Sali Berisha, on Sunday afternoon, stopped by a meeting with Elbasan farmers in the village of Gjergjan, as part of the campaign for the May 11 elections.
Berisha told farmers that Edi Rama destroyed them by opening the borders to Serbian products.
"I am very pleased to meet you noble people, working people. I also greet Mr. Alizoti, the political leader of the district. A heartfelt greeting to our ally, Mr. Edmond Haxhinasto. I greet all the deputies, candidates for deputies, present at this meeting of the Elbasan district, who are for us the true pride of the DP, with the deepest conviction that they will represent you with dedication, with great dignity in the future Albanian parliament and in the future government of the largest coalition that Albania has ever had until today, the coalition for a Greater Albania.
We come to this meeting with you because in 12 years, your farms, your products, your labor, have experienced great difficulties, significant losses, and serious setbacks.
Today, if we go to the stores of Elbasan, Tirana and everywhere, 80% of the products are produced in Shumadi, in Banat, they are produced outside Albania.
Today, the agriculture and livestock sector, which is a basic sector, in which about half a million Albanians are employed, is a sector not to say completely, but almost completely abandoned by this government. This sector gives the country 90% of the domestic product. This sector is financed with only 0.5% of the domestic product.
You are no less hardworking than the farmers of Macedonia, Kosovo, or Serbia, or Montenegro. No, you are very hardworking. And of course, you want your farms, your greenhouses, your stables, to move forward, to prosper, to become rich.
But, this is not happening. Because, with the policy that this government followed, it was a destructive policy. It opened the borders, the customs for the products of Serbia, Macedonia, whose farmers are subsidized from 5 to 8 times more than you.
So, if you receive a 100 euro subsidy, the farmer in Macedonia receives a 500 euro subsidy, the farmer in Kosovo receives a 400 euro subsidy, the farmer in Serbia receives a 700 or 800 euro subsidy.
This is the reality. This is the truth!
What happens?
It happens that you cannot compete in the markets, because the price is subsidized, and your children leave to build their dream, not in Elbasan, not in Albania, but to build it in Italy, Greece, and other countries.
I will send them a very heartfelt greeting and a very great respect.
They have become prominent individuals, prominent businessmen, and are ardent patriots wherever they are. One of them is Eduart Çekrezi, whom I had the good fortune to get to know very well recently. But also many, many others.
"They are voting for the first time this year and they will give their country historic support with their vote. Together with you, they will separate Albania from this great evil," said Sali Berisha. (A2 Televizion)
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MUND TE LEXONI GJITHASHTU
