Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama addresses a plenary meeting of the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit 2015 at the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan, New York September 25, 2015. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

TIRANA (Reuters) - Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said on Sunday he would replace four of his ministers this week, a move which failed to satisfy opposition protesters who have been calling for a technocratic caretaker government to take over until free parliamentary elections are held on June 18.

The opposition Democratic Party’s three-week-long protest in a tent outside Rama’s office and its boycott of parliament have stalled the creation of bodies that would vet 750 judges and prosecutors. Reform of the judiciary is a key condition set by the EU for starting accession talks.

But in his weekly address Rama said the move to replace the four ministers was not due to pressure from either his coalition partner or the protests of the opposition Democratic Party.

Instead, “the government changes were made only to allow our electoral managers to focus with fresh energies on the campaign in order to cope with the huge volume of contacts,” Rama said.

Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri, Social Welfare Minister Blendi Klosi, Local Government Minister Bledi Cuci and Health Minister Ilir Beqa are also Socialist Party coordinators in key districts.

Rama hailed Tahiri, who critics have blamed for the rapid expansion of cannabis farms in the last two years, as a champion of Socialist Party reforms, turning a corrupt police force into a “trusted” institution for Albanians.

But the Democratic Party, which has accused the government of colluding with cannabis growers to steal the elections, said it would not be fooled by such “tricks” in replacing ministers.

“Our protest continues and will continue until Rama resigns, until free and fair elections are guaranteed by a technocrat government,” the Democrats’ leader Lulzim Basha told his backers in their tent blocking the main boulevard on Sunday.

The ministers are due to be formally replaced on Monday.</s>Albania’s Socialist prime minister says four government ministers will step down on March 13, but he insisted the moves had nothing to do with opposition protests.

Prime Minister Edi Rama said on March 12 he would replace the Socialist Party ministers of interior, health, social wellbeing, and local affairs so they can focus on upcoming parliamentary elections.

“The government changes were made only to allow our electoral managers to focus with fresh energies on the campaign in order to cope with the huge volume of contacts," Rama said during his weekly address.

The ministers stepping down are also coordinators for the Socialist Party in key districts.

They are Interior Minister Saimir Tahiri; Social Welfare Minister Blendi Klosi; Local Government Minister Bledi Cuci; and Health Minister Ilir Beqa.

Tahiri has been blamed by critics for the rapid expansion of cannabis farms over the past two years.

The Democratic Part has accused the government of colluding with cannabis growers to steal recent elections. It said it would not be fooled by such "tricks" as replacing the ministers.

Democratic Party lawmakers have boycotted parliament, stalling procedures to vet 750 judges and prosecutors.

The opposition demonstrators have been calling for a technocratic caretaker government to take over to ensure that June 18 parliamentary elections are free and fair.

The European Union has set reform of the judiciary and free elections as key conditions for the start of ascension talks, which NATO-member Albania said it hopes to begin by the end of this year.

Rama's leftist coalition defeated the Democrats four years ago and has won all local elections since.

But the party has complained it was cheated out of victory and is pressing for reforms to guarantee fair elections.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP</s>Albania's prime minister has replaced four Cabinet ministers who he says stepped down to devote their time to campaigning for the June 18 parliamentary election.

Edi Rama said after a meeting of his Socialist Party's leadership Monday that Fatmir Xhafaj would be the new interior minister, Ogerta Manastirliu the new health minister, Olta Xhacka the social wellbeing minister and Eduard Shalsi the state minister for local affairs.

For the past three weeks, the opposition Democratic Party' supporters have blocked the main boulevard in the capital, Tirana, asking for a caretaker Cabinet to take the country to the election.

Democrats' leader Lulzim Basha wasn't pleased with the reshuffle, saying they want Rama to resign. Albania's president must formally approve ministers before they go to a parliamentary vote.</s>" Albania's prime minister has replaced four Cabinet ministers who he says stepped down to devote their time to campaigning for the June 18 parliamentary election. Edi Rama said after a meeting of his Socialist Party's leadership Monday that Fatmir Xhafaj would be the new interior minister, Ogerta Manastirliu the new health minister, Olta Xhacka the social wellbeing minister and Eduard Shalsi the state minister for local affairs.

Start the conversation, or Read more at The New Zealand Herald.</s>Albania's prime minister says that four Cabinet ministers will step down and devote themselves to campaigning for the June 18 parliamentary election.

