Other political offices

Leader of the Democratic Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 May 2022
Preceded by	Lulzim Basha
In office July 1997 – June 2013
Preceded by	Tritan Shehu
Succeeded by	Lulzim Basha
In office 1990–1992
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Eduard Selami
Leader of the Opposition
Incumbent
Assumed office 22 May 2022
Preceded by	Lulzim Basha
In office 1997–2005
Preceded by	Fatos Nano
Succeeded by	Edi Rama
In office 1991–1992
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Fatos Nano

Member of the Albanian Parliament

Incumbent

Assumed office
10 September 2021

Constituency

Tirana County

In office
23 July 1997 – 20 February 2019

Constituency

Tirana County (2009-2019)
Kavaja (1997-2009)

In office
15 April 1991 – 9 April 1992

Constituency

Kavaja

Personal details

Born

Sali Ram Berisha

15 October 1944 (age 80)
Viçidol, Tropojë, Albania

Political party

Democratic

Other political
affiliations

Party of Labour (1968–1990)

Spouse

Liri Ramaj

(m. 1971)

Children

Education

University of Tirana (MD)

Occupation

Politician
Cardiologist

Signature

Sali Berisha ([saˈli bɛˈɾiʃa]; born 15 October 1944) is an Albanian politician and a former heart doctor. He served as the President of Albania from 1992 to 1997. Later, he became the 32nd prime minister of Albania from 2005 to 2013.

Berisha has been the chairman of the Democratic Party of Albania since 2022. He also held this position from 1990 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2013. Currently, he is the leader of the opposition in Albania.

He was not allowed to enter the United States due to accusations of being involved in corruption. He is also not allowed to enter the United Kingdom.

In September 2021, Berisha was removed from his party's group in Parliament. This happened because of issues with the US Department of State. This led to a big disagreement within the Democratic Party.

In December 2023, Berisha was placed under house arrest because of alleged corruption during his time as Prime Minister. He was released in November 2024 after a court order.

Early Life and Education
Becoming a Political Leader
President of Albania (1992–1997)
Leader of the Opposition (1997–2005)
Prime Minister of Albania (2005–2013)
Leader of the Opposition (2022–Present)
Personal Life
Sanctions
Honors and Awards
See also

Early Life and Education

Berisha was born in Viçidol, a village in northern Albania. His family were farmers from the Berisha tribe. As a child, he helped by looking after sheep.

He studied medicine at the University of Tirana and finished in 1967. He then spent a year studying heart medicine in Paris. After that, he became a professor and a heart doctor at Tirana General Hospital.

During the 1970s, Berisha became a top researcher in heart medicine in Albania. In 1978, he received a special scholarship to study more in Paris. He also did important research on how blood flows in the body.

Becoming a Political Leader

In 1990, Berisha spoke out, asking for more freedom of speech and travel in Albania. He also wanted Albania to stop being so isolated from other countries. He urged the government to change the communist constitution and recognize human rights.

He also called for the removal of all monuments of Stalin in the country. Berisha believed that Albania needed political freedom to have true democracy.

He became the leader of the Democratic Party of Albania (DP). This was the first and largest new opposition party. He was officially chosen as the party chairman in February 1991.

President of Albania (1992–1997)

Taking Office as President

After the elections in 1992, Berisha was chosen as president on 9 April 1992. He was the second freely elected leader of Albania. He was also the first non-communist leader in 53 years.

Reforms and Changes

As president, Berisha and his government started many big changes. They allowed people to own land and homes privately. They also privatized many small and medium-sized state businesses.

Prices and money exchange rates became free. Albania changed from a country with very high inflation to one with low inflation. Its economy grew quickly during these years.

Albania also started to connect more with Western countries. It joined the Partnership for Peace in 1994. It also became a member of the Council of Europe in 1995.

Economic Challenges and Unrest

Towards the end of 1996, many investment schemes, known as Ponzi schemes, failed. Many Albanians had put their life savings into these schemes. When they collapsed, people lost a lot of money.

This led to protests in the streets. People accused the government of not protecting their money. The situation became very difficult.

In March 1997, Berisha was re-elected president. However, the country was in a state of crisis. Police and military members left their posts, and their weapons were taken.

International forces from the UN and Europe had to step in to help calm the situation. After their help, new elections were held in June 1997. A socialist-led group won these elections.

On 23 July 1997, Berisha stepped down as president. He was replaced by Rexhep Meidani. He then became the chairman of the Democratic Party, which was now the main opposition party.

Leader of the Opposition (1997–2005)

After leaving the presidency, Berisha continued to lead the Democratic Party. In September 1998, there were protests in Tirana after a Democratic Party member of parliament was killed. Order was restored after a few days.

