TIRANA, June 18 – A group of 55 Socialist MPs urged the parliament on Monday to dismiss Albanian President Ilir Meta for canceling the date of local elections.
They stated that the president’s act is in open contradiction with the constitutional principles of a parliamentary Republic, with the functions of his post and with the normal exercise of sovereignty by the people.
Meta has lost the right to stay in that office with our consent. We Socialists do not belong to the political culture of arbitrariness and violation of the law and will strictly follow the procedure foreseen in the case of dismissal to the President,” said Chairman of the SP’s parliamentary group Taulant Balla.
Socialist MPs added that the president decreed the election date and on the basis of that decree a series of preparations for the electoral process started which he can no longer be reversed.
They cited a series of Constitutional articles and comments that the president has violated the constitutional principle that sovereignty belongs to the people.
The Socialist MPs further claim that not setting a new local elections date also undermines the people’s sovereignty.
Meanwhile, the Central Election Commission responded today to President Meta’s request for information on the 122 MPs currently in parliament and their affiliation in electoral zones.
Meta’s request to the CEC was interpreted as a preliminary step in studying the possibility to call off the parliament.
When the parliament adopted the resolution against Meta’s decree by 100 votes, although having already entered into force with its publication in the Official Journal, Meta said that the existing parliament, with its deputies, is not legitimate
“The President has been elected by the Parliament. Of course not by this, but by a completely legitimate Parliament,” said Meta.
Meanwhile, Meta has started consultations with political parties on a new local election date. He has held meetings with several opposition parties, but the Socialists are continuing the campaign to run the elections on June 30th.
Meta also held a meeting with the ambassadors of the European Union, where he explained his steps for the postponement of local elections. According to local media reports, during the meeting they discussed the political crisis and the risk of civil conflict between the parties for and against local elections.
However, the Socialist MPs formalized their opinion of dismissing the president. They wrote in the official request that with the annulment of local elections, the president practically behaves as from a position of absolute power, acting beyond the powers given by the sovereign through the Constitution.
The request of the Socialist MPs is based on Article 90 of the Constitution, which states that “the President of the Republic may be dismissed for serious violations of the Constitution and for committing a serious crime.”
The dismissal proposal must be made by a quarter of MPs and should be supported by two-thirds, or 94 votes, which the Socialists do not formally have.
According to the foreseen procedure, a review of the request for dismissal from the Legal Affairs Commission should be made, followed by an investigative commission, which should make a report after the investigation, and the examination of the materials at a debate session, as well as the final vote, in favor with 94 votes . Finally, the parliament’s decision is sent to the Constitutional Court, which is currently out of order.
Only when the Constitutional Court approves the blame of the President of the Republic, it can declare his dismissal from office, the Constitution states. All legal steps require weeks of action, not mentioning the season holidays, the inexistence of a Constitutional Court currently and the absence of socialist votes; elements that make it difficult to follow the procedures.
