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The Democratic Party Parliamentary Group submitted a Note Verbale to the European Union Delegation in Tirana. The document contradicts the statements of Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, who a few days ago said that the May 11 elections in Albania were free and fair. The opposition considers this statement erroneous and dangerous for the citizens' perception of European institutions.
The note was presented by the head of the DP Parliamentary Group, Gazment Bardhi, who also informed the European Commission and the European Parliament. He argues that the Commissioner's position does not match the findings of the OSCE-ODIHR nor the observations of the MEPs who followed the electoral process. Bardhi quotes Kos' statement at the November 21, 2025 conference with Prime Minister Edi Rama and emphasizes that this assessment does not reflect the reality observed during the elections.
In the document, Bardhi also brings references from the OSCE-ODIHR final report and the AFET Committee meeting of June 4, 2025, where MEP Michael Gahler raised serious concerns about criminal structures that, according to him, influence the political process in Albania. Gahler spoke of criminal networks that maintain political power to continue money laundering and drug trafficking activities and warned that this influence constitutes a direct obstacle to the country's European integration.
The DP emphasizes that the OSCE-ODIHR observations do not support the conclusion that the elections were free and fair. The opposition explains that the integrity of the process requires equal conditions for contestants, the absence of criminal groups, and voting without pressure or illegal payments. Bardhi warns that uncoordinated statements with responsible institutions could damage public trust in European values.
The Note Verbale concludes with the request that future statements be in line with the findings of official observers. The DP claims that Commissioner Kos' personal interpretations risk creating an unfair perception of the electoral processes and negatively impacting the trust of Albanian citizens in EU institutions.
DP announcement:
The Chairman of the Parliamentary Group of the Democratic Party, Gazment Bardhi, on behalf of the opposition, has today submitted a Note Verbale to the Delegation of the European Union in Tirana, informing the European Commission and the European Parliament, regarding the statements of Commissioner Marta Kos regarding the May 11 elections.
Bardhi emphasizes that he is following the opposition's position regarding the statement made by the Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, during the press conference on 21 November 2025 in Tirana, held together with the Prime Minister, Mr. Edi Rama. Asked by the media, the Commissioner stated: "The elections were free and fair. It is always good when we receive suggestions for improvements, and this is a good thing for Albania and the European Union."
" We respectfully express our concern that this assessment does not reflect the reality observed during the electoral process. Such a statement appears inconsistent with the OSCE-ODIHR findings, does not take into account the positions expressed by the Members of the European Parliament who served as election observers in Albania, and risks affecting the trust of Albanian citizens in the institutions of the European Union ," writes Bardhi.
In the letter, Gazment Bardhi, in addition to quoting the OSCE-ODIHR Final Report, also reminds the European Union Delegation of the meeting of the European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) on June 4, 2025, where MEP Michael Gahler, Head of the Election Observation Mission in Albania, presented the report of the European Parliament's mission on the parliamentary elections of May 11, highlighting a serious alarm regarding "criminal structures embedded in Albania that have an interest in keeping political power unchanged in order to continue money laundering and drug trafficking activities". Among other things, MEP Gahler emphasized that the widespread influence of these networks not only distorts the electoral process, but also constitutes a fundamental obstacle to Albania's integration into the European Union, emphasizing that the European Union cannot turn a blind eye to such systematic criminal infiltration and its destructive impact on democracy.
According to the opposition's note-verbal, the observations presented by the OSCE-ODIHR do not support the conclusion that "the elections were free and fair". " Fairness requires equal conditions for all contestants, equal opportunities, lack of involvement of criminal groups and full respect for the Copenhagen criteria. Freedom requires that citizens vote without pressure, without illegal financial incentives and without intimidation of public administration employees or vulnerable groups ", writes Bardhi.
The Note Verbale of the DP parliamentary group concludes by emphasizing that: “ The opposition in Albania wishes to express its reservations regarding the Commissioner’s comments and respectfully requests that future statements be in line with the assessments of the competent institutions responsible for election observation. Otherwise, personal interpretations that are not based on the factual findings of these institutions may unintentionally contribute to the decline of public trust in the true European values that the European Union institutions aim to protect .”
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