Yesterday evening, former LSI leader and former Speaker of Parliament Ilir Meta was sworn in as President of Albania.
Afterward, he addressed his first speech to Parliament, declaring that he supported the judicial reform and rule of law:
I will also engage as president to support the fair and transparent justice reform in the interest of strengthening the rule of law, the fight against corruption and organized crime and the improvement of the business climate, something that is indispensable to boost our economy and to create well-paid jobs for our young people.
President Meta’s claims are remarkable, considering the fact that only 6 years ago he was forced to resign from his post as Minister of Economy, Commerce, and Energy, after a video surfaced in which we allegedly discussed a bribe of €700,000 with former Deputy Dritan Prifti.
This in turn led to heavy riots led by then opposition leader Edi Rama, costing the lives of 4 protestors. In a dramatic about-face, Edi Rama then announced his coalition with Ilir Meta in 2013, which has now resulted in the latter becoming President.
For the coming 5 years, President Meta will be a powerful reminder that the judicial reform will only be successful when it will enable the courts to address scandals of this magnitude in a just and professional manner.
