The debate over the prime minister’s new car received an official response from the government, but not without leaving questions over the use of public money. Minister of State for Relations with Parliament Erjona Ismaili said the vehicle has been rented, is paid for from the state budget and, according to the official version, is linked to security needs and to the prime minister’s use of it in party activities as well.
The government acknowledges payment from the budget
During a media appearance in which she made public several government decisions, Ismaili was also asked about Edi Rama’s new car. She confirmed that the vehicle was not purchased, but rented.
The minister said the payment is made from the state budget. This clarification places the debate not only on the type of vehicle, but also on the boundary between state function and political use, as long as the government itself acknowledges that the car is also used in party activities.
The official justification: security and a request from the Guard
According to Ismaili, the vehicle was obtained for security reasons for the prime minister. She said there had also been requests from the Republic Guard on this issue.
The version presented by the government links the use of the vehicle to security standards for the head of the executive. However, the public statement was not accompanied by further details on the rental costs, the contract terms or the specific criteria that made this vehicle necessary.
Party use raises questions over public funds
One of the most sensitive points of the statement was the acknowledgement that the car is also used for the prime minister’s party activity. It is precisely this element that strengthens the public debate over the justification for the expense from the state budget.
When a vehicle is paid for with public money but its use in party functions is also mentioned, the need naturally arises for fuller transparency from the government. So far, the official explanation has been limited to the rental, security and the request from the Guard.
What the minister said
Ismaili said that the prime minister’s car had also been made public earlier as a rented vehicle and that the payment is carried out from the state budget. She added that the request was made by the prime minister, arguing that the vehicle is also used for party activity, while the selection of the vehicle, according to her, is also linked to security reasons and the requirements of the Republic Guard.
The government’s statement clarified that the car is rented and financed by the state, but left open the core of the debate: how the use of public funds is justified when the vehicle’s involvement in party activities is also acknowledged.
In the absence of data on the cost, the contract and the selection criteria, the issue remains more than a debate over a car: it is a test of the standard of transparency the government chooses to offer.