Berisha Accuses Rama: 2014 Territorial Reform Caused Mass Depopulation, He Should Be Tried for Genocide Against Albanians

Democratic Party Chairman Sali Berisha accused Prime Minister Edi Rama of responsibility for the consequences of the 2014 territorial reform during a discussion with citizens on social media. According to him, the reduction from 410 municipalities and communes to just 61 local government units was carried out not only for electoral interests, but also to achieve what he called the “soft expulsion” of Albanians by cutting off investment and services in rural areas.

Berisha said that removing communes from the organization of local government left rural Albania, where around 49% of the population lived, without investment. He claimed that funding for infrastructure, sewage systems and water supply systems was halted, while support for farmers and agriculture was also withdrawn.

According to the Democratic Party leader, these measures were compounded by a lack of services and the halving of economic assistance. He described this approach as an anti-Albanian policy that has produced catastrophic demographic consequences for the Albanian nation, unprecedented since 1913, which he referred to as the year of the plague or the Black Death.

Citing Eurostat data, Berisha stated that from 2015 to 2024, over a period of 10 years, 1 million and 99 thousand Albanians left for the Schengen Area alone. He added that, if those who emigrated to the United States, Canada, Norway, the Middle East, Africa, Australia and other countries are also included, the number of those who left amounts to 47% of Albanians.

Berisha described this development as the gravest blow to the very existence of the Albanian nation and said the country is being mercilessly emptied of its inhabitants. According to him, this constitutes a “soft genocide,” created through calculated conditions that drove Albanians to leave Albania.

In conclusion, the Democratic Party chairman called on Albanians to contribute to Edi Rama’s removal as soon as possible and for the prime minister to be tried for genocide against Albanians.