Former Albanian premier Sali Berisha expressed his full solidarity to the residents of the 5 Maji area in Tirana which had their homes and livelihood arbitrarily demolished by the government and the municipality.

“The drama that is taking place in Tirana today with the residence, against which the government is acting like an occupying force, is based on thievery and fraud. The document that is offered to the residents is fraudulent, it offers neither agreement nor contract”, Berisha told media reporters.

“It is just a declaration act before the notary, in a time when a deed requires a signature and notarization. It requires the signature of the holder, Bro Garbage (Mayor Erion Veliaj), his deputy or of person that is authorized by proxy from the holders. I have in my bag that pseudo agreement that is served to the residents only to deceive them”.

“It intends only to deceive the residents. A construction land that is given to developers. Protests are taking place here, because the government’s dark hand of thievery is here. What must be given to the residents is appropriated in a high percentage by the government and the municipality, and the developers do not get the necessary profit”.

“Although they have added the floors from 7 to 35, this still does not allow the government to make deals with the residents, but deceives them by asking for a notarized self-declaration. So what is happening here is a genuine inhuman act, a flagrant violation of freedoms and rights, deception, and a mega-theft with 30-storey towers being built on their lands. In Albania like anywhere in the world there is a law on property possession. After a defined term, they are entitled all the holders’ rights”.

Berisha ended his statement to the media by appealing to all the Tirana citizens to show solidarity with the protesters, “because what’s happening to them now, will happen to all later, at every house”.