"They are facing unfair competition in the region", Berisha presents his plan for farmers

2026-06-13 20:42:03Politikë SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Sali Berisha

Sali Berisha held a meeting with farmers in Cërrik this Saturday, as part of the Democratic Party's platform "Made in Albania, Solution for the Farmer", where he harshly criticized the government's policies towards the agricultural sector and promised profound changes if his political force comes to power.

During his speech, the leader of the Democrats stated that Albanian farmers are in an unequal and unfavorable situation compared to countries in the region and the European Union. According to him, agriculture in Albania contributes about 20% of the Gross Domestic Product, while receiving only 0.19% of the public budget, which he described as a “deep and unjustifiable inequality”.

He also stressed that the real support for farmers is, according to him, about 32 million euros, as the rest of the fund goes to administration and bureaucracy. Berisha added that farmers in the countries of the region, including North Macedonia, Kosovo and Montenegro, benefit from several times higher subsidies, as well as lower prices for oil.

Another point of his statement was criticism of the decision to remove the oil subsidy for farmers, which he called wrong and harmful to agricultural producers.

Berisha also focused on the regional initiative "Open Balkans", which he described as harmful to Albanian farmers. According to him, the opening of markets has brought unfair competition from countries with higher subsidies, damaging domestic production.

"Albanian farmers have been left in a difficult and abandoned situation," he said, adding that one of the first acts of a possible DP government would be the complete cancellation of the "Open Balkans" agreements.

At the end of the meeting, Berisha emphasized that the development of rural areas has been neglected and that investments in the countryside are minimal, promising a complete review of agricultural policies and greater support for farmers.


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