The country joined NATO in 2009.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Friday that his party had elected the country's Defense Minister as the new president after failing to elect a candidate based on consensus with opposition, writes Reuters.
Major General Bajram Begai headed the defense ministry in 2020 after holding various positions in the army, mainly in the medical field.
Rama said his party was discussing 26 names. but eventually decided that “Run is the best candidate to be Albania's president for the next five years.” The election of a new president has already failed in three rounds, requiring three-fifths of the vote in the 140-seat parliament.
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A simple majority is needed in the last two rounds, and Rama's party already has 74 votes. Parliament is expected to convene on Saturday night to vote for a new head of state.
The president's role is largely symbolic, although he has some powers over the judiciary and the army.
Albania became a member of NATO in 2009.
It will be recalled that in May, the European Parliament called for the start of negotiations on the accession of Albania and Northern Macedonia to the EU.
