Gender equality bill sparks controversy in Albania, prompting EU reaction

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has publicly backed the EU after opposition leader Sali Berisha accused the EU Ambassador in Tirana, Silvio Gonzato, of trying to “impose his personal beliefs” through the draft Law on Gender Equality currently under debate in Parliament.

In a post on X, Rama shared a statement from EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos and added his own sharp rebuke:

“We apologize for the insulting way in which a very noble law, fully aligned with EU principles of gender equality and non-discrimination, has been misused to distort public perception, and for the way the EU Ambassador has been exploited for such an ignoble purpose. Nevertheless, as we say in Albanian, let the dogs bark, the caravan moves.”

We apologize for the insulting way in which a very noble law, fully aligned with EU principles of gender equality and non-discrimination, has been misused to distort public perception, and for the way the EU Ambassador has been exploited for such an ignoble purpose.… pic.twitter.com/MOuhj2JSzi
— Edi Rama (@ediramaal) November 6, 2025

Commissioner Kos stressed that gender equality and non-discrimination are core components of the European acquis that every candidate country must adopt.

“Gender equality and non-discrimination are an integral part of EU law. Aligning with it is part of the EU accession process. This is not a private demand of the Ambassador of the EU in Albania. Any attacks on him are unacceptable,” she said.

The row erupted after Berisha, speaking in Parliament, claimed Ambassador Gonzato was “pushing ideologically charged provisions on multiple gender identities.”

The former prime minister and current opposition leader argued that such bills “do not exist in many EU countries” and thet the proposed text “directly conflicts with family law.” He further alleged that it “undermines the institution of the family,” hinted at “the influence of foreign funding networks,” and accused the government of trying to rush it through “late at night, hidden from public view.”

The government dismissed the claims as “deliberate disinformation,” insisting the draft is simply harmonising Albanian legislation with EU standards – a mandatory step in Albania’s EU accession process.

Across numerous European countries, politicians are locked in fierce debates: some fiercely defend the traditional family model, while others champion the rights of LGBT individuals.

Caption: Democratic Party of Albania leader Sali Berisha (C) speaks to the media after casting his ballot during the country’s parliamentary elections at a polling station in Tirana, Albania, 11 May 2025. EPA/MALTON DIBRA