The ruling Socialist Party has decided to give up impeaching Albania’s President Ilir Meta, after more than one year of parliamentary investigations.
On Monday, the Parliament voted in favor of the Socialists’ investigation report – 78 for, 17 against, 18 abstentions – suggesting that the President violated the Constitution twice but they would not impeach him.
The parliamentary committee to investigate the president was formed in July 2019. It looked at the constitutionality of the president’s decision to cancel June 30 elections, which the government dismissed, and at the appointment of Constitutional Court members.
Both cases were reviewed by the Venice Commission. It stated that an impeachment was not justified despite a possible excess in the president’s competencies regarding elections. The commission sided with the president regarding the appointment of constitutional court judges.
Prime Minister Edi Rama stated that despite Meta’s “serious constitutional violations”, they would not dismiss the president this time because the Venice Commission, according to him, said “violations were not so serious”.
Rama stated that his party will draft a new law to regulate the work of the President regarding the electoral process, appointment of court members and vetoing appointment of government ministers.
