The Albanian Parliament Speaker, leader of the Socialist Movement for
Integration, Ilir Meta, was voted President of the country amid strong
political stalemates, with the opposition warning a boycott of the
elections.
However, the most concerned for his new post seem to be the people who supported him in his most difficult days, the SMI party members.
But did the voting as President bring Ilir Meta’s career to an end? Who benefits most? His party? Albania? For these questions, Meta was last night’s guest on Top Channel’s Top Story.
“If the post of the President is needed to find a solution for the crisis, I can easily resign. There will be no problem for me or for the Socialist Movement for Integration, as confirmed by its new leader, Petrit Vasili. We must save the elections, the country’s stability and image”, Meta said.
Meta said the opposition’s approach to the new situation is not the right one. The Democratic Party, according to Meta, had the chance to become part of the solution, and that they received guarantees that had not been achieved by any opposition so far.
“They pretend to not be part of the elections and not allow elections to happen. This is an unacceptable approach, because in democracy people must demand their rights, but you also have to fight for these rights. The leadership of the Democratic Party holds a serious responsibility, because they had the chance to become part of a solution and take guarantees. The package of McAllister was a very good solution for the opposition. What is unacceptable from the majority and the Prime Minister, is the rhetoric. He is more responsible for the country than the opposition leader and their representatives. He has no reason to resign, if he doesn’t think that this would resolve the situation. But I think that at any case, any rhetoric and conflict would not help to reach a more peaceful environment”, Meta added.
According to the newly elected President, the political class must be careful with the management of this crisis. Meta has some very bad feelings about the current situation.
“It seems there is interest to create conflicts that are unnecessary for Albania. This is an unpredictable process. It will create long-term damages to the country”, Meta said.
Sokol Balla: Is this an impression you have created, or just an intuition that there could be other interested forces, since the situation in the region doesn’t seem calm?
Ilir Meta: I never blame foreign partners.
Sokol Balla: But someone could take advantage. There is a chance…
Ilir Meta: Albania’s biggest enemies are usually Albanians themselves.
Top Channel
