TIRANA, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama appointed himself as Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Rama declared on Monday after the President of Albania Ilir Meta refused to decree the discharge of the outgoing Foreign Affairs Minister Ditmir Bushati.
"The president has not decreed the discharge of foreign minister on constitutional deadline. We will challenge the violation along with all the others to the new Constitutional Court," stated Rama.
Rama underlined that he will "in law" take the position of the foreign minister, adding that "We have no time to lose waiting for the president."
In a statement on Twitter last Thursday, Rama condemned the president's refusal to endorse his nominee Gent Cakaj as new foreign minister, calling it "not just unconstitutional but also shameful".
Earlier, President Meta refused to approve the new minister, claiming he was not up to the challenge of running diplomacy.
Cakaj, aged 28, was chosen by Rama for this key position after he decided to reshuffle about half of his cabinet last December in a response to the protests.
President Meta has accepted all of Rama's six other nominations for ministerial posts.
In a response to Rama's decision to take over the helm of the foreign ministry from Ditmir Bushati, President Meta said "President is at the helm. To President, Constitution and rule of law come first. No more fake state, Albania comes first," underlined Meta.
