Prime Minister Edi Rama announced the names of his new ministers during the General Assembly of the Socialist Party yesterday. The new cabinet is smaller than the previous one, with several ministries being merged. Several familiar names from the previous government will also not return. The cabinet consists of 8 men and 7 women.
The Rama II cabinet comprises the following ministers:
- Edi Rama – Prime Minister
- Senida Mesi – Deputy Prime Minister
- Pandeli Majko – Minister of State for Albanian Diaspora
- Sonila Qato – Minister of State for the Protection of Enterprise
- Ditmir Bushati – Minister of Foreign Affairs
- Fatmir Xhafaj – Minister of Interior Affairs
- Olta Xhaçka – Minister of Defense
- Etilda Gjonaj – Minister of Justice
- Mirela Kumbaro – Minister of Culture
- Arben Ahmetaj – Minister of Finance, Economy, and Labor
- Lindita Nikolla – Minister of Education, Sport, and Youth
- Ogerta Manastirliu – Minister of Health and Social Care
- Damian Gjiknuri – Minister of Energy, Industry, and Infrastructure
- Niko Peleshi – Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
- Blendi Klosi – Minister of Tourism
Two ministers from the Rama I government, Saimir Tahiri and Ilir Beqaj, will not return. Both ministers have been involved in several scandals, in the case of Tahiri the police involvement in drug cultivation and traffic, and in the case of Beqaj a number of dubious and very lucrative healthcare concessions.
Also the prominent Ministry of Urban Development led my Eglantina Gjermeni, which was responsible for implementing the administrative reform and the urban renewal projects across Albania, will cease to exist.
The same holds for the Ministry of State for Relations with the Parliament. Now that Prime Minister Rama has full control over Parliament, these relations will no doubt be managed with more ease.
Finally, the inclusion of two new ministries of state, for the Albanian diaspora and the protection of enterprise, suggest two focal points of the new goverment.
