Berisha sets priorities in first Cabinet meeting

TIRANA, Sep 20 – Prime Minister Sali Berisha chaired last week, after the parliament vote, the first meeting of the new government setting out some of the priorities of the new Cabinet.
The new government intends to hold open cabinet meetings to boost transparency, but needs the votes of the opposition Socialist Party to adopt such a law, Berisha said.
Berisha chaired the first cabinet meeting, where he again urged the Socialist-led opposition to stop its boycott and return to parliament.
The Socialists insist the June 28th general election was manipulated and refuse to back down, despite calls from Brussels that such political debate should take place in parliament.
Besides Berisha also expressed the willingness of the ruling majority to cooperate with the opposition for implementation of the major reforms for the country and called on the opposition to end the parliament boycott.
The premier also said that he would like that the cabinet meetings were held in an open transparent manner.
“E-government implies that everything will be in the light of the sun; everything in all the offices, agencies and cabinets will be transparent. Nothing can be healthier than an administration under the rays of the sun,” he said.
“E-government implies major reforms which in four years time will form another Albania, a NATO country with a modern infrastructure, Albania in the digital age, the country with a consolidated social spirit, education and health system of the best standards, as well as independence of institutions,” added the premier.
“We should guarantee even those who voted for other alternatives that we do everything so that every Albanian citizen finds himself reflected in our program,” he said.
“In a democratic system, the political forces have differences from one another, but there is only one fundamental issue all over Europe and the democratic world and that is the rule of law. And in the framework of the rule of law and the laws of the country we are absolutely willing to accept every demand of the opposition on everything it considers in its interest and in the interest of the country as well.”
Berisha said that the opposition should come back into the Parliament and continue the cooperation on major reforms for the preparation of the country so that to proceed further and address all OSCE/ODHIR recommendations.
Berisha also urged his ministers to “put your mobile phone numbers on the web page of the relevant ministries.”
“I would demand the meetings of this Cabinet to become step by step transparent for the public which during the meeting can make questions on the topics under discussion,” said Berisha.