“Berisha influences Russian interests” – The LaCivita scandal, analyst Meçe: Trump’s involvement, because American interests are affected

In a response that caused shock not only on the American political scene but also on the Albanian one, US President Donald Trump has clarified that Chris LaCivita, the man Berisha chose as the head of his political campaign, does not work for him.

The scandal that has shaken American politics just one month before the midterm elections in the United States shows that Chris LaCivita and James Blair had travelled to Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina last week and were paid as campaign advisers by the pro-Russian government of that entity.

Analyst Arben Meçe says the involvement of the American president himself, Donald Trump, shows that this scandal touches American interests.

In an interview for “Newsline” on ABC News, Meçe said that Sali Berisha, during the 2025 campaign, described LaCivita as Trump’s closest man, which was not true.

According to Meçe, he furthers pro-Russian and pro-Slav interests in Albania.

“We have been unravelling LaCivita for almost a year; we have said that we are dealing with an individual who has no morals, and those who support him have lost their morals. We have said that the visa was a legal leap from lobbying. LaCivita is not simply an individual who represents the negativist side. Trump’s problem too is not the fact that we are dealing with a person who supports someone whose non grata status was lifted, but who is supporting a pro-Russian line. The stance should be that of the embassy and the American state towards this individual, and the stance towards Berisha has been made clear. The voice of the Department was a clear non grata for Berisha. The influence of this whole situation that is coming, the installation of anti-Albanian, Slavo-Russian, Slavo-communist lines, with Sali Berisha as their representative. We have produced documents that have come out. Berisha has crossed every legal space as far as the non grata is concerned.

LaCivita in Albania was made out to be Trump’s close and trusted man. But he had no influence. This shows stability. These individuals produced a false image of the State Department. This kind of politics that Berisha does is undermining the seriousness of a state. Even if 100 parties change, in the US the instruments regarding security function. The president got involved, over a person who in Albania was sold as his man. In Albania, LaCivita supported a person who has no Albanian interests. Today, Berisha should have left the DP. Yesterday, Berisha gathered the National Council and said the DP would be in its greatest action. How many people were there today? A very low number, a total failure of Sali Berisha.

The problem LaCivita has opened is very serious. Berisha is non grata, there is nowhere further for him to go. Berisha has no access to European institutions. Finally, the American embassy declared openly that he is non grata. What more can they tell him than that? Berisha has undermined democracy, but he is a person with American traits, who also threatens American security. We are dealing with a pro-Russian, pro-Slav conjuncture in Albania,” he stressed.