Berisha: In 34 years, the DP transformed the country, opened the doors of integration into the EC, NATO

From Gjirokastra on the 34th anniversary of the founding of the DP in the stone city, Democratic Leader Sali Berisha expressed hope that over the course of 3 decades, it was the DP that transformed the country, opened the doors of integration into the EC and NATO, and brought Albania into the group of upper middle-income countries.

During his speech to DP supporters in Gjirokastra, Berisha said that on this path of development, we managed to turn Albania, which was abandoned and empty, into an Albania in which the population from 2007 to 2014 grew year after year.

BERISHA'S WORD

Good afternoon and my warmest greetings to you, the democrats of Gjirokatra and this region.

Heartfelt greetings from the citizens of this region, of Gjirokastra and wherever they are today, the greatest respect for those young men and women who 34 years ago, with great courage, signed and under real terror, signed in Gjirokastra the establishment of the Democratic Party.

A special tribute to all those who led this branch for 34 years and did everything to ensure that the DP stands strong and powerful.

A gratitude to those present, the main leaders of the branch today, the deputy, other leaders, branch leaders, who in a critical period for the DP, very critical, remained faithful to those values ​​and ideals on which this party was founded.

Dear friends!

The founding of the DP 34 years ago was a triumph of the noblest ideals of man, of his freedoms and rights, of free initiative, of national interest and patriotism, of the Western inclination or vocation of our nation.

A party was being created that faced a terrorist party, a party that was founded by Belgrade in Tirana, led by Belgrade in Tirana, a party that replaced the day of liberation from foreign invaders with days of occupation by internal invaders.

A party that constitutionally banned freedoms and human rights. It declared Albania the first atheist state in the world, in a primitive war against religious beliefs and believers. It hypercollectivized it.

Enver Hoxha in the history of world communism can only be equaled by Pol Pot. Of course, the Cambodian dictator had a higher number of victims than Albania.

But let's not forget that in 1991 at the European Democratic Union Summit in Paris, he would be labeled the Albanian Hitler after the war.

In 34 years, the DP, founded on the values ​​and ideals of freedom, did everything to guarantee and respect the freedoms and rights of the Albanian citizen.

It transformed Albania, opened the doors to its integration into the Council of Europe, NATO, and the European Union.

But friends, another achievement, perhaps among the most fundamental in our entire history, that is often forgotten and unwritten, is the fact that in 2008, we, from the historically lowest paid people in this region, became the best paid citizens of all the other nations in the region.

We moved from the group of low-income nations to the group of upper-middle-income nations, and this constitutes a 'quantum leap', this constitutes a historic achievement for us.

On this path of development, we managed to turn Albania, which was abandoned and prosperous, into an Albania in which the population grew year after year from 2007 to 2014.

This was evidence of a hope planted everywhere in this country.

Over 180 families of emigrants and migrants returned to Albania. You are witnesses, there were no closed schools, they were full of students and we rebuilt and built 1300 schools and educational facilities.

The universities here in Gjirokastra, but also where we opened them in Saranda, Peshkopi, Kukës, Berat, were full of young people.

Of course, Albanians did not have the salaries they deserved, but their salaries increased from year to year. And along with the increase in salaries and the hope for a better life, life improved.