Jamarbër Malltez's unfiltered story in 'Pasvon': Argita challenged me, Berisha surprised me!

Jamarbër Malltezi, member of the National Council and Presidency of the Democratic Party, has shared unknown details from his youth, his relationship with the leader of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, as well as his acquaintance with his daughter, Argita.

During an interview on Alfred Lela's "Pasvon" podcast, Malltezi began his story by recalling the first time he heard Berisha's name, while still a high school student, through a story his father had told him. According to him, Berisha was known since his studies for his extraordinary preparation and determination.

" My father told me that he was a student who challenged his professors and asked them to confront his knowledge. That's where I first heard the name Sali Berisha ," Malltezi said.

He later saw him up close during the student movement of December 1990, where Berisha, according to him, stood out for his energy and the way he communicated with the students.

An important part of the interview was also dedicated to getting to know Argita Berisha. Malltezi revealed that the two had been peers and later students in the same course at the Faculty of Natural Sciences.

" We were rebels for the time. We did not accept the communist framework and often made jokes against the regime ," he recalled.

According to Malltezi, the rapprochement between them grew stronger during the student movement and especially during the 1991 hunger strike. He said that he had initially decided to go on strike himself, while Argita had expressed doubts about whether he would stick to his decision.

" I told her I was going on strike and she told me I wasn't one of those who went on hunger strikes. I said, let's make a bet and I went in. Then she went in too," Malltezi confessed.

He also recalled the difficult moments of that strike, humorously recounting that on the first day they consumed all the biscuits they had brought with them and then were left with nothing.

"The good thing is that before I came in, I had bought some cookies with a friend of mine. We had about five cookies in total. The first day we ate them all, and then we had nothing! Zero," Malltezi recalls. 

Secrets about Berisha

Speaking about Sali Berisha, Malltezi said that the trait that has impressed him the most over the years is his self-discipline.

He brought as an example a family lunch, where Berisha, although he really liked the cherries served, stopped himself after a few berries due to the sugar content.

According to him, the former prime minister maintains the same discipline in his daily routine, avoiding using the elevator and always choosing the stairs, regardless of age or commitments.

"A friend had brought us some wonderful cherries. I went in, ate 30 berries. Berisha took five, then took a sixth. Because he liked them so much, he said 'Stop, I can't take more because they have sugar.' Restraining yourself when you have them in front of you shows an iron will. Or Arabian dates. He can take one date, and leave the other for tomorrow. This self-discipline extends to all the steps of his life. He never uses the elevator, in any office or institution he only takes the stairs, every day," Malltezi added.