The Party for Justice, Integration and Unity (Albanian: Partia Drejtësi, Integrim dhe Unitet, PDIU) is a single-issue political partyinAlbania whose primary aim is the promotion of Cham national issues. The party focuses on highlighting national issues, including Kosovo recognition, Albanians in North Macedonia, Montenegro, Presevo Valley and especially the Cham issue.[2]
Party for Justice, Integration and Unity
Partia Drejtësi, Integrim dhe Unitet
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|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | PDIU |
| Leader | Shpëtim Idrizi |
| Honorary president | Tahir Muhedini |
| Founded | 1 March 2011 (2011-03-01) |
| Merger of | Party for Justice and Integration, Party for Justice and Unity |
| Headquarters | Pas Ish-Ekspozitës “Shqipëria Sot”, Tirana |
| Newspaper | Përlindja e Shqipërisë |
| Youth wing | Klubi i Patriotëve të Rinj |
| Ideology | Cham issue[1] |
| Colours | Light blue Green |
| National Assembly |
4 / 140
|
| Municipality |
0 / 61
|
| Council Seats |
26 / 1,613
|
| Website | |
| pdiu.al | |
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| |
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.
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.[3][4] 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,[3][5][6][7] where ethnic minorities were pressured to renounce their minority status.[8][9]
Because of these developments, organizations that represent five minority groups in Albania decided unanimously to boycott the upcoming census.[5][6] 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.[10]
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.
In 2015 local elections PJIU won in three municipalities: Peqin, Rrogozhine and Konispol.
| Election | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 44,957 | 2.61 |
5 / 140
|
Coalition | |
| 2017 | 76,064 | 4.81 |
3 / 140
|
 2 |
External support |
| 2021 | Supported PD–AN | Supported PD–AN |
3 / 140
|
 0
|
Opposition |
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.[11][1] Shpëtim Idrizi got elected as well, bringing the number of seats to 5, but he came through the list of Democratic PartyinFier County.[12]
In 2017, PDIU won three mandates of deputies: 2 in Elbasan (Aqif Rakipi and Bujar Muca) and 1 in Diber (Reme Lala). Shpetim Idrizi and Mesila Doda published videos in Facebook that their votes were stolen from another party, so the votes in Tirana were recounted, but they couldn't get their mandates either.
In 2021, PDIU joined the Coalition PD–AN[a] and won three mandates of deputies.
PDIU as a party focuses on National Issues.... We believe that the Albanian state should find a solution to the Cham issue...
Under the Hoxha regime gross violations of human rights were committed against all population groups in Albania. The Greek minority suffered especially from the religious persecution and the denial of their national and cultural identity.
Religious persecution and political oppression did not abate under Ramiz Alia. The Alia regime also continued Hoxha's policy of forceful assimilation of non-Albanian-speaking minorities, in particular Greek-speaking Albanians.