Meta for Deutsche Welle: There are all possibilities for constructive dialogue

Meta for Deutsche Welle: There are all possibilities for constructive dialogue

The President of the Republic, Ilir Meta, gave an interview for the German Broadcaster Deutsche Welle during his stay in Germany.

The President has talked about the political situation in our country, on recent protests and on the opposition's decision to "burn" their mandates.

President Meta highlighted that the opposition should take a step back, while the ruling majority should take two steps back.

Asked for his assessment of the domestic political situation in the wake of the violent anti-government protest which occurred at the weekend, President Meta answered:

“The escalation of protests, divisive politics, or confrontational actions, especially those which take place outside government institutions, equate to undesirable events.

“This is further compounded when we take into consideration that Albania is only a few months away from the EU member states deciding whether or not to open accession negotiations for our country.

“It is high time for reflection by all parties, so they can have a different approach, leaving unwanted confrontations aside.”

The German Media outlet noted that the decision by opposition MPs to renounce their mandates seemed to aggravate or deteriorate the local political situation and was asked for President Meta's opinion on the crisis.

Meta answered: “I am of the opinion that extreme actions do not serve democracy.

They do not serve to strengthen institutions, nor our country's European integration which on the wish list of each Albanian citizen.

“We remain hopeful that such events do not further contribute to emigration, especially in relation to youth and strong talent.

“It is time the opposition takes a step back, but I also think it's also time the majority, the government and the prime minister, take two steps back. They have to realize that the key responsibilities for the country's governance are theirs.

“It is their duty to respect independent institutions, and not to influence the creation of new justice institutions.

“They should be an example of the fight against corruption taking into account many events that have shocked the public opinion, because in the end excuses will not be valuable, useful to none, and in our case could result in a missed possibility to enter the EU.

The German interviewer went on to ask Meta what his concluding message was concerning the opposition protest to take place on Thursday.

“It is of importance that any protest is a peaceful one, and those who organize it take on the appropriate responsibilities. It is shameful for provocations to occur during the protests for any reason.”

Regarding an agreement between Kosova and Serbia, which has even seen suggestions raised for border correction, Meta was asked about his stance on the ongoing dialogue between the two states.

“I am a firm believer of dialogue, including in this difficult situation. Communication should center in achieving the mutual goals of both parties, in this case, a common European future."

“I do not encourage any barriers or added difficulties that could negatively impact the dialogue between the parties. Dialogue should be established on a fair and equal footing, not by exerting pressure towards one another," Meta concluded on the topic.



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