Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama addresses a plenary meeting of the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit 2015 at the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan, New York September 25, 2015. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

TIRANA (Reuters) - Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Sunday he would replace four of his ministers this week, a move which failed to satisfy opposition protesters who have been calling for a technocratic caretaker government to take over until free parliamentary elections are held on June 18.

The opposition Democratic Party’s three-week-long protest in a tent outside Rama’s office and its boycott of parliament have stalled the creation of bodies that would vet 750 judges and prosecutors. Reform of the judiciary is a key condition set by the EU for starting accession talks.

But in his weekly address Rama said the move to replace the four ministers was not due to pressure from either his coalition partner or the protests of the opposition Democratic Party.

Instead, “the government changes were made only to allow our electoral managers to focus with fresh energies on the campaign in order to cope with the huge volume of contacts,” Rama said.

Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri, Social Welfare Minister Blendi Klosi, Local Government Minister Bledi Cuci and Health Minister Ilir Beqa are also Socialist Party coordinators in key districts.

Rama hailed Tahiri, who critics have blamed for the rapid expansion of cannabis farms in the last two years, as a champion of Socialist Party reforms, turning a corrupt police force into a “trusted” institution for Albanians.

But the Democratic Party, which has accused the government of colluding with cannabis growers to steal the elections, said it would not be fooled by such “tricks” in replacing ministers.

“Our protest continues and will continue until Rama resigns, until free and fair elections are guaranteed by a technocrat government,” the Democrats’ leader Lulzim Basha told his backers in their tent blocking the main boulevard on Sunday.

The ministers are due to be formally replaced on Monday. </s> " Albania's prime minister has replaced four Cabinet ministers who he says stepped down to devote their time to campaigning for the June 18 parliamentary election. Edi Rama said after a meeting of his Socialist Party's leadership Monday that Fatmir Xhafaj would be the new interior minister, Ogerta Manastirliu the new health minister, Olta Xhacka the social wellbeing minister and Eduard Shalsi the state minister for local affairs.

Start the conversation, or Read more at The New Zealand Herald. </s> Albania’s Socialist prime minister says four government ministers will step down on March 13, but he insisted the moves had nothing to do with opposition protests.

Prime Minister Edi Rama said on March 12 he would replace the Socialist Party ministers of interior, health, social wellbeing, and local affairs so they can focus on upcoming parliamentary elections.

“The government changes were made only to allow our electoral managers to focus with fresh energies on the campaign in order to cope with the huge volume of contacts," Rama said during his weekly address.

The ministers stepping down are also coordinators for the Socialist Party in key districts.

They are Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri; Social Welfare Minister Blendi Klosi; Local Government Minister Bledi Cuci; and Health Minister Ilir Beqa.

Tahiri has been blamed by critics for the rapid expansion of cannabis farms over the past two years.

The Democratic Part has accused the government of colluding with cannabis growers to steal recent elections. It said it would not be fooled by such "tricks" as replacing the ministers.

Democratic Party lawmakers have boycotted parliament, stalling procedures to vet 750 judges and prosecutors.

The opposition demonstrators have been calling for a technocratic caretaker government to take over to ensure that June 18 parliamentary elections are free and fair.

The European Union has set reform of the judiciary and free elections as key conditions for the start of ascension talks, which NATO-member Albania said it hopes to begin by the end of this year.

Rama's leftist coalition defeated the Democrats four years ago and has won all local elections since.

But the party has complained it was cheated out of victory and is pressing for reforms to guarantee fair elections.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP </s> Albania's prime minister has replaced four Cabinet ministers who he says stepped down to devote their time to campaigning for the June 18 parliamentary election.

Edi Rama said after a meeting of his Socialist Party's leadership Monday that Fatmir Xhafaj would be the new interior minister, Ogerta Manastirliu the new health minister, Olta Xhacka the social wellbeing minister and Eduard Shalsi the state minister for local affairs.

For the past three weeks, the opposition Democratic Party' supporters have blocked the main boulevard in the capital, Tirana, asking for a caretaker Cabinet to take the country to the election.

