During the afternoon portion of the Parliament session where a vote is scheduled to be held on the proposed new Government, ethnic Albanian representatives fought over whether the proposal advances Albanian national interests enough. Skender Rexhepi from the Alliance of Albanians mocked the ruling DUI party of not delivering on its promise, including that it would secure the Prime Ministership for an ethnic Albanian.

For 20 years DUI held top ministers, but they did nothing for the Albanians, Rexhepi said.

Arbr Ademi from DUI replied that the Albanians secured the position of Speaker of Parliament again, and will have a Prime Minister for the last 100 days of the Government. “There is no goal that Albanians won’t achieve”, he told Rexhepi.

The Government will see a much improved role for DUI, given the reduced number of votes SDSM holds in the Parliament. It includes a novel position of a First Deputy Prime Minister that will be held by DUI’s Artan Grubi, who is expected to hold virtual veto power over Prime Minister Zaev’s decisions.