Skopje, 9 February 2024 (MIA) – Shortly before Parliament kicked off its 143rd session on Friday, during which it is set to discuss the appointment of new ministers set to replace the ministers of health and of information society and administration, Fatmir Mexhiti and Azir Aliu, Alliance for Albanians lawmaker Halil Snopche told media that the party hasn’t requested the dismissal of their ministers. He underscored that the party’s bodies stand behind the ministers and accused of a coup within the party.

“I would like to inform you that the Alliance for Albanians has not requested such a thing from the Government, from Mr. Talat Xhaferi as the caretaker Prime Minister in this Government. The party’s bodies stand behind ministers Aliu and Mexhiti, including the central assembly and the presidency of the Alliance. This was proven last night [at the meeting] where 17 out of 29 members of the party’s presidency were physically present,” said the MP.

Snopche said that a decision has been made to support Taravari’s call for coalition with the opposition of ethnic Albanian parties at the coming general election.

“The decision is not related to our partnership in this Government. If such a thing happens, I would like to say that we won’t have a single obligation to the agreements with this Government and with SDSM or anyone else. They, themselves, are choosing to remove us from the Government, something similar to what happened in 2017. It is an interesting fact that this is happening under the instructions of Artan Grubi, our fellow party members who disagree with the call of our party leader to participate in the next elections with the opposition are trying to carry out a coup in the party through Artan Grubi, and have evidently chosen Artan Grubi as an acting leader of that group,” said Snopche.

According to the Alliance’s MP, the party’s personnel committee doesn’t have the authorization to issue proposals to the Government.

“The personnel committee cannot make proposals to the Government. The committee is only authorized to make proposals to the party’s presidency to name and dismiss personnel. There are no other authorizations. That’s why I say that a coup has been carried out. And I would tell Kovachevski to be careful since we aren’t obliged to comply with any agreement with SDSM and the Government,” said Snopche.

Snopche said that neither Taravari nor the members of the party’s central assembly who voiced their support for the party’s leader at a meeting Thursday in Kumanovo will participate in the party’s assembly schedules for Saturday by Ziadin Sela.

The MP’s statements come after party whip Adnan Neziri accused Taravari of violating the party’s Statute and said the necessary majority in Parliament exists to dismiss Azir Aliu and Fatmir Mexhiti, the party’s ministers who have voiced their support for Taravari.

AA assembly chairman and former leader Ziadin Sela also spoke to the media on Friday, reiterating that the party has the majority and expects to see the “decisions of the party’s bodies” implemented.

The statements of the clashing sides within AA came ahead of the beginning of Parliament’s 143rd session, with the dismissal and replacement of AA’s ministers on its agenda.