14 May 2020 Press Conference of the President of the Republic, H.E. Ilir Meta
Question (Everest Deda from Ora News Television): I have two questions, the first is related to the Theater: Despite two lawsuits in the Constitutional Court and a third lawsuit in the SPAK (Special Anti Corruption Prosecution) by the artists, it seems that the majority, but also the Municipality of Tirana are determined to demolish the Theater, due to the fact that tomorrow at 12.00 the Municipal Council convenes to take this decision. Mr. President, will you be with the citizens and artists in the square to defend the Theater as you did months ago to defend the Constitution?
A second question is related to the High Court: You have asked the High Judicial Council to dismiss, or rather terminate the membership of Ardian Dvorani. What will be the path Mr. President that will be followed if EURALIUS and USAID oppose your request in their opinion? And as a result, the HJC’s decision will be against your request?
President Meta: You were lucky to be the first to ask two questions. There may be others who want to ask other questions, but it seems to me that the issue for which I am here today is of particular importance. It is not a matter of procedures. It is a matter of the constitutional level and no one can hide neither today, nor tomorrow, nor in the future after the procedures for deliberate and intentional violation of the Constitution of the Republic of Albania, which violate a common interest of all citizens of the Republic, but also of all Albanians everywhere in the world, which has to do with the national and cultural interest.
As for where the President will be: The President is always at the forefront of his duty in defense of the Constitution, the national interest, the public interest. And I will always be on the forefront of my duty.
As for any clown who seeks to do tests of force with the President or who knows with whom else, it should be clear that the President behaves with maximum responsibility, keeps note of everything, has made repeated warnings.
The president will do his job without falling into banal provocations and has invited everyone to manage responsibly a very worrying situation, even of the public health, which is still going on. Even of the economy and the tremendously growing social problems.
The President has called on everyone to focus on the 15 conditions of the European Union. We do not need to add other conditions.
And the behavior towards this issue is not of merely of local dimensions, but it is an issue that is monitored with maximum attention. And it would have an even more significant impact, even worse for our position, which is not at all to be proud of in terms of the prospect of real accessions of negotiation.
We must show that we are a country that, despite the accumulated problems, we behave with maximum responsibility, we deal with the most important issues that we have to solve according to the principles of the rule of law and constructively.
Then everyone chooses his own own path. Choose his responsibilities too! Choose his consequences too! These are not issues that will be forgotten or can be amnestied because they are issues of national interest.
So I hope everyone reflects! Let everyone respect his competences! Show patience, because Albanians have alarming problems related to their health, their safety, their economy, extraordinary unemployment problems, which have increased for reasons we all know. And this requires more responsibility and not extreme irresponsibility, as unfortunately we notice some acts that do not serve the general or current interest at all, because it is a delicate and special situation, but also the situations of our European perspective.
I hope everyone adheres to their responsibilities, and gives up provocations as these would not help anyone’s position!
Thank you again for your attention, but I would not like to deal with other issues, because this was the main issue. Undoubtedly it deserved this attention, because it is one of the most noble causes in the 30 years of democracy, political pluralism, and no doubt everyone has been and is to build not one, but possibly several new halls for the National Theater or for local theaters. And I think the state, the municipality, has every opportunity to do that, but by no means destroying or extinguishing the National Theater or all that 80-years of its history.
Question (Ergys Gjonçaj from “News 24”): Mr. President, after your first stance last Saturday, the Mayor, Erjon Veliaj, reacted by using an expression in the Tirana dialect: “Ride your own donkey!” Do you have a reaction to this?
President Meta: I wish you all a good today! It was a pleasure to have this communication!
I want to emphasize once again to anyone who has not yet understood and will probably never understand, that Europe is not just Euro, but first and foremost is culture, is vision, but also is an identity!
Thank you!