After Tola’s Dismissal, Kumbaro’s Former Assistant Appointed General Secretary of the Education Ministry

Jona Suli has been appointed General Secretary of the Ministry of Education following the dismissal of Erzen Tola from the position, a move that has sparked reactions and accusations of political favoritism.

According to earlier reports, weeks before Tola’s removal, articles were published accusing him of violations found by the State Supreme Audit Institution (KLSH), creating, as these reports claim, the groundwork for his dismissal.

After Tola’s departure, Jona Suli, who previously collaborated with Minister Mirela Kumbaro, was appointed to head the Ministry of Education’s administration. It is learned that Suli had earlier attempted to gain the status of the Senior Management Corps in the Department of Public Administration, but was initially not ranked among the winners. Subsequently, it is claimed that she was declared a winner and appointed to the new post.

There are also claims that Jona Suli previously held positions at SASPAC and other state institutions before returning to the Ministry of Education. The authors of these claims describe the appointment as part of a clientelist and nepotistic pattern in public administration, arguing that such practices harm meritocracy and drive young people to leave the country. So far, there has been no official reaction from the Ministry of Education, Minister Mirela Kumbaro, or Jona Suli regarding these claims.