This article has been written for Albanian Free Press newspaper and www.afp.al
By Roland Qafoku
State Secretary at the Foreign Ministry?
Check.
Foreign minister? Check.
Minister of Economy? Check.
Deputy Prime Minister? Three times check.
Prime Minister? Check.
Speaker of Parliament? Check.
With his election on Friday evening, Ilir Meta seems to have held the highest number of offices in the history of the Albanian state.
While receiving 87 votes in Parliament, he was right to smile at his naïve student dream of becoming a professor one day, which for the time, seemed to be a courageous goal. After 30 years from his days as a student, Ilir Meta has gone a long way and his achievements are impressive. Since the collapse of communism, he’s one of the three or four Albanian politicians who has played a critical role in important decisions. A politician who has been so much loved and so much hated. A politician who has so many friends, but also a politician who has so many enemies. At the end of the day, politics in general, the Albanian one in particular, is not romance. Ilir Meta continues to cement the famous expression of a catholic cleric from Shkoder who has said: To be a politician in Albania means to have one foot in jail and the other in the grave.
Very few remember today that Ahmet Zogu and Fan Noli have been condemned to death by each other. That Ismail Qemali’s figure was constantly tarnished until one day, his opponents poisoned him. That Luigj Gurakuqi’s figure continues to be tarnished up to this day. Not to mention those politicians the communist regime imprisoned or killed without a trial. Very few may remember today that Sali Berisha’s immunity was removed in the past, that he has spent four hours inside a cell and that his arrest was requested. That Fatos Nano suffered a four year prison sentence. That an attempt was made to arrest Aleksander Meksi. So, everyone has been an important part of political decision making in the country and everyone has suffered the greed, jealousy, competition and even hostility of political opponents. Of course, Ilir Meta could not be an exception given the numerous posts that he has held. This reminds us the famous expression by John Kennedy: “All mothers want to see their sons presidents, but without becoming politicians”.
THE FIRST PERIOD: CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH
Ilir Meta’s grandfather must have well reflected about what he told one day to his son, Rexhep about his nephew, Ilir. The old wise man, who was known by the name of Duçka in the village, had long been noticing how his 7 year old nephew played, spoke and acted: “Your son will one day become someone”, he said about little Ilir Meta. This prediction, there in the remote village of Çepan, 800 meters above sea level and 21 km away from the town of Çorovoda, was more of a courageous thing rather than a prediction. That village which was constantly known for three things: clean air, clean water and strong Raki, had never produced throughout all of its history anyone famous, let alone a President, a Prime Minister or a Speaker of Parliament.
THE SECOND PERIOD: SP POLITICIAN
The career of a politician is judged by its early youth. Ilir Meta was only 21 years old when he appeared in public during a meeting between students and the then president Ramiz Alia. Two years later, he was elected MP for the constituency of Skrapar. But the young man who was graduated in political economy was not elected for just a seat in Parliament. Along with others who became part of the SP, he managed to establish FRESSH, which at that time became known as a party within the Socialist Party. This is how the new politician, Ilir Meta was gradually shaped. He took his first state post in 1997 as secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. So, he would embark on a long journey, but nobody knew how far he would go.
THE THIRD PERIOD: THE THREE POLAR POLITICIAN
Deputy Prime Minister to Prime Minister Pandeli Majko and then Prime Minister. This is how the road to power started for Ilir Meta. For nearly two years as head of the government, he brought novelties within the Socialist Party of a stubborn Prime Minister, in front of an opposition such as the DP’s opposition of that time, which is considered as one of the strongest ones of all times.
