Albanian President Ilir Meta has decided to dismiss Ditmir Bushati as Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs and appoint Prime Minister Edi Rama to replace him in office, a spokesperson of the President Office informed in a press release on Friday.

According to the press release, Meta received on Jan. 14 the new proposal for appointment of Prime Minister Rama in the post of Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

The press release added that in reviewing this proposal, the president has also considered the importance of avoiding any possibility of institutional crisis that would damage the position of Albania in international relations.

Four days ago Rama appointed himself as Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, underlining that President Meta refused to decree the discharge of the outgoing Foreign Affairs Minister Bushati.

Earlier, Meta refused to approve the proposal of Gent Cakaj as Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, claiming he was not up to the challenge of running diplomacy.

Cakaj, aged 28, was chosen by Prime Minister Rama for this key position after he decided to reshuffle about half of his cabinet last December in response to students protests against a law on higher education.