The Albanian Parliament has approved an opposition Democratic Party’s request not to include Sali Berisha in its parliamentary groups.
Berisha, who was one of the founders of the PD in 1990 and its undisputed leader until 2013, as well as Albania’s former prime minister and president, was excluded by the parliamentary group of the main opposition party earlier this month.
The current PD leader, Lulzim Basha said his decision came after pressure from the United States, whose Secretary of State Anthony Blinken banned Berisha and his family from entering the US over allegations of corruption.
Basha then excluded Berisha’s name from the list of deputies submitted to parliament, despite the latter’s refusal to withdraw from the parliamentary group. On Thursday, the parliament approved Basha’s list, thus formally leaving Berisha out of opposition parliamentary groups.
Berisha has announced a national tour to rally PD supporters against Basha.
