TIRANA, May 18 – The Socialist and Democratic parties unveiled Thursday afternoon the details of the deal reached by Prime Minister Edi Rama and opposition leader Lulzim Basha. They include the postponement by a week of election day to June 25 and the official election registration of opposition parties by May 26.
Major changes are envisaged in the cabinet, with seven key posts being given to caretaker experts that would be approved by the opposition. These include the Deputy Prime Minister and the ministers of the Interior, Finance, Education, Health, Justice and Social Welfare.
Technical experts to be proposed by the opposition will also head some major state institutions such as the Energy Distribution Operator and the agencies managing prisons and agriculture.
Also, the opposition will get to propose the chairman of the Central Election Commission and the People’s Advocate (Ombudsman).
The changes are being made to guarantee the ruling parties cannot use the state administration to get more votes.
The opposition has accepted to vote for all the bylaws and institutions related to the justice reform and the vetting process, a demand of the Socialists.
The parties have decided that with the onset of the new legislature to undertake a Constitutional Reform and an Electoral Reform, including the introduction of electronic technology to identify voters and count votes.
