Leader Shpëtim Idrizi Headquarters Tirana, Albania | Honorary president Tahir Muhedini Newspaper Përlindja e Shqipërisë | |
Founded February 17, 2011 (2011-02-17) Merger of Party for Justice and Integration (PDI),
Party for Justice and Unity (PDU) | ||
The Party for Justice, Integration and Unity (Albanian: Partia Drejtësi, Integrim dhe Unitet, or PDIU) is a nationalist political party in Albania whose primary aim is the promotion of national issues. The party's goals and objectives are to express the struggle of the "Ethnic Albanians", who after world and regional wars, are facing challenges that affect their rights. In the light of paradigms such as freedom and human rights, these challenges bring them together, forge common interests, and constitute their national issues." The party focuses on highlighting national issues, including Kosovo, Albanians in Macedonia, Montenegro, Presevo Valley and especially the Cham issue.
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Formation and leadership
It was formed as a union of the Party for Justice and Integration and the Party for Justice and Unity. Shpëtim Idrizi is its current chairman, while Tahir Muhedini is now the honorary president.
PDIU involvement in 2011 General Registration
In early October 2011, the Albanian government announced that a census would be conducted throughout the country, which would tally the exact number of ethnic minorities for the first time after 1989. However, after a proposal by the PDIU, the Albanian parliament changed the Census law, establishing a fine of $1,000 to every citizen that declares an ethnicity different from what was written down on his or her birth certificate. This applies even if the certificate was written during the communist era before 1989, where ethnic minorities were pressured to renounce their minority status.
Because of these developments, organizations that represent five minority groups in Albania decided unanimously to boycott the upcoming census. On the other hand, the PDIU, claimed that this decision was a national victory, prohibiting that way a part of local citizens (according to PDIU also non-Greek) to register as Greeks.
Local Elections
The PDIU placed candidates in the following places:
In the Albanian local elections, 2011 the Party for Justice, Integration and Unity won a total of 59,499 votes throughout the country, and won the Librazhd, Sukth, and Rrogozhinë municipalities, plus Markat and Shushicë communes.
2013 Parliamentary Elections
PDIU joined the Alliance for Employment, Prosperity and Integration (Albanian: Aleanca për Punësim, Mirëqenie dhe Integrim) in the 2013 elections. The coalition was led by former Prime Minister Sali Berisha. PDIU got 44,957 votes, 2.61% translated in 4 seats in the new parliament. Shpëtim Idrizi got elected as well, bringing the number of seats to 5, but he came through the list of Democratic Party in Fier County.
Parliamentary Representation
- Aqif Rakipi for Elbasan County
- Dashamir Tahiri for Vlorë County
- Omer Mamo for Fier County
- Tahir Muhedini for Tiranë County
- Mesila Doda for Fier County (joined after leaving the Democratic Party)