Parliament returns to work, with the swearing-in of the new minister and territorial reform in focus

After the end of the summer recess, the Parliament of Albania will hold the first sitting of the new parliamentary session this Tuesday. The plenary session will begin at 5:00 p.m.

The return of lawmakers was postponed by 24 hours because Monday coincided with an official holiday, although under the Constitution, the autumn session should open on the first Monday of September.

The inaugural sitting is expected to be largely ceremonial. It will be opened by Speaker of Parliament Niko Peleshi, while it remains unclear whether the leaders of the parliamentary groups will also speak during the session.

One of the matters expected to be processed is the decree appointing Klodiana Spahiu as the new Minister of Health. According to sources, the President’s document could be ready at the very beginning of the proceedings.

After the decree, Spahiu is expected to take the oath before lawmakers. At the same time, the Socialist parliamentary group may propose a new candidate for the post of deputy speaker, a position previously held by Spahiu.

The leader of the Democratic Party, Sali Berisha, is not expected to be in the chamber, as he is in the United States to attend the Republican Convention. The presence of Prime Minister Edi Rama also remains uncertain.

The opening of the parliamentary session is expected to be accompanied by a protest outside the Parliament building. Citizens who have been protesting in the square for nearly 100 days have announced that they will gather again in front of Parliament.

In response to this situation, the State Police is expected to step up security measures and establish a special perimeter for lawmakers’ movements.

Beyond the opening ceremony, territorial reform is expected to be one of the main topics of political debate during the new session.

In August, the Socialists proposed revising the municipal map and reducing the number of municipalities from 61 to 46. The initiative has deepened tensions between the ruling majority and the opposition, while discussions on the reform are still continuing without a concrete conclusion.

The debate is also expected to be influenced by the upcoming 2027 local elections, which will occupy an increasingly prominent place on Parliament’s political agenda.

The ruling majority has begun efforts to engage more closely with grassroots structures and citizens, while the opposition has announced that it will begin political preparations for the next local race.

Although the first sitting is expected to be formal in nature, the developments announced for the coming months indicate that the new parliamentary session could be accompanied by intense clashes both inside and outside the parliamentary chamber.