Berisha led a group of center-right parties in the 2001 elections. In 2004, he organized large protests. More than 20,000 people joined these protests. They demanded that the prime minister at the time, Fatos Nano, resign. This movement was known as "Nano Go Away."

Prime Minister of Albania (2005–2013)

Becoming Prime Minister

On 3 July 2005, Sali Berisha led a group of five right-wing parties in the parliamentary elections. His group won enough seats to form a government. He was appointed Prime Minister of Albania on 8 September 2005.

Key Events and Achievements

In June 2007, Berisha met with U.S. President George W. Bush in Tirana. President Bush was the first U.S. president to visit Albania. He strongly supported the independence of neighboring Kosovo from Serbia.

In March 2008, a big challenge happened when an ammunition storage area exploded near Tirana. This accident killed 26 people and injured over 100. The Defense Minister resigned after this event.

In June 2009, Berisha's party won the parliamentary elections by a small margin. They had to form a coalition with another party to stay in power. This was the first time since 1991 that a ruling party needed a coalition.

During his time as prime minister, more than 10,000 kilometers of roads were built. This connected many villages and towns to the national road system. A very important project was the Durrës-Kukës road, also called the "Nation Road." This road connected Kosovo with the city of Durrës and was the largest road project in Albania's history.

Political Challenges

The 2009 elections were criticized by the opposition. This led to a political crisis between the government and the opposition. The opposition left parliamentary debates for months. They also went on hunger strikes to get support.

The European Union tried to help solve the crisis, but it did not work. This ongoing political problem was one reason why Albania did not get official candidate status for the EU in 2010.

In January 2011, there were clashes between police and protesters in Tirana. Four people were killed. Berisha said these protests were an attempt to overthrow his government.

Under his leadership, Albania made progress in protecting the environment. In 2012, the country ranked very high in an environmental performance index. By 2012, Albania produced over 96 percent of its energy using renewable water power.

After his party lost the 2013 parliamentary election, Berisha resigned as party leader. However, he remained a member of parliament.

Leader of the Opposition (2022–Present)

Berisha in 2025

The Democratic Party lost the 2021 election. This led many party members to ask the leader, Lulzim Basha, to resign. In September 2021, Basha removed Berisha from the party's parliamentary group. This was due to Berisha's "non-grata" status with the US Department of State.

In December 2021, a group led by Berisha voted to remove Basha as leader of the Democratic Party. In January 2022, Berisha's group tried to enter the party headquarters, which led to some violence.

In March 2022, Lulzim Basha stepped down as party leader. Berisha was then elected as the new leader of the Democratic Party in May 2022. He won with a large majority of votes.

In July 2022, Berisha organized protests against the Albanian government. These protests were about prices and wages. He said that the future of Albania was at risk.

In December 2022, during a protest, Berisha was attacked in the face. He got a black eye. The attacker's mother said her son had mental health issues. Many political leaders condemned the attack. Berisha himself said he forgave the person who attacked him.

In June 2024, a court officially recognized Berisha as the Chairman of the Democratic Party.

Personal Life

Berisha is married to Liri Berisha (born Ramaj), who is a children's doctor. Liri Berisha leads the Albanian Children Foundation. This foundation helps children with conditions like autism and Down syndrome.

Sali and Liri Berisha have two children: a daughter named Argita Malltezi, who is a law professor, and a son named Shkëlzen Berisha.

In October 2023, Berisha's son-in-law, Jamarbër Malltezi, was arrested. He was accused of corruption and money laundering. These accusations were related to Berisha's time as Prime Minister. Berisha was also investigated for allegedly using his position to help Malltezi.

Berisha has strongly denied these accusations. He said that the prosecutors were acting on political orders. In December 2023, Berisha was placed under house arrest. He was formally charged with corruption in September 2024. He was released from house arrest in November 2024. A court also gave him back his freedom to travel abroad.

Sanctions

In May 2021, Berisha, his wife, son, and daughter were not allowed to enter the United States. This was because the US Department of State accused them of "significant corruption." The US Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken, said that Berisha was involved in corrupt actions as Prime Minister. These actions included misusing public money and using his power for his own benefit and to help his family.

Berisha has said that these accusations are based on wrong information. He believes they come from a political process involving other people. He also said that there is no real proof against him.

In July 2022, the British embassy in Tirana announced actions against several Albanian individuals. The next day, Berisha said that he was one of the people affected by these actions. This meant he was also sanctioned by the United Kingdom.

Honors and Awards

1996 – Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
2009 – Doctor Honoris Causa of the University of Pristina
2009 – Doctor Honoris Causa of the International University of Struga
2012 – Kosovo : Honorary Citizen of Deçan
2013 – Kosovo : Honorary Citizen of Prizren
2013 – North Macedonia : Honorary Citizen of Debar
2015 – National Flag Order (Albania) – given by President of Albania Bujar Nishani