TIRANA, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Council of Ministers of Albania has nominated former economy and finance minister Arben Ahmetaj as minister of state for reconstruction following the devastating earthquake that hit the country on Nov. 26, Prime Minister Edi Rama announced here on Friday.
Ahmetaj currently heads the economy and finance commission in the country's parliament.
Via a Twitter post, Rama said that "a special place is needed at the Council of Ministers' to coordinate the domestic and international institutions" following the tragic earthquake.
Following Rama's announcement, the spokesman of the president of Albania, Tedi Blushi, wrote on Facebook that "the president will not delay for a second the decree of new minister of state for reconstruction."
At least 261 buildings have been assessed as totally damaged by the earthquake, Rama said on Dec. 9.
A further 851 buildings have suffered significant damage. In the port city of Durres, most affected by the quake, 438 damaged buildings will have to be demolished.
Ahmetaj served as minister of economy and finance from September 2017 to January 2019.
