Pristina, June 9, (dpa/GNA) – The Albanian parliament initiated impeachment proceedings against President Ilir Meta on Wednesday, on the grounds of interference in parliamentary elections earlier this year.
One hundred and seven members of parliament voted in favour of the motion for a commission of enquiry. Seven voted against and three abstained.
The actual proceedings are now in the hands of the Constitutional Court.
The current parliament’s term expires in the autumn. Both the parliament and the commission of enquiry are dominated by the Socialist Party of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
The Socialists justified the motion for impeachment on the grounds that Meta had allegedly interfered in the parliamentary elections in April this year and thus exceeded his powers as president.
Most of the right-wing opposition lawmakers had resigned their mandates in 2019 to protest against what they saw as Rama’s authoritarian policies.
This meant that it was possible for the parliament to achieve the necessary two-thirds majority to initiate impeachment proceedings against Meta.
In the newly elected parliament, which will not be constituted until autumn, the Socialists have an absolute majority, but no longer a two-thirds majority.
Meta himself comes from the Socialist Party, but broke with it in 2004.
He then founded a small, social-liberal party, which is now headed by his wife.
Over the last few years, a bitter enmity has built up between Meta and head of government Rama.
GNA