The current socialist ruling party rigged elections by using drug cartels, state jobs, a patronage system, and the former communist secret service to intimidate voters, reports the conservative opposition to the international community.
Yesterday, May 27, The USA embassy posted a short message on congratulating the Albanian people on May 11th elections. There was no mentioning of results or congratulating any winning party. It is just an acknowledgement that elections happened. This is not what Albanians were hoping for, after stolen elections. However this is different from the Biden administration messaging, which always acted on behest of George Soros to actively dismantle conservative opposition in Albania.
The May 11th elections were a shame, as the current government rules as one- party state, controlling all institutions and using drug cartels to stay in power for an unprecedented fourth term. It has been almost two weeks since the May 11 election, and the Albanian social media networks have been exploding with videos, posts, and comments on how the ruling socialist government rigged this election. The government-controlled media, especially mainstream media, are desperately trying to divert attention and continue to intimidate, ridicule, and silence the conservative opposition in the post-election processes. Planned international sporting events (Giro d’Italia) during the election day, and the May 16th EU Council Summit, held in Albania, are being used to divert attention from the stolen elections and censor the conservative opposition.
The election results in 2025 resemble the results of 1991. Albanian election results in 1991 were won by the Labor Party (former communist – now socialist). At that time, after 45 years under the most aggressive communist regime in Europe, the first “free” elections, the people did not believe free elections were possible, and they were intimidated and forced to vote during communism.
Sources from the conservative opposition state, “In desperate bid to secure a fourth consecutive term, the current government weaponized the justice system against the opposition. The leaders of the three largest opposition parties were placed under house arrest, pretrial detention, or ongoing criminal proceedings without any substantiated penal offenses. Members of Parliament and opposition mayors were imprisoned or intimidated in blatant violation of fundamental political rights and democratic norms.”
Resembling the communist past, various voting boxes result in the current socialist government winning districts with 97% of the votes. The Conservative Opposition had a massive protest for Friday, May 16, the same day as the EU summit. After the opposition published evidence on election fraud with diaspora votes counting higher than the number of actual registered voters, the election officials claimed a foreign cyber-attack on their platform. In addition, the authorities waited until after the election for drug-related arrests, despite the opposition’s calls to do so before elections, which has raised serious concerns.
The USA Embassy in Tirana simply acknowledging these elections, without mentioning fraud or results is not enough. Albania is not a democracy, and these elections proved it again. The May 11th elections were not free. The previous US administration, particularly the State Department, worked closely with Soros’s machine and socialist government to dismantle the conservative opposition in Albania and turn the country into one-party rule. And the EU is always too late, weak, and ineffective to act.
The EU might also be unwilling to act. The Russian aggression in Ukraine has further complicated the EU and placed the EU in a survival mode, as it has amplified previous and ongoing internal national and political conflicts within the EU. Also, it is not the first time the EU countries have chosen mere superficial stability over true democracy. In efforts to attract European support and divert attention from the corrupt government, current socialist prime minister Rama has offered to turn Albania into a refugee camp for asylum seekers, such as the recent agreement with Italy, and is in talks to do the same with other countries. However, ironically, this happens when thousands of Albanians have fled the country to escape the current government’s oppressive regime.
Albanians have lost hope in true democracy. Sources from the democratic Party of Albania told this author, and as they have declared on the media, that the current government launched an unprecedented election terror.
The use of criminal influence
Sources from the democratic party state, “The electoral process also constituted a systematic violation of the Albanian Electoral Code and the Copenhagen Criteria. These actions together constitute an unprecedented assault on democracy, where the boundaries between state, party, and organized crime have been fully dismantled. The May 11 elections represent the culmination of a long process of state capture by criminal groups and organizations.”
The use of state funds to buy votes
Through 1) pension bonuses for electoral purposes, 2) Cannabis Licensing for Electoral Favors on tens of thousands of hectares nationwide, exchanging criminal enrichment for political loyalty, 3) mass employment for votes leading up to the elections, in clear exchange for political support; 4) Pre-Election Amnesty Worth €200 Million, just 48 hours before election day, Rama announced a full amnesty on all fines and interest payments from 2015 to 2024, totaling over €200 million—an abuse of executive power for electoral gain. 5) Propagandistic Mega-Event Funding: The government paid €7 million to a private company to host the Giro D’Italia cycling event in Albania, scheduled on May 10 and 11—the exact dates of the elections—an effort orchestrated for electoral spectacle and distraction impeding opposition parties’ ability to conduct electoral activities and violating citizens’ freedom of movement. 6) Massive Misuse of Public Procurement: During the campaign, the government allocated half a billion euros in procurement contracts, PPP, and concessions, many of which were unlawful or non-transparent, clearly designed to influence voter behavior.
Intimidation Campaign
The Socialist Party’s “patronage” system, a reminiscence of old communist times, was reinstated and expanded at every polling station, where citizens were monitored, controlled, and pressured based on political affiliation. High-level officials and civil servants were part of this scheme by misusing personal data and pressuring every voter they controlled to give their family votes in exchange for public services. Each Public servant had the obligation to ensure twenty votes in the country and diaspora and present the contact numbers of those voters, as well as the picture of the vote on the day of the election.
Mobilization of the Former Communist Secret Police
The democratic party sources state that for the first time, two deputy heads of the State Intelligence Service mobilized retired agents from the former Sigurimi (the Communist-era secret police), using fear and coercion reminiscent of Albania’s totalitarian past to influence the election outcome.
Media Control and Censorship
The government’s control over all national media outlets led to a lack of independent reporting, depriving citizens of balanced information and hindering informed electoral choices. Clear and open censorship is Rama’s decision to ban TikTok shortly before the elections curtailed alternative avenues for political expression and information dissemination. In addition, there was obstruction of Opposition Activities: Despite numerous reports of electoral violations, law enforcement agencies failed to take substantive action, raising concerns about institutional complicity or negligence.
The 11 May 2025 parliamentary elections in Albania were marred by systemic violations that compromised the international principles of the election process. These elections are not legitimate, due to severe violations of the Electoral Code and international practices and standards for free and fair elections.
Sources from the Democratic Party stated to this author that the Democratic Party of Albania contests the election results and requests the following: 1) an international investigation into the elections. 2) a technical (caretaker) government to vote on the EU integration agenda and to organize free and fair elections. 3) media freedom: Promote media pluralism and protect freedom of expression to ensure citizens have access to diverse and unbiased information. And 4) an international Oversight: Encourage continued engagement from international organizations to monitor and support democratic processes in Albania.
Albanian people have lost hope that true democracy is possible. Legitimizing the fraudulent elections of May 11, 2025, marks the end of freedom and democracy in Albania again.
