The ministers of the new cabinet, which will pass in the Parliament in September, will not be forced to renounce the deputy mandate. Premier Edi Rama has changed his mind and decided the new ministers will continue to be Members of Parliament as well. Consequently, there will be no new deputies from the Socialist Party lists to replace the ministers.

“We will pursue this practice no longer, not because it didn’t work in the first term, but because we need to have a full compactness and the ministers must have a much stronger connection than in the first term with the parliamentary group”, Rama explained to Panorama.

In the last months Rama led the caretaker cabinet, formed after his agreement with Democratic Party chairman Lulzim Basha in May 18. Asked about the Democrat technical minister, Rama appreciated their job. He praised in particular Deputy PM Ledina Mandija for her integrity and seriousness in performing her duty.