Albania appoints first woman chief prosecutor
23/11/2007
TIRANA, Albania -- Parliament elected Ina Rama as the country's new chief prosecutor, with 83 votes in favour, 33 against and 5 abstentions. Rama, 35, becomes the first woman to hold the post. She was nominated by President Bamir Topi on Thursday (November 22nd), immediately after he accepted the resignation of the previous chief prosecutor, Theodhori Sollaku. Prime Minister Sali Berisha described Rama as an independent figure trusted by nearly all parties in parliament.
Sollaku, meanwhile, described his ouster as part of a political farce. Lawmakers from opposition parties criticised Topi, whom they say has proved to be Berisha's puppet. Sollaku was dismissed for failing to tackle organised crime. (Balkanweb, Top-Channel, RFE - 22/11/07)