The Albanian parliament adopted new cabinet consists of both majority and opposition party members.
The unanimous vote came after President Bujar Nishani issued decrees naming the opposition’s recommendations for deputy prime minister and six other ministerial posts: interior, education, health, social wellbeing, finance and justice.
After three months of boycott, the Albanian opposition lawmakers returned to parliament to join their votes with the majority and approved the removal of deputy prime minister and six other ministers as well as their replacement by six caretaker ministers, all opposition’s nominees.
The approval of the new cabinet came in pursuit of the agreement reached between Prime Minister Edi Rama and Democratic Party leader Lulzim Basha to end the boycott and make opposition enter elections on June 25.
Parliament was dissolved earlier this month as required by the constitution ahead of elections. The vote on the Cabinet reshuffling was held in a special session.
Under the pre-election deal, the parties agreed that candidates would undergo thorough vetting. Parliament also replaced the head of the Central Election Commission with an opposition nominee.
In a related development, lawmakers approved the opposition members who will serve on commissions that are creating vetting bodies to evaluate the backgrounds of around 800 judges and prosecutors.
Establishing the judicial review panels is a key condition of European Union agreeing to launch membership negotiations with Albania. The opposition boycott had blocked the process.
The Albanian legislators also voted the amendments to the criminal code as part of election reform. All were made crimes punishable by a maximum of seven years’ imprisonment, the new Criminal Code defines.
