TIRANA, March 6 /ATA/ President of the Republic, Ilir Meta, stated on Friday that the letter addressed to EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, was not meant to be made available for public but to help the EU correct a phrase in progress report on Constitutional Court deadlock.
At a news conference, Meta said that the letter is not meant to block the negotiations. The President quoted the letter sent by Commissioner Várhelyi, saying that he is full of hope that EU countries would consider the EC recommendation for opening of accession talks.
The President said that the letter was sent to clarify that dispute over Constitutional Court came due to differing interpretation of the Constitution by the majority seeking to capture this institution rather than the President’s interpretation.
Asked whether he feared this letter would affect the EU decision-making for opening of accession talks, Meta says that it is the opposition that should feel that responsibility.
“Am I afraid of the truth when I have done nothing but kept telling it to the citizens of Albania for 3 years in a row, to all international representatives, majority, the govt., opposition, when I have done everything in my capacity for Albania not to remain without the Constitutional Court for a minute, they all know about my efforts and who undermined it?
It was caused by majority which wants to capture the Constitutional Court without which there is no peaceful cohabitation in the country because there is not a referee.
Asked whether he sticks to the decision to dissolve parliament after March 15, Meta said that integrity of Constitutional Court is the red line, you witnessed the red and black tempest.
I listened to the Speaker of Parliament on this issue and I have only one friendly institutional question as to why this situation should arise when the president in due time appealed for cooperation, asked him to act as soon as possible for the appointment of first member and not received any response in return. I sent a public message to him and the MPs. I believe he will seek an inquiry into the Justice Ministry case. The new facts require an analysis on the side of parliament to position itself on the side of the rule of law or on the side of the Mafia state, Meta said.
As to the reaction of PM Rama who stated that for the first time ever since the creation of EU, a president sends letters to Brussels to undermine the bridge between Europe and his country, Meta said:
Is there any lies from those here? The letter has been translated in Albanian. These scandals reverse the efforts to progress down the path to EU, so it’s time to reflect and draw back from alibis that the president has lobbied against the opening of accession negotiations at the meeting with the ministers.
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