Albanian parliament to vote on president’s impeachment

Albania's parliament is holding an extraordinary session to vote on the impeachment of the country’s president

TIRANA, Albania -- The Albanian parliament on Wednesday started an extraordinary session to vote on the impeachment of the country’s president after a parliamentary investigation concluded that he should be removed from office for violating the constitution. A 98-page report by parliament's investigative committee said President Ilir Meta violated 16 articles of the constitution before Albania’s April 25 general election and should be removed from office a year earlier than his term ends. Meta has denounced the investigation and impeachment attempt, arguing they are illegal. 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.