The parliamentary majority, through a non-consensual decision-making process and without taking into consideration any reasonable input from the most knowledgeable experts in international relations and the functioning of the Albanian Foreign Service, has approved, for the second time within ten years, a new law on the country’s Foreign Service. The Council of Albanian Ambassadors (CAA) offered its cooperation by submitting comments and suggestions for amendments to the draft law, both to the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and to the relevant parliamentary committee, and also requested the holding of a public hearing in the Assembly, all of these requests were rejected.
For this reason, the Council of Albanian Ambassadors (CAA) is addressing You through this open letter, with the conviction that You, in Your capacity as Head of State and in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Albania, are committed and interested in ensuring that this law serves both the national interest and the institutional interests of the state.
In our assessment, the law approved without consensus by the Assembly of Albania on 19 February 2026, among other things, seriously undermines the legal security of career diplomats, opens the way for extreme politicization of the foreign service at all levels of the diplomatic career, and, in two specific provisions, also infringes upon Your constitutional competencies as President of the Republic.
In this context, with the highest respect and consideration, we would suggest that You return this law to the Assembly for reconsideration, in order to prevent further politicization and deterioration of the Albanian foreign service. We wish to emphasize that the 2015 law caused considerable damage in this regard, the consequences of which are still being felt today.
Mr. President,
As You have undoubtedly observed, only four days after its adoption, the law has been openly violated. All parties concerned, including members of the parliamentary majority within the Committee on Europe and Foreign Policy, were taken by surprise when informed of a proposal to represent the country at the level of Ambassador, which constitutes a blatant violation of every principle governing the functioning of the state administration, as well as every diplomatic, political, ethical, and protocol norm in international relations and inter-state relations.
This is yet another demonstration of how the Albanian Foreign Service has been weakened and has become subject to serious political interference. Such a case represents an unacceptable precedent for any democratic country, all the more so for a country aspiring to European integration.
The Council of Albanian Ambassadors considers that an extremely politicized foreign service would negatively affect not only its day-to-day performance, but above all the spirit, quality, and manner in which the national and state interests of the Republic of Albania are represented and protected.
Mr. President,
We remain hopeful that this law will be returned to the Assembly for reconsideration, with the aim of ensuring that the Foreign Service is treated and respected as an integral part of the civil service, while at the same time safeguarding Your constitutional competencies.
The Council of Albanian Ambassadors remains at Your disposal to provide detailed information regarding the damage this law causes to the foreign service, as well as the infringement of Your constitutional prerogatives.
