Exclusive interview with the former President of Albania, Ilir Meta: North Macedonia will flourish, there will be no destabilization after the formation of the new government!
Tirana, June 9 – The President of the Freedom Party, Ilir Meta, has gladly agreed to speak in an exclusive interview for the Lideri.mk portal of Skopje. In this interview, the former Albanian president was optimistic about the future of North Macedonia after the formation of the new government, and he also talked about the last meeting with the president of the PDSH, Menduh Thaçi.
Did Meta convince Thaçi to become part of the new majority in North Macedonia is one of the questions we asked the former president during the interview held in Tirana. In the same interview, he also talks about the reluctances of having destabilization as a result of the new composition of the government, but also about the expectations from the VLEN coalition as part of the Government.
Mr. Meta is optimistic that with the changes in North Macedonia, our country will leave the “Open Balkans”, which he calls a harmful and annihilating project for Albanians.
Speaking about the developments in Albania, he emphasizes quite categorically that “Albania needs an overthrow, not a change”, while for Albanians in general he says that a bright future awaits them, but “fighting together against the Trojan Horse”.
The full interview:
Lideri.mk: Mr. Meta, you know the circumstances in North Macedonia very well. How do you comment on the changes that occurred in the May 8 elections?
Ilir Meta: I think that these are welcomed changes, because the result itself and the extraordinary difference between the two main North Macedonian parties shows that there was a “hunger” for change.
Secondly, the growing socio-economic and corruption problems in North Macedonia have made this change even more acute. Thirdly, the positive experiences in the past in the field of economy and attracting foreign investments by VMRO, when it was in power, make this political force very reliable to realize this very ambitious program, which corresponds to to all layers in North Macedonia, which need change and care from the state and government.
Lideri.mk: In the public opinion, there are also dilemmas as to whether with the strong return of VMRO, the policies of inter-ethnic tensions can also return?
Ilir Meta: I don’t believe that this can happen, because, let’s not forget that VMRO was in power at the time when North Macedonia recognized Kosovo, let’s also not forget that VMRO has been against the Open Balkans, since it is essentially a project against Kosovo and which defactors the Albanians as a whole in the region. So I don’t believe in such stories. It should be added here that I believe that they will build a partnership with the Albanians, both in the government and in the opposition, because I see that they have a clear vision. Of course, they will also face delicate issues, such as the issue with Bulgaria, but I believe that both countries will handle this issue wisely, in the mutual interest and in the interest of our entire region, where Bulgaria is also present and has its role.
Lideri.mk: How do you evaluate the new parties that will represent the Albanians in the government. Will they be able to represent us with dignity?
Ilir Meta: It is a decision of the Albanian electorate and it is a decision of the winner to choose the government partners. I believe that Albanians both in the government and in the opposition will be a guarantee to protect all the European and Euro-Atlantic achievements of North Macedonia, but also to mark new achievements. I had the pleasure a few days ago to have the chairman of the historic Albanian party, the Albanian Democratic Party in North Macedonia, invited here, Mr. Menduh Thaçi, who was very aware of the important role that the opposition has in these moments.
Lider.mk: There were assumptions in North Macedonia that your meeting with Mr.Thaçi aimed to convince him to become part of the majority. Did you discuss this topic in the meeting?
Ilir Meta: Our meeting has absolutely nothing to do with such assumptions. Mr. Thaçi is probably more experienced in politics than I am and he has gone through very difficult periods and experiences, which he has survived with great courage and determination. At the same time, Mr. Thaçi is not one of those who think that remaining in the opposition is a disaster. Rather, he sees and experiences it as a mission. I also wanted to say that it is not my duty to interfere in the internal affairs of North Macedonia, except in the crisis of the period of 2001, when I intervened to sit Ali Ahmeti at the table with Arbër Xhaferi, because it was a necessity for The Ohrid Agreement, which was also made to avoid confrontation between Albanians. If in the last elections there was an intervention on my part, regarding the North Macedonian side, it was because VMRO has publicly declared against the Open Balkans and this is very important for me as the Chair of a very important Party in Albania, but also as former President of the Republic of Albania, former Prime Minister and former Speaker of the Parliament of Albania, because the Open Balkans was an annihilation project for Kosovo and on the other hand to strengthen the role of Serbia as a hegemonic factor in our region.
Lideri.mk: Do you think that North Macedonia can be destabilized because of the composition of the new government?
Ilir Meta: I don’t see any reason why North Macedonia should have such concerns. It is only important that North Macedonia goes on its European path and fulfills its duties as a member of NATO. I think any unconstructive rhetoric is useless.
Lideri.mk: We had changes in Kosovo, they happened in North Macedonia, do you think they will happen soon in Albania as well?
Ilir Meta: Changes in Albania are long overdue and should have happened long time ago. Precisely with the aim of realizing the ominous projects for the division of Kosovo, where Edi Rama had a leading role and still has an important role, precisely to realize the Open Balkans and to realize the deliberate depopulation of Albania, the change in Albania was bought by Edi Rama and was unfortunately sold by certain international factors, who in all these negative developments in our country sided with the aggressors and not the victim. And when I say on the side of the aggressors, I mean on the side of the chauvinistic policies of Belgrade and not the victim, which I mean simply the protection of Kosovo’s achievements so far for its statehood, which was realized with many joint sacrifices of Albanians and internationals. Albania today needs an overthrow and does not need change, because in reality a coup d’état happened in Albania, where all the principles of the state of law, control and balance of power were overthrown and Albania, because of this government, became the first country in Europe and the second in the world for the level of corruption.
Lideri.mk: What is your opinion about the future, what awaits the Albanians?
Ilir Meta: For Albanians, fighting together, a very good future awaits them. Albanians, isolating evil, the Trojan Horse and all the mercenaries, especially those of the Parent 1 and Parent 2 ideology, will without any doubt protect the nation, protect the Albanian family, our best traditions, our history and our identity and they will have a dignified future as Albanians and as Europeans at the same time. So, they will not turn into worthless statistics, which are of interest only to those who see Albanians as consumers.
Lideri.mk: Thank you very much for agreeing to give an exclusive interview for the Lideri.mk portal.
Ilir Meta: It was my pleasure and I wish all the Albanians of North Macedonia success. For us, it is very vital that North Macedonia flourishes as a state of law where human rights are guaranteed and in particular the rights of Albanians, which are a major state-forming factor and the ongoing prosperity of North Macedonia is a contribution major for the entire Balkans.
