Sali Berisha claims Albanian lek's strength is linked to drug money

Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha has criticized the strength of the Albanian lek, alleging that its appreciation against the euro and dollar is driven by drug money laundering. Referencing a Eurostat study, Berisha claimed that the euro has depreciated by 33% against the lek over the last decade, a figure he asserts is higher than in other economies like Israel or Switzerland.

Berisha linked this currency trend to the construction sector in Tirana, suggesting that illicit funds are being laundered through building projects. He called upon international monitoring bodies, specifically MONEYVAL and the United Nations, to investigate the situation and urged for political sanctions against the current administration.

The government has rejected these allegations, attributing the lek's strength to foreign investment, a tourism boom, steady remittances, and service exports.