31st Legislature of Albania

Among others, he dismissed the head of diplomacy, Olta Xhacka, the Albanian Post reports.
Rama asked the President of Albania, Bajram Begaj, to pass a decree on this matter, and it was announced that he will present the changes to Begaj today.
Olta Daka will no longer be the Minister of European and Foreign Affairs and Igli Hasani will be appointed to that position.

Albania's parliament is set to vote for a new president on Saturday, but no candidates' names are known or even rumoured, less than 24 hours ahead of the vote.

The last chance for Albania's main opposition Democratic Party to propose names for the new President - who must be elected in June - expired on Sunday, when it failed to do so, in the third round of the election.

The date for a fourth session is yet to be decided. Democratic Party parliamentarians did not show up to vote in the parliament.

The Socialist Party-controlled parliamentary administration offered MPs laptops for free on Thursday as it announced that parliamentary committee debates will now be held online, following a recommendation by the Committee of Experts, a body that advises the government on measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

After winning an unprecedented third mandate to govern Albania, Edi Rama's Socialist Party has turned its attention to its only rival who currently has a senior institutional position, President Ilir Meta.

The US Ambassador to Tirana, Yuri Kim, has put fresh pressure on Albanian parties to vet their lists of candidates submitted to the Central Election Commission, CEC, ahead of the April 25 elections, suggesting some should be disqualified.

The main opposition Democratic Party, PD, and the smaller left-wing Socialist Movement for Integration, LSI, put their ideological divisions aside on Monday to sign a pre-election agreement ahead of a legislative vote on April 25, under the slogan, "Albania, a home that wins".

Socialist Party MP Damian Gjiknuri speaking to journalists after failure to agree on electoral reform on May 31 2020. Photo: LSA

Representatives of the opposition Petrit Vasili (left) and Oerd Bylykbashi announcing the agreement on Tuesday. Photo: Gent Shkullaku/LSA.

The move has been applauded by the country's US and European partners, and offers a potential boost to the country's chances to open membership negotiations with European Union.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama speaking in parliament on 18 December. Photo: Gent Shkullaku/LSA