Albanian Parliament impeaches president for vote comments
Tirana (Albania), Jun 9: The Albanian Parliament on Wednesday impeached President Ilir Meta for violating the constitution and discharged him from the post.
In an extraordinary session, the parliament voted 104-7 to discharge the president. Three abstained. The final approval comes from Albania's Constitutional Court within three months.
A report of a parliamentary investigation concluded that Meta had violated the constitution with his biased approach against the ruling Socialists during the April 25 parliamentary electoral campaign. The report said Meta violated 16 articles and also incited violence.
Ilir Meta has betrayed the mission of the president of ... Albania, Prime Minister Edi Rama said in his speech before the vote. Ilir Meta has humiliated the constitution.
Meta has denounced the investigation and impeachment attempt, arguing they are illegal.
There was no reaction from Meta during the debate or after the vote. During the parliamentary debate Meta continued his daily agenda, awarding a medal to a folk music ensemble.
In late April, 49 governing Socialist lawmakers asked for the investigative committee. They accuse Meta, a former Socialist prime minister who left the party many years ago, of inciting instability and violence in the Balkan nation and siding with the political opposition ahead of the election. They say Meta should be impeached for failing in his constitutional duty to guarantee national unity.
The governing Socialist Party ended up winning a landslide of 74 of parliament's 140 seats in the April 25 election, winning their third four-year term.
President of the Republic's acts, behavior and approach ... run counter to his constitutional role and position, said the report. It said Meta should be removed from the post of the President of the Republic for grave violation (of the constitution).
Albania's presidency is largely ceremonial but carries some authority over the judiciary and the armed forces. The role is also generally understood to be apolitical, but Meta has regularly clashed with Prime Minister Edi Rama's Socialist government.
Since assuming the office of president in 2017 with the support of the ruling Socialists, Meta has opposed their agenda, blocking the nominations of ministers and vetoing legislation.
Meta has accused Rama of running a kleptocratic regime and concentrating all legislative, administrative and judiciary powers in his hands.
Meta argues that the outgoing assembly is in a post-election transition period and therefore is ineligible to conduct such investigation activities. The parliament elected in April is not formally seated until September.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Gadag: 25-year-old youngster found dead in field with slit throat; police register case
Gadag: In an incident reported from near Lakshmeshwar town the district, a Dharwad-based 25-year-old youngster was allegedly murdered by slitting his throat. The reason for the crime is yet to be ascertained.
The victim, identified as Muhammad Farooq Sheikh Sanadi, a native of Harlapura village in Kundagola taluk, Dharwad district, was currently residing in Shigli village.
Gadag Deputy Superintendent of Police Murthuka Khadri has visited Lakshmeshwar and inspected the crime scene. Police have put forth the possibility that the miscreants killed Sanadi by slitting his throat and later dumped his corpse in a field near the town.
A case has been registered by the police, who are investigating the incident to find the guilty.
The locals are worried as two separate murder incidents have been reported from the Lakshmeshwar Police Station limits in one night.
