Blendi Gonxhe was appointed Minister of Economy, Culture and Innovation, while Adea Pirdeni was appointed State Minister for Public Administration and Anti-Corruption.

The chairman of the Socialist Party’s parliamentary group Bledi Çuçi told a meeting of the Socialist lawmakers ahead of today’s parliament session that a series of changes to the Parliament’s rules of procedure are designed to prevent violence and other actions aimed at disrupting parliament’s sessions.

In the past few months, parliament has often seen scenes of chaos and disruption caused by opposition MPs, who claim the ruling Socialist Party is denying them the right to set up inquiry committees.

At the start of this parliamentary session, the opposition has warned that its position will remain unchanged.

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At a meeting chaired by Parliament Speaker Lindita Nikolla, the Council reviewed the bill on several amendments and changes to the Parliament decision No. 166, dated 16.12.2004 “On Approval of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly of Albania, changed” proposed by two members of the Socialist Party’s parliamentary group, namely Blerina Gjylameti and Toni Gogu.

In his remarks, Socialist lawmaker Toni Gogu said that the proposed amendments were designed to stiffen disciplinary measures in order to prevent acts of violence in Parliament, after opposition lawmakers have hampered normal conduct of the parliamentary activity for over two months now by disrupting the plenary sessions and hearings of the parliamentary committees.

After discussions, the Council on the Rules of Procedure, Mandates and Immunity endorsed the proposed changes.

Under the new changes, MPs who break the rules will no longer face a 10-day suspension, but they could be expelled from parliament for a period from 30 to 60 days.

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