President Ilir Meta of Albanian Has Been Impeached for violating Constitution

By theGazetteNGR

Editorinchief

Posted: June 10, 2021 at 12:55 AM, Updated: September 21, 2022 at 7:46 AM

Socialist legislators accused Meta, before April’s legislative election, of breaking the constitution and of taking sides. The Presidency of Albania is essentially a ceremonial function.

On Wednesday, during an emergency session, the parliament of Albania prosecuted President Ilir Meta and removed him from office. In April’s legislative elections, Meta is accused of breaching the Constitution by choosing sides against the governing Socialist Party.

Meta was elected by the parliament from 104-7, far more than the 93 votes needed to get him out of office. Meta’s actions have created political instability in Albania and he has failed to comply with his constitutional duties to safeguard national unity, the lawyers in favor of the impeachment contend.

Albania’s Constitutional Court will now consider the prosecution procedures. Within three months, the court will make a final judgment on the prosecution.

Were it not forced to, Meta’s presidential term in July 2022 would have expired.

Meta condemned the effort at prosecution earlier, stating it was unlawful. The president of Albania is mainly ceremonial, with Meta in office since 2017.

A Meta spokesperson termed the prosecution ‘unconstitutional and ridiculous.’

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Meta often feuded the Socialist administration of Prime Minister Edi Rama. In April the Socialists won 74 out of 140 parliamentary seats and won a landslide victory.

Rama accused Meta of violating his authority and ‘humiliating’ the Constitution before the impeachment vote on Wednesday.

Meta was a Socialist Party member beforehand; but, in 2004, he created a Socialist Integration Movement (LSI), its own Social Democratic Party. From 1999 to 2002, Meta served as the Premier of Albania formerly.

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