Albanian PM Edi Rama assumes foreign minister position, amid growing discord with President Ilir Meta

Tirana, Albania | 11 Jan 2019 (Tirana Echo) – Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama will assume the duties of the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, following a refusal by the country’s President Ilir Meta to decree his previous proposal for the post, Gent Cakaj.

The move was signaled by Rama himself in a recent tweet, where he confirmed the proposal from the council of ministers to the president.

“The President has not released the Foreign minister from his duties as the constitution foresees – Another violation which we will confront, among others, at the new Constitutional Court. Until then, I will be acting de-jure in this position as we do not have any more time to waste in search of the President.” – said Rama.

Following the formal proposal of Rama’s name, Albania’s President Ilir Meta has released Ditmir Bushati from his duties and has decreed Edi Rama as the new Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, ending a 3 week long political conflict between the country’s highest authorities.

The move which is expected to be confirmed today by Albania’s Parliament, suggests Rama will delegate ministerial competencies to the Deputy Minister Gent Cakaj, who was earlier refused the position by the President on grounds of irresponsibility and lack of experience.

This is a known practice in Albania, allowing the PM to sideline the President in times of refusal and control appointments at the executive level according to his preferences.

PM Rama has also vowed to challenge the President’s actions at the Constitutional Court, currently out of function, and promised that the country’s highest court will beconstituted very soon, following a successful, but slow vetting process of the country’s judges and prosecutors, as part of a wider justice reform backed by the European Union and the United States.