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Corruption Trial Begins Against Former Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha
Sali Berisha is facing allegations that he had abused his position to help his son-in-law privatize public land to build 17 apartment buildings in Tirana.
Albania’s Special Court for Corruption and Organized Crime opened the trial of former Prime Minister Sali Berisha on July 21.
Berisha, 80, who currently leads the opposition Democratic Party, is on trial alongside his son-in-law and three others.
Prosecutors formally charged Berisha in September 2024 after a nearly year-long investigation into allegations that the former prime minister abused his position to help his son-in-law, Jamarber Malltezi, privatize public land to build 17 apartment blocks in Tirana, Albania’s capital.
Berisha denies the charges. He reported to the prosecutor’s office on July 21, as required every two weeks, but did not appear in court, saying his legal team would represent him.
“My presence or not is set from my lawyers and naturally in line with the laws,” he told reporters. “That is a session where my lawyers will present their claims.”
Berisha served as president from 1992 to 1997, then as prime minister from 2005 to 2013, before being reelected as a lawmaker in the 2024 parliamentary elections. According to his website, he was the first noncommunist head of state in Albania in 53 years.
In May 2021, then-U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken banned Berisha, his wife Liri Berisha, son Shkelzen Berisha, and daughter Argita Berisha Malltezi from the United States because of his alleged involvement in corruption.
“This designation reaffirms the U.S. commitment to supporting political reforms key to Albania’s democratic institutions. The United States continues to stand with the people of Albania,” Blinken said at the time. “The Department will continue to use authorities like this to promote accountability for corrupt actors in this region and globally.”
The UK Home Office also banned Berisha from entry in July 2022 “on the grounds of criminality and corruption.” Attempts by Berisha to have the decision reviewed were dismissed by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission in June 2024.
EU Accession
In May, Socialist Party leader Edi Rama won an unprecedented fourth term as prime minister, beating his rival Berisha.
Rama, who has been in power since 2013, campaigned on a pledge to bring Albania into the European Union by 2030. EU officials have said that the country needs to make progress in certain areas to complete the accession process, including fighting corruption.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama attends a press conference in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, on Oct. 15, 2024. Boglarka Bodnar/MTI via AP
According to the European Commission, Albania submitted its formal application for EU membership in 2009 and was awarded candidate status in 2014.
On July 9, the European Parliament praised Albania’s commitment to the EU but stressed to Tirana the “urgent need” to intensify reforms, with priorities including combating corruption and organized crime, as well as strengthening judicial independence and enhancing media pluralism.
In July, Austrian Member of European Parliament Andreas Schieder said: “To reach its goal of full EU membership by 2030, it is crucial to keep up the good work by broadening the economic model, creating jobs and improving the social welfare model, as well as implementing a comprehensive and inclusive electoral reform. Albania’s future lies within the EU.”
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Victoria Friedman is a UK-based journalist covering a wide range of international stories, with a particular interest in technology, eastern Europe, and defense.
