Celibashi becomes first minister to resign from Rama government

TIRANA, Aug. 2 – Ilirjan Celibashi, state minister for relations with the parliament, resigned last week Friday “for personal reasons.”
The resignation was made known at a joint press conference Celibashi held together with Prime Minister Edi Rama and his replacement, Ermonela Felaj.
That is the first resignation from Rama’s cabinet, in power since September last year.
It was not clear why Celibashi resigned but he was highly praised by Rama for his work, likely taking into consideration the hard work for the territorial reform passed by the parliament a day earlier.
Rama did not lose time but immediately replaced Celibashi with Felaj, a lawmaker who is to be replaced by another female Socialist parliamentarian.
Celibashi is a lawyer, former judge and the former head of the country’s Central Electoral Commission.