Albania parliament approves new Cabinet ministers

TIRANA, Albania – Albania’s parliament has approved four new ministers in a reshuffle that was made to enable former ministers to campaign for the June 18 parliamentary election.

The reshuffle makes the number of male and female ministers in the Cabinet equal for the first time in the country’s history.

Thursday’s vote, held without the presence of the opposition parties, named Fatmir Xhafaj as interior minister, Ogerta Manastirliu as health minister, Olta Xhacka as social wellbeing minister and Eduard Shalsi as state minister for local affairs.

For almost five weeks the opposition’s supporters have blocked the main boulevard in the capital, Tirana, asking for a caretaker Cabinet to take the country to the election.