Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha has marked the 17th anniversary of Albania’s NATO membership, describing it as “the greatest miracle of freedom” after the country’s independence.
In a public reaction on social media, Berisha praised NATO’s role in defending Western civilization and highlighted the contribution of former U.S. President George W. Bush in supporting Albania’s accession.
He also accused the current government of moving the country away from democratic standards and called on pro-Atlantic forces to react, urging them to restore the values of freedom and democracy.
Berisha’s full statement
“After the country’s independence, NATO membership is the greatest miracle of freedom in the entire history of Albania and the Albanian nation. On April 1, 2009, the North Atlantic Alliance decided to accept Albania—formerly a communist country for 46 years with strongly hostile propaganda toward it—as a full member.
We must also stress that the very founding of NATO after World War II, as an alliance between former adversaries, is one of the greatest achievements of Western civilization in the 20th century. NATO proved to be the strongest shield of freedom against the spread of communism and a key guarantor of peace, development, and prosperity for its member states.
NATO was also one of the major factors behind the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the communist system. After that, debates arose about NATO’s future, but two great statesmen played a decisive role: Chancellor Helmut Kohl, who worked for the peaceful reunification of Germany within NATO and the EU, and U.S. President George H. W. Bush, who welcomed German reunification as a victory of freedom.
In 1990, Albania was the last domino of the communist system where the dictatorship fell. The Democratic Party was the first anti-communist force to declare NATO membership as a key objective. While many former communist countries initially supported neutrality, NATO opened its doors through the Partnership for Peace initiative led by President Bill Clinton and the United States.
Albania was among the first to sign this partnership in 1994 and to apply for full membership. Despite opposition and anti-NATO resolutions in parliament by the Socialist Party, Albania continued with deep reforms in politics, the economy, the military, and security.
With the Democratic Party’s return to power, NATO membership and EU integration became key priorities. The success of reforms, the fight against organized crime and corruption, and progress in security and defense demonstrated Albania’s commitment to NATO allies.
A special role in this process was played by U.S. President George W. Bush, who during his visit on June 10, 2007 declared: ‘Albania in NATO.’
On this occasion, I express my deepest gratitude to all Albanian and foreign officials, especially President George W. Bush, who contributed to this miracle of freedom—the realization of Albania’s dream of joining NATO. I also extend gratitude to NATO and its member states for their decisive role in the liberation of Kosovo.
Dear friends, NATO is the most powerful political and military alliance of our time. It is an alliance of free and democratic nations. Albania marks this 17th anniversary as a country that, under Edi Rama, no longer meets key democratic standards. It has become, according to Berisha, a narco-state, lacking free elections, preventing political rotation, imprisoning the opposition, and serving as a hub for international criminal organizations.
All this is a strong call for pro-Atlantic forces in Albania to rise in a continuous peaceful movement to restore democratic values of freedom that are at the foundation of NATO.
God bless NATO and its member states! God bless Albania,” Berisha wrote.
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