Skopje, 9 February 2024 (MIA) – According to the law, there can’t be two entities from the opposition in the Government’s composition and that is the main reason why the dismissal of the ministers of health and of information society and administration, Fatmir Mexhiti and Azir Aliu, has been proposed. It is not at all a question of their expertise or professionalism for which I have immense respect, said caretaker Prime Minister Talat Xhaferi in Parliament on Friday, presenting his request for the dismissal of the two ministers of the Alliance for Albanians (AA) in front of the lawmakers.

Xhaferi’s brief address was followed by an address from Minister Mexhiti, who urged the MPs to think once again before adopting a decision for his dismissal.

“The two ministers have said they would support the status of the leader of the party that they would act as an opposition, and in line with the law, there can’t be two entities from the opposition in the Government’s composition, and that is the main reason why the dismissal was proposed. This is my right in line with the Constitution, while the decision is up to Parliament,” said Xhaferi.

In his address, Mexhiti said the country would not progress as long as political and personal interest aren’t rooted out.

“I leave it to your conscience, to think before you make a decision about a minister who invests and works for the good of all. I showed how we should work, I showed what it’s like for a minister to fight for what he believes and what he wants to implement. I didn’t run from the problems, but I walked into fire in order to solve the issues that everyone before me ran away from and swept under the rug. I am proud of this, and I know I will again have the opportunity to continue where I left off. But it seems not everyone in the Government shares my goal, it seems that DUI, through its ministers, has decided to politicize, obstruct and go against the interests of the citizens and protect their own partisan interests until the very end,” said Mexhiti at the session of Parliament.

The request for the dismissal of Mexhiti and Aliu comes after the two voiced support for the leader of the Alliance for Albanians, Arben Taravari, who said the party would join the opposition of ethnic Albanian parties at the coming elections, clashing with AA assembly chairman and former leader Ziadin Sela who believes the party should participate independently at the May 8 elections.

Photo: MIA/printscreen