Trump Allies Campaign in Albania to Support Right-Wing Leader Berisha
Former campaign advisors to President Donald Trump are actively involved in a new political campaign in Albania, aiming to influence the outcome of the upcoming parliamentary elections. The focus of their efforts is to support Sali Berisha, the leader of the right-wing Democratic Party, who is challenging the incumbent Prime Minister Edi Rama of the Socialist Party. The elections are scheduled for Sunday.
The team backing Berisha includes prominent figures from Trump’s past campaigns. Chris LaCivita, who served as a former Trump campaign manager, Paul Manafort, the campaign manager for Trump’s 2016 campaign, and Tony Fabrizio, a strategist and pollster, are all reportedly working to support Berisha’s campaign.
LaCivita has drawn parallels between Trump and Berisha, claiming that both have been unjustly prosecuted and persecuted by governments that disregard democratic principles. He has also publicly criticized the involvement of the Soros family in Albanian politics, alleging their activities are destabilizing.
During an interview with Syri TV, LaCivita stated that the Soros family thrives in environments where governments are insecure and that they have found a suitable environment in Albania, with Prime Minister Edi Rama. He suggested that the Soros family’s involvement has a negative impact on Albania’s future.
Prime Minister Rama is seeking a fourth consecutive term in office, campaigning on the promise of leading Albania into the European Union. However, Albania continues to struggle with significant issues of corruption.
LaCivita emphasized that Berisha’s campaign is centered on the Albanian people and their aspirations for a better future. He stated that Albanians want to be able to work, live, raise families, and have opportunities. He also asserted that any individuals or organizations that create obstacles to these aspirations are enemies that must be defeated.
George and Alex Soros’ Open Society Foundations have invested over $131 million in Albania over the past 18 years, with significant involvement in various sectors.
Berisha has faced challenges in his campaign, including sanctions imposed by the Biden administration in 2021 over allegations of corruption. These sanctions have restricted his ability to meet with Albanian Americans, who, for the first time, have the right to vote in their country of origin’s elections.
Berisha has also been stripped of his legal immunity and placed under house arrest until November 2024, awaiting trial on corruption charges. He claims that these charges are the result of political maneuvering orchestrated by Rama and Soros.
Former Albanian President Ilir Meta has also been arrested on corruption allegations in the lead-up to the elections.
Agim Nesho, a former Albanian Ambassador to the United States and the United Nations, stated that the elections are taking place under pressure from the ruling Socialist Party, which has been in power for over 12 years. Nesho accused the regime of jailing opposition leaders on fabricated charges, using state institutions as weapons, and suppressing dissent. He claimed that Albanians are being denied their basic democratic rights.
Nesho argued that the alleged repression is supported by elements of the Biden administration and global actors like Alex Soros, who are said to be undermining the opposition and preventing free and fair elections, mirroring what he called political persecution against former President Donald Trump in the United States.
Nesho expressed hope that the elections could mark a turning point, with a grassroots movement challenging state corruption and working to restore Albania’s path to freedom, development, and democratic self-determination. He called on the Trump administration to closely monitor the elections and send a clear message to Tirana that the United States is watching.
Nesho asserted that the United States must stand firmly on the side of democracy and the rule of law, ensuring that the Albanian people have free elections rather than a manipulated outcome enforced through fear and political imprisonment.
While Rama’s Socialist Party appears to be ahead in polling, Politico reported that the impact of Albanian citizens living abroad being allowed to vote for the first time and the unreliability of polling data could still provide an opportunity for Berisha to win and return to office as prime minister.
The involvement of former Trump campaign advisors in the Albanian elections highlights the increasing international dimension of political campaigns and the potential for foreign actors to influence domestic elections. The allegations of corruption, political persecution, and manipulation of state institutions paint a concerning picture of the state of democracy in Albania. The upcoming elections will be crucial in determining the country’s future trajectory and its relationship with the international community. The outcome will likely have implications for Albania’s efforts to join the European Union and its overall stability in the Balkan region.
