Belind Kelliçi, a member of the Presidency of the Democratic Party, has commented on the possibility of the "non grata" status against former Prime Minister Sali Berisha being lifted, speaking on Alba Alishani's "Debat" show on A2 CNN. Kelliçi stressed that, politically, this status has declined and, according to him, as a legal mechanism it will be eliminated in the near future, following the changes that have occurred in the American administration.
He stressed that the new US partners in Donald Trump's administration are aware of the lobbying that has been done to isolate the Albanian opposition and the use of "non grata" as a political tool. "Non grata can and will be removed," said Kelliçi, relying on the positions of several US senators, who have called for the abolition of this mechanism, considering it a tool used to hit right-wing politicians in various countries, including Guatemala.
Kelliçi explained that in addition to the change of administration in Washington, the US has had the opportunity to be informed about the political situation in Albania, while emphasizing that several important political figures in the US, including a former congressman, have requested transparency regarding the State Department's decision to nominate Berisha, but have remained dissatisfied with the lack of information.
According to Këlliç, the situation is now more positive for Berisha, emphasizing that the Trump administration's stance is in favor of the former Albanian prime minister.
"Politically, non grata has fallen, but also as a legal mechanism, it will be removed because our partners who have returned to the American administration are familiar with all the lobbying that has been done to isolate the opposition in Albania. Non grata can and will be removed. Today, Rubio is in the State Department, who a year ago, together with 7 other senators, sent a letter to Biden condemning and demanding the abolition of non grata in Guatemala because it was considered a political tool for hitting right-wing politicians. We have gone from an American administration, which had non grata as a strong tool for its diplomacy, to another administration, where the Secretary of State has clearly stated that this political mechanism has often been used to hit opponents of the left in the world. Also, we have had the opportunity to inform all our partners and friends about the entire political situation in Albania. "The one who is today the Minister of Environment in the US, once a congressman from New York who has written 3 times to say DASH, 3 times officially to Blinken to get more detailed information about Berisha's wife and in all three times he was not made transparent about this decision-making. Today he is part of the Trump cabinet and his stance has been completely in favor of Berisha," Kelliçi said on the Debate show. (A2 Televizion)
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