Albania needs consensus, says Meta

TIRANA, May 7 – Ilir Meta, leader of the opposition Socialist Movement for Integration, said that a president from the governing majority was not acceptable, meaning he should come from the opposition. He clearly said that Prime Minister Sali Berisha should also resign as he considered him as the real person to blame for the conflicting situation in the country.
Meta, a former Socialist premier, also said that he would accept the presidential position in the future, however he had not yet “reached the president’s age”, which is over 40 years old.
Meta said that a consensual government was necessary. The existing parliament was informal, said Meta, referring to the instability that the governing majority has suffered in recent days. The government was in a crisis, he said, referring to the parliamentarian who left the Democratic Party and also the resignation of the former foreign minister.
“The President’s election or non-election is of no importance for the country’s stability. A consensual government is needed for that,” he said in an interview eaerlier this week to the News24 private television stations.
Electing a president by consensus would not be enough for the country to overcome the crisis. The government is conflicted and a negative factor in worsening relations with the country’s institutions. “(The country) needs a govenrment to leave conflict aside,” he said. The government should also have the support of the opposition for reforms. “The problem remains Berisha’s autocratic mentality which he uses to lead the government.”
Meta said that Berisha will be obliged to ask for the opposition’s consensus for the presidential election and for other issues as his party and the governing coalition do not enjoy a majority in parliament.
He repeated that his SMI was in favor of early elections. But he also added that “without a complete electoral reform these elections would also be endangered.” Berisha was delaying the electoral reform on purpose to impose a deal on the opposition either to let them elect their president, or they would go to early elections without the required electoral reform.
Meta was not clear whether the opposition would ask for new elections but said that “taking the country into elections with this code would not be very constructive but leaving space to Berisha to occupy independent institutions would be much more destructive.”
The opposition has yet to declare whether they have decided on a joint candidate for president. Former Socialist leader and prime minister Fatos Nano has openly said he is seeking the post. He seems to have a group of opposition parliamentarians supporting him.
“(Bamir) Topi would be an ideal candidate if the Demcoratic Party would be in opposition,” said Meta on the ruling majority’s candidate.
Meta also spoke on the upcoming visit from the U.S. President George W. Bush in Albania June 10. Meta considered this a ‘delayed visit’ taking into consideration the fact that Albania has been one of the few countries giving unreserved contribution and support to the U.S. in the last decade.
“Albania has been ranked among the first in the fight against terrorism and for many important issues it has not been thinking at all but has immediately supported U.S. policies. I do not think the visit has to do with Albania’s standards. I think it has to do with the American policy in the region as an important element of the global American policy and with the evaluation for Albania’s commitment in the fight against terrorism,” he said.