Newly appointed Minister of Finances on “Top Story”
18/02/2016 00:00
Albanian sign language branch is opened for the first time at the Faculty of Foreign Languages 05/10 21:12
While the government replaced the Minister of Finances, Shkelqim Cani,
with Arben Ahmetaj, Top Channel’s “Top Story” hosted by journalist Sokol
Balla invited the newly appointed Minister, Arben Ahmetaj, who has not
received the Presidential decree for his new post.
Ahmetaj said that the President might consume the 7-day deadline allowed by the Constitution, but he ruled out a constitutional crisis. Ahmetaj expressed his conviction that the President understands the importance of Finances, and he reminded that the President has done it before to decree both the resignation and the appointing of the other Minister without any problem.
As for Berisha’s accusations of corruptive affairs, Ahmetaj said that the former Prime Minister feels that economic improvements of this government will keep his party longer in opposition. Ahmetaj reiterated that Berisha has never done any concrete accusations, but he simply mentions a company of 16 years ago, which Berisha had scrutinized with all audit structures when he was in power.
The opposition has often accused Ahmetaj of corruptive affairs with the Skavica hydropower plant. He said that he hopes for the company to continue with the financial interest shown so far, since it is one of the most prestigious companies in this area.
Another accusation of the Democratic Party against Ahmetaj is about the Spitalla economic area, which had a tender that failed a few days ago. But Ahmetaj says that the Spitalla case is what shows the difference between them and the opposition, since the PM to suspend the process since one of his relatives was involved. “This shows that our government doesn’t make tenders with relatives”, Ahmetaj said.
The opposition are saying that Minister Cani was replaced for rejecting the VAT concession. Ahmetaj says this is about an unrequested offer and it has nothing to do with handing over the right of revenues collection to any private operator, but about modernizing the information system, with regular consultations with the IMF.
Ahmetaj said that one of the challenges of his cabinet will be making businesses circulate the money that the Bank of Albania said they have accumulated in deposits. Loans make an important role of the economy, but now is in stagnation and the country seems to have consumed the fiscal and monetary impulses.
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