gjoni became a by-name for judicial corruption in his time. He was declared non grata by the U.S. in 2014 and eventually resigned to evade the vetting process. Despite this, he was the most-voted candidate in Lezhë by DP members.
• Ndoja failed the justice vetting process due to his inability to unjustify his wealth and his ties to organized crime figures. In 2019, his vehicle was targeted in a machine gun attack, killing his driver while he was traveling with a well-known mob boss.

Their presence on the DP candidate list is seen as a signal by Berisha that he is serious about his pledge to dismantle SPAK and aims to involve disgraced former judges and prosecutors to advance his plan.

What else: Only 108 candidates passed the first selection round. The remaining 72 candidates will be appointed by the PD leadership in a meeting on March 12, based on pre-established criteria.

Despite irregularities in several voting centers, DP leadership recognized the process. Berisha, in his remarks, praised the primaries as transparent and emphasized that, while the final candidate list will be decided by the party leadership, the primaries played an important role in shaping the selections.

Sali Berisha: “I guarantee you that this list is 100 times better than the one I could have created with my advisors.”

Berisha did not rule out the inclusion of additional candidates who did not participate in the primaries.

“Outside of this process, it is very difficult for someone who was not in the primaries to be included, but never say never.”

Jorida Tabaku, most voted woman: In the Tirana district, MP Jorida Tabaku emerged as the most-voted female candidate. One of the few moderate and respected DP figures, she currently chairs the European Affairs Committee in Parliament. However, rumor has it that Tabaku is not among Berisha’s preferred figures precisely because of her moderation and professionalism, as he always prioritizes loyalists in his closed-list selections, favoring candidates known as his “yes-men”.

What’s next: The final PD candidate list will be announced on March 12, but irregularities, credibility concerns, and the inclusion of controversial figures have already cast a shadow over the process. With Berisha openly favoring individuals removed from the justice system, the primaries further confirm his intent to dismantle SPAK and reshape the judiciary to serve his political agenda.