TIRANA, June 12 - Sali Berisha, the 81-year-old leader of Albania's main opposition Democratic Party, said on Friday that the United States has removed a travel restriction that had been placed on him and his immediate family in 2021.
Berisha, who previously served as both president and prime minister, said on his Facebook page that "As of yesterday, after a thorough review of my case by the State Department, my family and I are no longer deprived of the possibility of travel to the United States." He added that "An unfair decision of the previous U.S. administration against me and my family was corrected."
The U.S. State Department had barred Berisha and his immediate relatives from entering the country in 2021, citing involvement in "corrupt acts," including alleged misappropriation of public funds and the use of official power to enrich relatives. The department later told Reuters that it had "issued waivers for several 7031(c) designations imposed under the previous administration because granting the waivers serves a compelling national interest." The spokesperson did not provide the names of those who received waivers.
The announcement comes as Albania is experiencing mass demonstrations over the proposed development of a luxury resort associated with Jared Kushner. Protesters have mobilized against the project, and the reported reversal of the travel restriction on Berisha occurs against this backdrop of domestic unrest.
Details about which individuals were granted waivers, or the scope of the waivers beyond Berisha's statement, were not disclosed by the State Department spokesperson. The department's comment confirmed only that waivers were issued for several 7031(c) designations and that the decisions were tied to compelling national interest considerations.
Berisha's post framed the change as a correction of what he described as an "unfair decision" imposed by the prior U.S. administration. Beyond his Facebook statement and the limited confirmation from the State Department's spokesperson, further official detail about the review and its findings was not provided in the comments relayed by officials.
As described by Berisha and the State Department comment, the shift represents a change in U.S. application of 7031(c) designations established during the prior administration. The connection between the timing of the waivers and ongoing public protests regarding the Kushner-linked resort development was noted in statements regarding the decision.
Summary: The United States has reportedly lifted a travel restriction imposed on opposition leader Sali Berisha and his immediate family in 2021, a move confirmed in part by a State Department statement about waivers for 7031(c) designations. The development coincides with large-scale protests in Albania over plans for a luxury resort linked to Jared Kushner.
- Key points:
- Sali Berisha announced that he and his immediate family are no longer barred from traveling to the United States following a State Department review.
- The State Department said it "issued waivers for several 7031(c) designations imposed under the previous administration because granting the waivers serves a compelling national interest," but did not name the beneficiaries.
- The decision was reported amid mass protests in Albania over a planned luxury resort associated with Jared Kushner, linking the policy change to a period of domestic unrest.
- Risks and uncertainties:
- Limited disclosure from the State Department leaves uncertainty about which individuals received waivers and the full scope of the policy change - this affects diplomatic transparency and U.S.-Albania bilateral signals.
- Ongoing mass protests over the proposed luxury resort create political uncertainty in Albania, which could influence investor and tourism sentiment in related sectors such as real estate and hospitality.
- The public reaction to the reversal of the travel restriction is not detailed in official comments, leaving unclear how the decision will affect domestic political dynamics and future protests.