Ilir Meta
Ilir Meta | |
|---|---|
| Ilir Metaj | |
Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 17 September 2009 – 17 September 2010 | |
| Prime Minister | Sali Berisha |
| Preceded by | Lulzim Basha |
| Succeeded by | Edmond Haxhinasto |
| In office 31 July 2002 – 18 July 2003 | |
| Prime Minister | Fatos Nano |
| Preceded by | Arta Dade |
| Succeeded by | Luan Hajdaraga (Acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 March 1969 Albania |
| Political party | Freedom Party (2022–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Independent (2017–2022) Socialist Movement for Integration (2004–2017) Socialist Party (1990–2004) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Signature | .svg) |
Ilir Rexhep Meta (Albanian pronunciation: [iliɾ meta]; born 24 March 1969) is an Albanian politician. He served as the president of Albania from 24 July 2017 to 24 July 2022.[1]
Previously Meta served as
On 28 April 2017, Meta was elected President of Albania, receiving 87 votes from the 140 Members of Parliament.[3] On 9 June 2021, he was formally impeached by the Albanian parliament in a 104 to 7 vote making him the first Albanian president in history to be impeached by parliament.[4] On 16 February 2022 the Constitutional Court of Albania overturned the impeachment and ruled that the accusations against him did not violate the constitution.[5]
Early life and education
Ilir Meta was born in Çepan, Skrapar. He graduated at the Faculty of Economics and Politics branch of the University of Tirana, where he also pursued his post-graduate studies.
Political career
Meta has been engaged in politics since 1990, after the fall of communism in Albania, as an active participant in the students' movement against one-party rule, which brought political pluralism in Albania. Since 1992 he has been elected Member of Parliament in all legislatures, and has been an active member of several Parliamentary Commissions. From 1996 to 1997 he was Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Commission of Parliament. From October 1998 to October 1999, Meta was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Coordination, as well as State Secretary for European Integration in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in March–October 1998.[citation needed]
In 2004, Meta left the
1999–2002
Meta became
During this period, Albania engaged in a range of important reforms, joining the Stabilisation and Association Process with the European Union.
2009–2017
In the
With the formation of the new government led by Democratic Party chairman
In 2011, Meta served as the
In the run-up to the eighth multi-party elections held in
Presidency
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On 28 April 2017, Meta was
On 26 November 2019,
As was the case with his predecessor, during his term of office his main focus has been the European integration process of Albania and global challenges affecting Albania. Meta has underscored the willingness of Albanians to strengthen its bilateral strategic partnerships with all partner countries in the areas of security and NATO.[15]
Impeachment
On 9 June 2021, Meta was impeached by the Albanian parliament for violating the constitution and discharged from the post of president. The parliament accused him of being biased and partisan during the April 2021 parliamentary elections, and of inciting violence and instability.[16] The motion was put forward by the ruling Socialist Party of Albania and 104 MP's voted for his impeachment.[17] On 16 February 2022 the Constitutional Court of Albania overturned the impeachment and ruled that the accusations against him did not violate the constitution.[5] As such, Meta continued as President until the expiration of his term on 24 July 2022.[18]
Controversies
Videotaped bribe scandal
On 11 January 2011, the TV programme Fiks Fare on Top Channel broadcast a videotape recorded by hidden camera in the Ministry of Economy containing conversations between the Economy Minister at the time Dritan Prifti and then Deputy Prime Minister Ilir Meta. The videotape starts with Meta asking Prifti to intervene in a concession tender for the hydropower plant Egnatia-Shushicë in exchange for €700,000 and 7% of the shares. It then shows Meta requesting Prifti to award the auction for the sale of crude oil to Halilaj Holding Group in exchange for €1 million.[19] Meta then continues by asking Prifti to hire activists from their party, the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI) at the time now renamed Freedom Party (PL). The party was the junior government partner in the government of then Prime Minister Sali Berisha, and controlled the ministries of Economy, Foreign Affairs and Health.[20] Meta is overheard bragging that because he is on good terms with Chief Justice Shpresa Becaj, after having hired her daughter as a diplomat at an embassy he can influence the decision of the court. He then asks Prifti to keep the affair quiet because he is afraid the prosecutor’s office might open an investigation if it learns about it.[21]
This forced him to resign as deputy Prime Minister of Albania, even though he claimed innocence.[22][23]
Sigurimi's Informer
On 27 July 2022, the Albanian Authority for Information on Former State Security Documents (AIDSSH) forwarded to Parliament the identity of the high profile political figure referred to as “I.M.” in the initial report.
Following our previous requests and proposals, but especially being encouraged by the most recent denunciation that came to the institution on the purity of the image of one of the highest personalities of the state, former president of the Republic, Ilir Metaj… it turns out that he actually appears in the documents created by the former State Intelligence Structure
— AIDSSH
Two former commissions were established to run background checks on politicians and their ties to the communist regime awarded Meta a “purity certificate”.[24]
Meta also denied the claims and slammed the Authority for Information on Former State Security Documents, calling it the “Manipulations Authority”.[25]
Lobbying
Kronen Zeitung published an article in which Meta is accused of lobbying via a shell company, the article claims Meta paid $700,000 through a Cypriot shell company to gain access to the Inauguration of Donald Trump.[26] On 20 January 2017 Meta shared a photo of himself and SMI leader Petrit Vasili at social media during the inauguration of Donald Trump in Capitol, Washington, D.C.