Edi Rama said Sunday that the ministers of interior, health, social wellbeing and the state minister for local affairs, who are part of his governing Socialist Party's leadership, "will focus with renewed energy" on the campaign.

Rama denied media rumors that the reshuffle came after a request from the opposition parties. The opposition has threatened to boycott the polls unless the current coalition government agrees to create a caretaker cabinet.

For three weeks, opposition Democratic Party supporters have blocked the main boulevard in the capital, Tirana.</s>A heavy police presence in the southern Serbian area he visited, which saw an Albanian insurgency in 2001, highlighted how sensitive the event was for Belgrade, which continues to struggle with the integration of ethnic minorities.

Edi Rama arrived in Serbia on Monday, becoming the first Albanian leader to visit the former Yugoslav republic since communist dictator Enver Hoxha in 1946.

But the trip was soon disrupted by a public spat between Rama and his Serbian counterpart, Aleksandar Vucic, over the independence of Kosovo, a former Serbian province populated mainly by ethnic Albanians.

While Rama's visit reflected the progress made over the past 15 years, the row demonstrated the depth of differences that remain between the two nations as they each seek to join the EU.

"All Serbs should know that my prime minister is Edi Rama, not Vucic," said Zija Saqipi, a 51-year-old ethnic Albanian who works as a driver in Switzerland but said he had returned to Serbia just for Rama's visit to the southern town of Presevo.

Crowds waving the Albanian national flag turned out to greet Rama, chanting his name. Children danced in Albanian folk costume.

"Despite our differences, we have opened a new chapter in relations between Albania and Serbia," Rama said in a speech. "I have told prime minister Vucic that we are not in a joint battle to create a Greater Albania but a joint battle to create a Greater Europe."

Rama's visit was planned for October, but was postponed after a soccer match between Serbia and Albania in Belgrade was abandoned when a drone carrying a flag of 'Greater Albania' - lands including parts of Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Greece, Albania and Kosovo - flew over the pitch, triggering a brawl between players and a pitch invasion by Serbian fans.

Kosovo broke away in war in 1998-99, with the help of NATO air strikes to halt a wave of Serbian ethnic cleansing. The next two years saw ethnic Albanian insurgencies in neighboring Macedonia and the Presevo Valley in southern Serbia.

Western diplomacy ended the fighting, but the effort to integrate tens of thousands of ethnic Albanians in the Presevo Valley has been slow.

Kosovo declared independence in 2008 and is recognized by over 100 countries, including Albania and most Western powers, but not Serbia or its big-power backer Russia.</s>A heavy police presence highlighted how sensitive the visit was for Serbia, which is striving to join the European Union but continues to struggle with the integration of ethnic minorities that complain of discrimination.

Tirana's Prime Minister Edi Rama arrived in Serbia on Monday, becoming the first Albanian leader to visit the former Yugoslav republic since communist dictator Enver Hoxha in 1946.

But what had been billed as marking a new chapter in Balkan history descended into a public spat between Rama and his Serbian counterpart, Aleksandar Vucic, over the independence of Kosovo, a former Serbian province populated mainly by ethnic Albanians.

While Rama's visit reflected the progress made over the past 15 years, the row demonstrated the depth of differences that remain between the two nations as they each seek to join the EU.

"All Serbs should know that my prime minister is Edi Rama, not Vucic," said Zija Saqipi, a 51-year-old ethnic Albanian who works as a driver in Switzerland but said he had returned to Serbia just for Rama's visit to the southern town of Presevo.

He and the mayor of Presevo, Ragmi Mustafa, both complained that police had removed Albanian flags hung out to welcome Rama. Police also closed a nearby highway, but crowds of people still turned out to greet Rama, chanting his name.

Kosovo broke away in war in 1998-99, with the help of NATO air strikes to halt a wave of Serbian ethnic cleansing. The next two years saw ethnic Albanian insurgencies in neighbouring Macedonia and the Presevo Valley in southern Serbia.

Western diplomacy ended the fighting, but the effort to integrate tens of thousands of ethnic Albanians in the Presevo Valley has been slow. Many have sought work in Western Europe.

Kosovo declared independence in 2008 and is recognised by over 100 countries, including Albania and most Western powers, but not Serbia or its big-power backer Russia.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama dismisses four cabinet ministers, including Minister of Internal Affairs Saimir Tahiri and Minister of Health Ilir Beqaj, in a bid to make the government more technocratic following opposition Democratic Party protests.