Democrats' leader Lulzim Basha wasn't pleased with the reshuffle, saying they want Rama to resign. Albania's president must formally approve ministers before they go to a parliamentary vote. </s> Albania's prime minister says that four Cabinet ministers will step down and devote themselves to campaigning for the June 18 parliamentary election.

Edi Rama said Sunday that the ministers of interior, health, social wellbeing and the state minister for local affairs, who are part of his governing Socialist Party's leadership, "will focus with renewed energy" on the campaign.

Rama denied media rumors that the reshuffle came after a request from the opposition parties. The opposition has threatened to boycott the polls unless the current coalition government agrees to create a caretaker cabinet.

For three weeks, opposition Democratic Party supporters have blocked the main boulevard in the capital, Tirana. </s> Preliminary results show that Albania's ruling Socialist Party appears headed for a new governing mandate in an election seen as key to the country's future relationship with the European Union.

With 40 percent of the votes counted, the party of Prime Minister Edi Rama won almost 52 of the vote, the Central Election Commission said on June 26.

It would secure the Socialists 76 seats in the 140-seat chamber -- 11 more than in the previous elections in 2013.

According to the partial count, the opposition center-right Democratic Party of Lulzim Basha won 29 percent of the vote, or 40 seats -- a loss of nine seats compared to 2013.

Rama's current junior coalition partner, the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI), received almost 16 percent of the vote -- some 4.5 percentage points more than in the previous poll.

Official results are expected later on June 26.

If the partial results hold, it would allow the 52-year-old pro-Europe Rama to set the political agenda without the need for a coalition.

Rama has become increasingly at odds with the LSI and its former leader, former Prime Minister Ilir Meta, who is now president-elect after being voted to the mostly ceremonial position by parliament.

Although the elections apparently went off smoothly, voter turnout was 44.9 percent, a record low for a general election in Albania. In 2013, turnout was 52.7 percent.

Because of the low turnout -- which some people blamed on the record-high temperatures and celebration of Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan -- the election commission extended voting by an hour past the scheduled closing time.

The Socialists and Democrats were the leading parties looking to gain an outright majority in the parliament of the NATO-member, Muslim-majority country of 2.9 million people.

The Democrats had threatened to boycott the elections, demanding that Rama resign ahead of the vote to ensure a fair process.

The United States and the EU brokered a deal in May that overhauled election rules and allowed the opposition greater oversight over the process.

Rama is seeking his second term as prime minister. He described the vote, held in front of international observers, as a pivotal moment for the country and its hopes to join the EU.

Rama, who has voiced concerns about Russian influence in the country, has said he would like to complete EU accession talks by the end of this year.

His rival, Basha, has also said he favors EU membership, calling it the "divine mission of the Democratic Party."

The country gained EU-candidate status in 2014, but movement has been slowed by a perceived lack of reforms, including those involved with the election process, and longstanding corruption.

While in power, the Socialists have improved tax collection and ruled over an improvement in economic growth -- 3.45 percent last year from less than 1 percent four years ago.

However, they were unable to fulfill promises to create 300,000 new jobs and provide free health care for everyone over 40 years of age.

The country has come under scrutiny for its massive levels of marijuana production, and it is a major transit route into Europe for cocaine and heroin.

Basha, 43, a former transport and interior minister, accuses Rama of ignoring Albania's problems and glossing them over with "facades and palm trees."

Both Rama and Basha previously served as mayors of the capital of Tirana.

With reporting by VOA, dpa, AP, Reuters, and Balkan Insight </s> MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Albanian parliament elected its current speaker Ilir Meta of the Socialist Movement for Intergration (LSI) was elected the new President of Albania in the fourth round of elections.

Meta, who was nominated as a candidate in the third round, was elected by 87 votes in favor and two against in the 140-seat parliament, according to the Balkan Insight website.

According to other local media, Meta called on all parties to show more responsibility amid the political crisis in the country, urging them to do everything possible for all political parties to take part in the upcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled for June 18.

