Parliament approves motion to not impeach President Meta
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TIRANA, July 27 - The Albanian Parliament approved a motion to not impeach President Meta with 78 votes in favor and 17 against, while eight abstained. The votes in favor of the motion were cast mainly by the ruling Socialist Party, while the parliamentary opposition remained firm in its demand to impeach the President.
According to the Socialist Party's investigative report presented during the meeting of the Commission of Inquiry on July 17, President Meta exceeded his powers, but the violations are not of such magnitude as to justify his impeachment.
Prime Minister Rama reiterated the SP's stance during Monday's plenary, claiming that President Meta should have been dismissed for serious violations of the constitution, but that the socialist majority chooses to respect the decision of the Venice Commission.
On the other hand, according to parliamentary opposition, Meta exceeded his competencies when he issued the decree for the annulment of the June 30 elections.
The SP also recommended the drafting of an organic law for the review of the powers of the President and intervention in the Constitution so as to avoid the grid lock that was created due to the Constitutional Court appointments.
The clash between the parties began after Meta decided not to appoint one of the candidates for the vacancy to be filled by the Head of State, arguing that he had already filled a vacancy and it was up to Parliament to proceed with electing a candidate from the lists.
According to the majority, Meta failed to abide by the 30-day deadline set by the law, and as a result, the top-ranked candidate Arta Vorpsi was automatically named.
The parliament followed with the election of two candidates, while Meta subsequently decreed from his list Marsida Xhaferllari who was invited to take the oath, along with the two candidates elected by parliament.
Meta spoke about an attempt by the majority to take over his powers and launched a fierce battle against the Chairman of the Justice Appointments Council, Ardian Dvorani, whom he described as the cause of the created situation and a man who had worked on behalf of the ruling majority.
All of this, as well as the further decision of the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee, set up to dismiss Meta as president, to expand the scope of his work, not only on the occasion of the decree canceling the June 30 elections, but also on the appointments to the Constitutional Court constitute the first part of the more than 40-page petition Meta filed with the Venice Commission.
