Leader of Albania’s main opposition Democratic party resigns

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — The leader of Albania’s main opposition party has resigned from the post following divisive infighting. Lulzim Basha on Monday said he had decided to resign as chairman of the Democratic Party “in order to assist in the resurrection and the unity of the Democrats.” Basha’s firing of former party leader Sali Berisha from the parliamentary group in September sparked an internal party fight between them. Berisha created a group to try to remove Basha, accusing him of being a “hostage” of Prime Minister Edi Rama of the left-wing Socialist Party. In May, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken designated Berisha and his close family members as persona non grata “for corrupt acts that undermined democracy in Albania” during Berisha’s 2005-2013 tenure as prime minister.