The opposition refused to take part in the presidential election, as it has been boycotting all parliamentary proceeding since February, claiming that the upcoming parliamentary election will be rigged and refusing to register for it. Instead it demands that Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama steps down and allows creation of a caretaker government to ensure free and fair parliamentary election. </s> Exit polls indicate Albania's ruling Socialists have likely secured a parliamentary majority in elections seen as key to the country’s future relationship with the European Union.

Citing exit polls, broadcaster Ora News on June 25 projected that Prime Minister Edi Rama's Socialists will win 45-49 percent of the vote, good enough for 71-75 seats in the 140-seat chamber.

The center-right Democrats of Lulzim Basha, an ardent admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump, are forecast to have won 30 percent of the vote.

An exit poll by Italy's IPR Marketing provided similar results.

Official results are expected on June 26.

If the projections hold, it will allow the 52-year-old, pro-Europe Rama to set the political agenda without the need for a coalition. His party was favored going into the vote, but experts were unsure if it would attain a majority.

A clear victory would allow Rama to rule without his current junior coalition partner, the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI), which received about 19 percent of the vote.

Rama has become increasingly at odds with the LSI and its former leader, former Prime Minister Ilir Meta, who is now president-elect after being voted to the mostly ceremonial position by parliament.

Although the elections apparently went off smoothly, voter turnout was 44.9 percent, a record low for a general election in Albania.

In 2013, turnout was 52.7 percent, with some 1,750,000 people voting. Preliminary calculations indicate 1,514,851 out of a possible 3,452,260 voters turned out for the current election.

Because of the low turnout -- which some people blamed on the record-high temperatures and celebration of Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan -- the election commission extended voting by an hour past the scheduled closing time.

The Socialists and Democrats were the leading parties looking to gain an outright majority in the parliament of the NATO-member, Muslim-majority country of 2.9 million people.

The Democrats had threatened to boycott the elections, demanding that Rama resign ahead of the vote to ensure a fair process.

The United States and the EU brokered a deal in May that overhauled election rules and allowed the opposition greater oversight over the process.

Rama is seeking his second term as prime minister. He described the vote, held in front of international observers, as a pivotal moment for the country and its hopes to join the EU.

Rama, who has voiced concerns about Russian influence in the country, has said he would like to complete EU ascension talks by the end of this year.

His rival, Basha, has also said he favors EU membership, calling it the "divine mission of the Democratic Party."

The country gained EU-candidate status in 2014, but movement has been slowed by a perceived lack of reforms, including those involved with the election process, and long-standing corruption.

While in power, the Socialists have improved tax collection and ruled under an improvement in economic growth -- 3.45 percent last year from less than 1 percent four years ago.

However, they were unable to fulfill promises to create 300,000 new jobs and provide free health care for everyone over 40 years of age.

The country has come under scrutiny for its massive levels of marijuana production, and it is a major transit route into Europe for cocaine and heroin.

Basha, 43, a former transport and interior minister, accuses Rama of ignoring Albania's problems and glossing them over with "facades and palm trees."

Both Rama and Basha previously served as mayors of the capital, Tirana.

With reporting by dpa, AP, Reuters, and Balkan Insight </s> Lawmakers in Kosovo voted to dismiss the government of Prime Minister Isa Mustafa in a no-confidence motion Wednesday, leading to a snap election next month.

Seventy-eight members in the 120-seat parliament voted to dismiss the government after months of political gridlock over a border deal which critics argued would mean less land for the tiny Balkan country.

The opposition more broadly accused the government of failing to deliver on campaign promises and claimed there was diminishing public trust in the government.

"The country is badly governed. The country needs a new government," said Valdete Bajrami of the opposition Initiative for Kosovo party, which proposed the motion.

Mustafa, however, has argued that his government has lowered unemployment and debt, and warned that the the consequence of this vote will be "the country's destabilization through creating a lack of trust in institutions, and an institutional vacuum."

According to the law in Kosovo, elections must be held within 45 days. Mustafa, who's government was slated to run the country for another year, is expected to call the elections by the end of the week.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama dismisses four cabinet ministers, including Minister of Internal Affairs Saimir Tahiri and Minister of Health Ilir Beqaj, in a bid to make the government more technocratic following opposition Democratic Party protests.