Albanian parliament dismisses President Ilir Meta

By Fatjon Cuka, Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - The Albanian parliament dismissed President Ilir Meta for “serious violations” of the Constitution on Thursday.

The “violations” came during the April electoral campaign.

The vote was 105-7, with 3 abstentions in the 140-seat parliament.

It is the first time in Albania’s history that a president has been dismissed by parliament.

Prime Minister Edi Rama said Meta "betrayed the mission of the President of the Republic of Albania,” humiliated the Constitution and demolished the institution of the guarantor of national unity.

"Ilir Meta has scratched the face of the Albanian state in relations with the representations of the international democratic community in Albania," Rama said in an address to lawmakers.

The Socialist Party of Albania initiated the request for dismissal, citing that Meta “lost the role of representative of national unity and moderator of the political conflict. With his messages to the public in the period before and during the election campaign he has shown that his political line is clearly against the ruling majority and the people who support it."

A final decision will be made by the Constitutional Court on Meta's dismissal.