Albanian parliament approves under opposition pressing, new cabinet appointments

January 18, 2011

Albania's parliament approved on Monday two appointments to fill cabinet posts of deputy prime minister and economy minister.

In a 72-0 vote, lawmakers in the 140-seat parliament endorsed the appointment of current Foreign Minister Edmond Haxhinasto as the country's deputy prime minister, replacing Ilir Meta who resigned from the position over corruption allegations.

Nasip Naco was approved as the country's new economy minister, a post also left by Meta.

Meta resigned over the allegation that he pressured Albania's former Economy Minister Dritan Prifti into distributing favors to his friends. Meta took over the position of economy minister after Prifti was forced from office over corruption charges.

Both Naco and Haxhinasto belong to the Socialist Integration Movement (SIM) party, a small party led by Meta in the coalition government under Prime Minister Sali Berisha.

Opposition Socialist Party and its allies, which refused to vote, have called for a street protest on Friday.