Meta candidate for MP on the open list/ Kikia: Brave decision

2025-03-10 22:00:00, Politikë CNA

The leadership of the Freedom Party today approved Ilir Meta's decision to be a candidate for deputy on the open list of the Tirana district.

Invited to "Now" with Erla Mëhilli, analyst Mentor Kikia said that Meta has chosen to run on the open list, a move that could strengthen the Freedom Party in parliament, but which at the same time poses a risk to his legal future.

By entering an open list, Meta ensures his party more representation, as the safe mandates of the coalition with the Democratic Party remain unchanged.

According to Kiki, this strategy could be an indicator of Meta's self-confidence in obtaining the mandate.

"The moment he is included in the open list, it may be a confidence that will lead him to receive the mandate of the deputy, but in the meantime, it saves the party another mandate that this afrofe would receive. This means that his party will receive those safe mandates from the joint list with the Democratic Party, and in the meantime he is included on behalf of the Freedom Party, increasing the number of deputies of this party in parliament," said Kikia.

However, he added that this decision is very brave on Meta's part and he was surprised by this kind of step. According to him, in a safe list, Meta would automatically receive the mandate of the deputy and this would lead to his release from prison, while with this decision, he described it as a "bet" by Meta with his legal fate.

"It seems a bit bold to me, because the calculations for Meta's mandate were not simply for one more or less mandate for the Freedom Party, but the calculations are in relation to his security measure. The moment he receives the mandate of the deputy, he is automatically released from prison and then the story continues. If the opposition wins, the prosecution may or may not appeal and request to return him to arrest and the procedures would start from the beginning. This legal situation that he has today can only be changed by the mandate of the deputy. I believe that, from this perspective, Meta would have been interested in a place on the safe list, and it seems to me that this is a surprising decision. It seems to me like a bet, not with the mandate, but with his legal fate," said Mentor Kikia.