President Nishani Will Decree Xhafaj

In a press conference given yesterday at 18:00, President Bujar Nishani has confirmed that he will decree Fatmir Xhafaj as new Minister of Interior Affairs. The President stated that the Constitution does not give him the right to withhold his approval, as had been demanded by the opposition.

In my evaluation, the candidacy of the Minister of Interior is inappropriate. But the Constitution does not give the President of the Republic the right to refuse a minister. In the case the Constitution of the country acknowledged this right for the President, I would have refused the candidacy of the Minister of Interior.

The President asked Parliament to start a parliamentary investigation into the public accusations raised against Xhafaj.

In this concrete case a parliamentary investigation would be necessary. [Xhafaj] has had a very important role in the drafting of the judicial reform and this parliamentary investigation would be appropriate to clarify the situation so that there would be no unjust accusations addressed to this individual.

President Nishani also addressed the worries of international partners about drug trafficking and the relations of the government with organized crime, as well as the important role of the Ministry of Interior Affairs in the organization of the elections. He also added that in this respect, the “extreme politicization of the State Police” is worrying.

Finally, President declared that he would be ready to accept a second mandate should a majority of Parliament agree to this.