Minister of Interior Ervin Hoxha announced today during a briefing after the government meeting that, “At today’s meeting of the government, there were approved two very important acts to extend the validity period of identity documents, which have expired or will expire on May 11, 2025, for citizens residing within the territory of the Republic of Albania”.

Hoxha emphasized that, “According to an analysis of the data, it comes out that there are a considerable number of citizens eligible to vote, whose ID cards and biometric passports have expired or will expire by May 11. These are necessary documents to participate in the voting process”.

Hoxha underlined that, “The approval of normative acts is taken with the aim of guaranteeing the constitutional right of all citizens to vote without obstacles in the general Parliamentary elections”.

According to this decision, the validity period of identification means, electronic ID cards and biometric passports that expire on May 11, 2025 – is extended until May 31, 2025.

Recently, Hoxha added, “Political parties have requested the CEC, the Ministry of Interior and the government to extend the validity period of the expired documents”./j.p/p.s./

“Today, there are 466 thousand citizens with the right to vote who do not have a valid identity document, neither an ID card, nor a passport. The Albanian government extended the validity only for voters who live outside Albania, discriminating those who are in Albania”, said Bylykbashi.

He underlined that, “This discrimination is unconstitutional and endangers the right to vote of these 466,000 citizens who live in Albania, and on May 11 want to vote and express their constitutional right”.

“We ask the government to issue the normative act without delay and extend the validity of identity documents for electoral reasons only, so that these citizens on May 11 will have the opportunity to vote,” he said.

“We ask the CEC, as the supreme election body to strongly request the government so that these citizens will have the opportunity to vote,” Bylykbashi added.

“We also draw the attention of international mechanisms for election observation, such as the OSCE-ODIHR, the OSCE, the Council of Europe and any other international institution, to point at this violation of the rights of Albanians. This should be done now, immediately, so that on May 11 all Albanians have the right to express their opinion for change, to change this autocratic regime,” Bylykbashi emphasized. /p.s./

“When it’s all been said and done. Driving licenses will now have a longer term of their validity, which goes up to 15 years”, emphasized Rama.

“The new deadlines have entered into force and there are nearly 80,000 drivers across the country who benefit from them, based on the same standard that is applied in the EU countries, facilitating citizens with shorter cycles of renewal of the license, from 11-12 renewals as of today, to only 4-5 renewals according to the new deadlines by the General Directorate of Road Transport Services, a leading institution in the path of reforms and the digital revolution”, said Rama.

The citizens appreciated the extension of the driver’s license renewal deadline as a relief and cost reduction.

“It’s very useful for me, since I live in Italy and I won’t have to come back every 10 years to renew my license”, said a citizen who renewed her driving license. She also appreciated the service provided by General Directorate of Road Transport Services.

Another citizen emphasized that he felt very good during the time when he applied for the renewal of his driver’s license, as there was offered a dignified service.

“It was done in 5 minutes. Renewing the driver’s license every 15 years makes it easier for us”, said another citizen.

As a result of this change, it is estimated that citizens have been saved about 1 billion lekë per year, in fees, time, fuel, movement./gj.m/p.s./

PM Rama said that these changes for all drivers were approved by last night’s vote in the Road Code Assembly.

One of the changes in the Road Code is the increase of the license renewal period, which is done every 15 years, compared to the current 10 years.

Some of the innovations are:

Renewal of Driving License categories AM, A1, A2, A, B1, B and BE, every 15 years until the age of 70.

Extension of the right to exercise the profession of Driving School Instructor up to 70 years old, from the current limit of 65 years old.

The Assembly approved the changes to the Road Code in the Republic of Albania with 101 votes in favor, 1 abstention and 6 against./p.s./

This morning, the US ambassador to Albania Yuri Kim greeted the Albanian applicant who was issued the 1st ever US visa valid for 10 years.

Ambassador Kim congratulated her and talked about her travel plans to the United States this summer.

As it was announced this week, the validity of visas for Albanian applicants qualified for new tourist and business visas to the USA will be extended from 3 years to 10 years, which means that tourist and business visas issued after today, will be valid for travel until 2032.

Prime Minister Edi Rama appreciated today as wonderful news the USA issuing 10 year-validity visas for Albanian citizens travelling to the USA.

“On the 100th anniversary of the relationship between the United States and Albania, the US issuing 10 year-validity visas for Albanian citizens is a meaningful expression of the multiplied cooperation after the signing of the Strategic Partnership Declaration during our first governance term as well as the continuous increase of confidence and international respect in Albania, thanks to the state-building reforms and significant results in an ongoing path of change”, said PM Rama./p.s./

Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy Besart Kadia presented the draft law following a report to the committee by MP Antoneta Dhima.

Kadia clarified that the draft law provides for the extension of the validity period of privatization vouchers until December 31, 2023, giving the opportunity to citizens and individuals who still own bills, to use them in the process of privatization of state property, in joint stock companies and in the process of legalization of informal settlements.

MP Antoneta Dhima, in the quality of the rapporteur, summarized the process and legal changes that have been undertaken over the years to extend the term of use of privatization vouchers.

After questions and discussions, the committee approved in principle, article by article and in its entirety the draft law and passed it to the plenary session of the Parliament for consideration. /j.p/r.e/p.s./