Former president Ilir Meta claims arrest is a pre-planned political maneuver

Ilir Meta, the former president of Albania and current chairman of the Freedom Party (former Socialist Movement for Integration), conveyed a message to his supporters while under pre-trial detention on his Facebook account. He is being investigated by the Special Prosecution Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) for hiding his wealth, involvement in the CEZ-DIA scandal and alleged lobbying activities in the United States. Meta contends that his arrest, occurring just a week ago, was an illegal and politically motivated abduction, strategically timed to coincide with the lead-up to forthcoming elections. He also blamed his former wife for his legal troubles.

Why is this important: Meta’s Facebook post outlines familiar grievances, including blaming his ex-wife for legal irregularities. The narrative is not new and echoes previous statements that have characterized his approach to political crises such as claims of possessing insider knowledge and voicing conspiracy theories as a modus operandi. The post seems timed to stir support and mobilize public sentiment ahead of the October 29 protest planned to contest his arrest. 

Context: According to Meta, the investigation began based on accusations from December 2019, rooted in a complaint by an individual with links to the government, previously convicted of domestic violence. Meta claims that over the years, in collaboration with Prime Minister Edi Rama and former minister of energy Damian Gjiknuri, the head of SPAK, Altin Dumani coerced and intimidated numerous individuals into making false declarations against him. 

Family issues: Meta highlighted the alleged misuse of his health expenditure declarations from 2013 and 2014, blaming his ex-wife for falsely assuring their legality. He stated: “This came about because of false assurances from my ex-wife that everything was paid for and declared according to the law,” referring to the undeclared overseas healthcare expenses. Meta argues that everything else was merely a scheme to wrongfully attribute responsibilities to him, as the declaration of assets and healthcare expenses was entirely managed by his ex-wife in full trust, along with their lawyer and notary, including the majority of their properties. Meta also refuted claims that he benefited from transactions facilitated by an Albanian-American businessman, which were implied by intercepted communications of his ex-wife.

What else he said: In his lengthy social media post Meta described himself as a “political prisoner,” detained under the orchestration of prosecutor Dumani, Prime Minister Rama, and what he refers to as the “international mafia.” He accuses the SPAK’s actions as a façade to isolate him politically and facilitate a hostile takeover of the Freedom Party, transforming it into a puppet of the regime led by Rama.

In depth: For decades, Ilir Meta, alongside his ex-wife Monika Kryemadhi, led the Socialist Movement for Integration and stood as one of Albania’s influential power couples. Their strategic alliances and oppositions were pivotal in the 2005, 2009, and 2013 elections, significantly shaping the political landscape. However, their tenure and their party were marred by widespread allegations of corruption and abuse of power, that seriously harmed their reputation. Following a shift to the opposition in 2017, their political influence waned dramatically.

In recent years, Meta’s public behavior became increasingly erratic. His high-profile divorce, coupled with a vehement public denouncement of his wife and her faction within their party—which he rebranded as the Freedom Party—marked a significant turn in his political career. His attempts to showcase vigor through unusual antics, such as weightlifting in public, interacting oddly with animals, diving into rivers, and scaling hills, transformed him from a formidable politician to a frequent subject of memes and jokes. Recent polls indicate that support for his party has nearly dissipated, highlighting a stark fall from political grace.