TIRANA, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, who is also the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, delegated on Wednesday the task of directing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Deputy Minister Gent Cakaj.
At the ceremony of the delegation in the presence of media, Rama said, however, he will represent the ministry within and outside Albania.
In his remarks, the delegated Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Cakaj emphasized the positive results and the wide range of successful missions of the Ministry over the past five years, under the direction of former minister Ditmir Bushati.
Cakaj declared that a special attention would be paid to the fulfillment of the obligations arising from the European Union integration process.
Cakaj, aged 28, was chosen by Prime Minister Rama for this key position after he decided to reshuffle about half of his cabinet last December in response to students' protests against a law on higher education.
On Jan. 14, Rama appointed himself as Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs after the President of Albania Ilir Meta refused to decree the discharge of the outgoing Foreign Affairs Minister Ditmir Bushati.
Earlier, President Meta refused to approve the proposal of Gent Cakaj as Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, claiming he was not up to the challenge of running diplomacy.
On Jan. 18, however, President Meta dismissed Bushati and appointed the Prime Minister Edi Rama to replace him in office.
