On Tuesday, the Albanian Parliament approved changes in the government led by Prime Minister Edi Rama, despite significant opposition protests.
Opposition deputies blocked the parliamentary podium, throwing accusations at Prime Minister Rama and the former Speaker of Parliament, Lindita Nikolla, forcing members of the Guard to line up to create a cordon in front of the government cabinet.
They prevented a secret ballot, and the majority deputies were forced to vote openly and electronically for the appointment of the new ministers. Some deputies threw water and paper ballots, which are used during voting, towards Rama and the ministers.
With the votes of the majority, Ervin Hoxha was appointed Minister of Interior, Piro Vengu Minister of Defence, and Petrit Malaj Minister of Finance. Meanwhile, Taulant Balla was appointed Minister of State for Relations with Parliament.
Elisa Spiropali was appointed the new Speaker of the Albanian Parliament, following the resignation of Lindita Nikolla a few days earlier due to health reasons.
At the beginning of the session, the leader of the opposition Democratic Party group, Gazment Bardhi, demanded that the prime minister explain the reasons for the dismissal of Balla from the position of Minister of Interior, Niko Peleshi from Minister of Defence, and Ervin Mete from Minister of Finance.
He addressed Nikolla with a request for the session to be accompanied by a debate, but his request was not accepted.
Bardhi claimed that Nikolla “lied” about the reason for her resignation from the position of Speaker of Parliament.
“You deceived the Parliament when you said you were ill. You have a mafia code,” Bardhi said, while Lindita Nikolla responded by stating that it was “shameful to use illness to create unfounded insinuations”.
Nikolla called for Bardhi’s expulsion from the session, but he remained in the chamber until the end of the proceedings.
The appointment of Bledi Çuçi as Deputy Speaker of Parliament was also voted on, replacing Ermonela Felaj, who was dismissed from this position.
After the session, the democrat Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Agron Gjekmarkaj, referred to the new ministers as “servants” of Prime Minister Rama.
Gazmend Bardhi told reporters that the new ministers are “unknown names” but with “ties to crime”.
On July 28, during the Socialist Party Congress, Prime Minister Rama announced the decision to dismiss three senior ministers.
High-ranking officials of the party said after the Congress that they were not aware of these decisions. The same statement was made by former Minister Peleshi.