Meta claims to have been invited by the Republican Party, but according to a US court documents, "$700,000 of a lawyer (who is) close to Meta went through the off shore company Dorelita Limited. Socialist Movement for Integration signed a contract with the alleged lawyer a few weeks prior the Inauguration.[27]
Personal life
Meta is a
Meta has been married to Monika Kryemadhi since October 1998.[31] They have two daughters and a son.
Honours and awards
Foreign honours
Croatia:
Grand Cross of the Grand Order of King Tomislav (29 October 2019)
Monaco:
- Order of Saint-Charles(16 October 2019)
Awards
In March 2012, Meta received "Most Positive Personality for 2010 in Foreign Policy" award by International Institute "IFIMES" in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The award was presented to Meta by former President of Croatia, Stjepan Mesić, who was at the same time the Honorary President of "IFIMES".[29]
Meta has also been honored by several cities and regions of Albania with the title “Honorary Citizen".[29]
References
- ^ "Ilir Meta zgjidhet president i Shqipërisë". rtsh.al (in Albanian). 28 April 2017. Archived from the original on 20 April 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2017.
- ^ parlament.al Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Albania
- ^ "Ilir Meta, president i ri i Shqipërisë" (in Albanian). 28 April 2017.
- ^ Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Albania parliament impeaches President Ilir Meta, removes him from office | DW | 09.06.2021". DW.COM. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
- ^ a b "Constitutional court overturns impeachment of Albania's president". euronews. 17 February 2022. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
- ^ [1] Archived 8 October 2017 at the Wayback Machine International Commission on the Balkans
- ^ "Balkan Report: September 18, 2001". rferl.org. 18 September 2001.
- ^ "Election campaign with the taste of blood". International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies. 24 June 2009. Retrieved 6 September 2012.[permanent dead link]
- ISBN 978-3-531-92487-8.
- ^ "Qeveria e dytë e Sali Berishës (16 shtator 2009 – 10 shtator 2013)". shtetiweb.org (in Albanian). 10 February 2013.
- ^ "Sieg der Sozialisten". Die Tageszeitung: Taz (in German). 25 June 2013.
- ^ "Ilir Meta zgjidhet në krye të Kuvendit me 91 vota: Të lëmë pas frymën konfliktuale, të punojmë për integrimin". sot.com.al (in Albanian). 10 September 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
- ^ "Albanian president thanks Israeli soldiers for aid after deadly earthquake; Ilir Meta stopped at the Ramla military base, where he awarded the "Golden Eagle Decoration" to the IDF's National Rescue Unit". JNS. 24 January 2020.
- ^ a b "Albanian president thanks Israeli soldiers for aid after deadly earthquake". Jewish News Syndicate (JNS). 24 January 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- ^ "President Meta to Trump: US presence is a key factor for the stability of the region". 4 July 2018. Archived from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
- ^ "Albania parliament impeaches president for violating constitution". www.aljazeera.com.
- ^ "Albanian MPs have just voted to impeach their president. Here's why". euronews. 9 June 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ Sinoruka, Fjori (17 February 2022). "Albania President Wins Constitutional Battle to Stay in Office". Balkan Insight. Archived from the original on 17 February 2022. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
- ^ "Meta and Prifti corruption scandal (disputed videotape evidence)". Transparency.org. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
- ^ "Corruption Caught on Tape Sets Albania on Fire Once More". ERCAS. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
- ^ "Albania Hit by Video Corruption Scandal". Balkan Insight. 12 January 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
- ^ "Albanian deputy PM quits following videotaped bribe scandal". www.euractiv.com. 18 January 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
- ^ "Albanian whistleblower to face corruption charges". Reuters. 24 February 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- ^ "Former President Ilir Meta's Name Appears in Communist Intelligence Files". Exit - Explaining Albania. 27 July 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
- ^ "'Communist Informer' Controversy Hits Albanian Ex-President's Comeback". Balkan Insight. 28 July 2022. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
- ^ Zeitung, Kronen (16 May 2022). "Kronzeuge sucht Schutz in Wien: Krimi um Präsident". Kronen Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 5 August 2022.
- ^ "Austrian newspaper accuses Meta: Lobbying $ 700 thousand with 'offshore' company, reacts Presidency: Defamation lawsuit ready". politiko.al. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
- ^ "FOTO/ Familja Meta, feston me entuziazëm festën e Bektashinjve". standard.al (in Albanian). 23 March 2017.
- ^ a b c "Biography". Presidenti i Republikës së Shqipërisë. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
- ^ "'Praise God, today one year ago, I met Celtic fans in Sarajevo,' Albanian President, Ilir Meta". The Celtic Star. 9 July 2020.
- ^ "Martesa sekrete e Ilir Metës dhe Monika Kryemadhit". revistawho.com (in Albanian). 17 May 2017.
External links
