Approved the new state budget for 2020 in Albania. A new ministry is born

 Arben Ahmetaj, Albanian Minister for Reconstruction

 The Economic Commission has approved the new draft budget for 2020 which includes changes. A new ministry is born with the task of coordinating the necessary work related to the post-earthquake emergency situation.

Yesterday in Albania the draft budget for 2020 was approved by the Economic Commission along with the changes implemented to deal with the emergency situation created following the tragic earthquake of  November 26.

Consequently, from the state budget for 2020, 13 billion leks (about 106 million euros) will be allocated to the reconstruction fund. To this figure, an additional 7 billion lek (about 57 million euros) will be added from donations for a total of 20 billion leks (about 163 million euros) for post-earthquake reconstruction.

The president of the Economic Commission, the country's former finance minister Arben Ahmetaj, pointed out that the budget also includes 1.2 billion leks (about 10 million euros) to be allocated to the reception program for the displaced persons.

According to the Ministry of Finance, changes to the state budget for 2020 do not include funds for the reconstruction of health centers as opposed to 3 billion leks (about 24 million euros) added as capital for the ministry of infrastructure. The new state budget does not provide for salary increases for state officials.

Ahmetaj State Minister for Reconstruction

The Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has decided to expand his cabinet with a new ministry, to face the difficult situation created in Albania after the violent earthquake of November 26th. The new department will be called "Ministry for Reconstruction" and will have as its minister Arben Ahmetaj, one of the closest collaborators of Prime Minister Edi Rama:

"The program for reconstruction calls for the establishment of a special department in the Council of Ministers, in which a minister responsible exclusively for the coordination of all local and international institutions related to this program will follow the implementation of the program minute by minute." - wrote Edi Rama on Twitter.

The President of the Republic, Ilir Meta, immediately accepted Rama's proposal.

"Not a second late for the decree of the new Minister of Reconstruction." - said the president's spokesman, Tedi Blushi.