Ilir Meta
| Ilir Rexhep Meta | |
|---|---|
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| 41st & 43st Prime Minister of Albania | |
| In office October 29, 1999 – February 22, 2002 |
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| Preceded by | Pandeli Majko |
| Succeeded by | Pandeli Majko |
| Foreign Minister of Albania | |
| In office July 31, 2002 – July 18, 2003 |
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| Preceded by | Arta Dade |
| Succeeded by | Luan Hajdaraga (Acting) |
| Foreign Minister of Albania | |
| In office September 17, 2009 – September 17, 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Lulzim Basha |
| Succeeded by | Edmond Haxhinasto |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 24, 1969 Skrapar, Albania |
| Political party | Socialist Movement for Integration |
| Spouse(s) | Monika Kryemadhi |
| Religion | Bektashi Islam |
| Website | www.lsi.al |
Ilir Meta (born in Skrapar, March 24, 1969) is one of the most prominent and active politicians in Albania and in the Balkans. He was Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and after Minister of Economy, Trade and Energy. He was Prime Minister of Albania from 1999 to 2002 and has been Foreign minister twice since then. Ilir Meta is known to be one of the most constructive politicians in the Balkans, having always advocated for greater integration among the countries of the Western Balkans. He is currently Chairman of the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI). LSI is a member of the governing coalition with the Democratic Party of Albania, following the 2009 general elections.
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[edit] Studies
Meta graduated from the Faculty of Economy, Political Economy branch, of Tirana University, with barely passing grades.[1]
[edit] Political career
[edit] MP of the Socialist Party (1992)
In the early 1990s, Meta was a member of the leadership of the student movement which played a role in the democratic transition of Albania. Since 1992 he was a member of the Socialist Party Leading Council; between 1995 and 2001 Meta was chairman of the Euro-Socialist Youth Forum of Albania, FRESSH, member of the Socialist Youth International.[1]
Meta entered the Parliament of Albania first in 1992, being always re-elected since then. In 1996–1997 he chaired the Foreign Policy Parliamentary Commission, and was then named deputy prime minister and state secretary for integration in the first government of Pandeli Majko.[1]
[edit] Prime minister (1999–2002) and foreign minister (2002–2003)
In 1999, following the resignation of Pandeli Majko, Meta was named prime minister of Albania. He held the post through the 24 June 2001 elections,[1] resigning on February 22, 2002. He subsequently served as foreign minister in the second government of Pandeli Majko from July 2002 to July 2003. He was involved in severe political confrontation with Fatos Nano.[2]
As prime minister, he was mainly responsible for the final privatization of the industrial system that remained in place after 1991, which triggered accusations of allegiance to suspicious businessmen and involvement in drug trafficking. His first resignation and the withdrawal as foreign minister came after he was discredited after the arrest of traffickers who had received his protection.[citation needed]
[edit] Founder of the Socialist Movement for Integration (2004)
In 2004 he quit the Socialist Party of Albania and created his own political party, the Socialist Movement for Integration.
[edit] Foreign and Economy minister of Berisha's government (2009–2010)
In the parliamentary election of June 2009, the coalition led by the Socialist Movement for Integration, called the Alliance for Integration, won four seats in the new parliament. Soon after, an offer for collaboration was extended by Prime Minister Sali Berisha of the Democratic Party of Albania (his former opposant) after which Ilir Meta was appointed to the post of Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs in the new government.
He resigned as minister of Economy, Trade and Energy on January 14, 2011 following the publication of a video, filmed secretly in March 2010, where he is alledgedly accused of pressuring Dritan Prifti (the then Minister of Economy, Trade and Energy), to fix the tender for a hydroelectric power plant, in return for which both Prifti and Meta would benefit financially. Mr. Meta resigned from all his Government positions following the publication of the video, wilfully handed in his parliamentary immunity and asked for a thorough investigation of the case, which he claimed was a deliberately manipulated footage with the sole purpose of mounting a political attack against him. After a one year long legal process, foreign experts showed that the footage taken into consideration, was authentic and that the original microcamera used for the recording, contained the original video. On the 16th January 2012, the Supreme Court of Albania voted 5-0 in favour of Mr. Meta's case declaring him innocent and aquiting him of all charges.
| Preceded by Lulzim Basha 2007–2009 |
Foreign Minister of Albania 2009–2011 |
Succeeded by Edmond Haxhinasto |
[edit] References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ilir Meta |
- ^ a b c d Bjoerna.dk
- ^ The Balkans: a post-communist history, by Robert Bideleux,Ian Jeffries, p. 64
[edit] External links
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