The United States has reportedly removed travel restrictions on Sali Berisha, Albania’s former president and prime minister, a move that has sparked controversy. Berisha, currently an opposition leader, had been barred from entering the U.S. since 2021. His return to political prominence coincides with widespread public demonstrations in Albania calling for an end to the legacy of the post-communist era. The lifting of the ban reopens a sensitive period in U.S.-Albanian relations. Berisha publicly acknowledged the reports with a symbolic statement outside the Albanian parliament, declaring “I returned.” The decision arrives at a time of significant political and social upheaval within Albania.