Bardhi: European Commission report on Albania is the most negative in years; lists ten criticisms of the government

Democratic Party parliamentary group leader Gazment Bardhi has described the European Commission’s 2026 Progress Report on Albania as the most negative assessment of the country published in years.

In his response, Bardhi listed ten issues that he said were included in the Commission’s document. He accused Prime Minister Edi Rama of poor governance, corruption, state capture and undermining democratic principles.

“The European Commission lays bare Edi Rama’s poor governance. This is the bleakest report in all the years of assessment,” Bardhi said.

According to Bardhi, the report raises concerns about how Parliament functions and whether the opposition’s constitutional rights are respected. He also claimed that the parliamentary majority has failed to implement several Constitutional Court decisions.

Another issue he singled out was corruption, which he described as an ongoing challenge for Albania. In the case of Belinda Balluku, Bardhi said the principle of equality before the law had been violated in the handling of her immunity.

The Democratic Party lawmaker also criticized the politicization of independent constitutional and legal institutions. He said the governing majority had used appointments to these institutions to increase its political control over the state.

Bardhi specifically mentioned the election of the Ombudsperson solely with votes from the governing majority, saying it had broken with the tradition of cross-party consensus.

He also called for comprehensive electoral reform, which he described as urgent, particularly ahead of the 2027 local elections. On territorial and administrative reform, Bardhi said the trend toward recentralization had created uncertainty for local self-government units.

His list also includes legislative initiatives that, in Bardhi’s interpretation, are incompatible with EU law and European standards. Among them, he cited an approved amendment to the law on tourist ports.

Another point he raised was the need to improve the integrity and accountability of the State Police and the Police Oversight Agency.

Bardhi linked these concerns to protests that have been taking place for days and months in Albania, noting the participation of students and young people calling for the prime minister’s resignation.

“These are the reasons students, young people and Albanian citizens have been protesting for days and months. Edi Rama cannot solve these problems because he is their cause. That is why the voices of young people must be heard,” Bardhi said.

The Democratic Party parliamentary group leader called for the prime minister to leave office and for a caretaker government to be formed. He said that government should prepare free and fair elections and help meet the conditions for Albania’s membership in the European Union.

“Albania must move on from Edi Rama and needs a caretaker government to prepare it for free and fair elections and to meet the conditions for EU membership,” Bardhi concluded.

Full statement:

The European Commission’s 2026 report on Albania, according to Bardhi’s summary: 1. Describes a democratic dysfunction in Parliament and violations of the opposition’s constitutional rights. 2. Finds that corruption remains a real challenge for Albania. 3. Identifies a violation of the principle of equality before the law in the matter of Belinda Balluku’s immunity. 4. Notes that the parliamentary majority has failed to implement several Constitutional Court decisions. 5. Stresses the urgent need for comprehensive electoral reform, particularly ahead of the 2027 local elections. 6. Says that the ongoing territorial and administrative reform, together with the trend toward recentralization, has created uncertainty for local self-government units. 7. According to the summary, the governing party has captured the state by politicizing appointments to independent constitutional and legal institutions. 8. The Ombudsperson was elected solely with votes from the governing majority, abandoning the established tradition of cross-party consensus. 9. The government has pursued legislative initiatives that do not align with the EU acquis and European standards, including the approval of an amendment to the law on tourist ports. 10. Identifies the need to strengthen the integrity and accountability of the State Police and the Police Oversight Agency.

Bardhi said these issues are among the reasons students, young people and Albanian citizens have been protesting for days and months. He reiterated that Edi Rama cannot solve the problems because, in his view, Rama himself is their cause, and called for young people’s voices to be heard. He said Albania needs Edi Rama to leave office and a caretaker government to prepare free and fair elections and enable the country to meet the conditions for EU membership.