Olta Xhaçka

Olta Xhaçka (born 25 December 1979) is an Albanian politician, Socialist Party member of Parliament, and current Albanian minister of defence.

Olta Xhaçka
Minister of Defence
Assumed office
11 September 2017
PresidentIlir Meta
Prime MinisterEdi Rama
Preceded byMimi Kodheli
Minister of Social Welfare and Youth
In office
March 2017 – June 2017
Prime MinisterEdi Rama
Preceded byBlendi Klosi
Succeeded byXhulieta Kërtusha
Personal details
Born (1979-12-25) 25 December 1979
Tirana, Albania
Political partySocialist Party
Alma materClark University
Signature

Education and career

She received a bachelor's in Political Science and International Relations from Clark University with honors, along with an MPA.[1]

Since 2009, Ms. Xhaçka is part of the Socialist Party Parliamentary Group, initially as a representative of the region of Korça, throughout two legislatures.

Prior to her engagement into politics, Ms. Xhaçka has been actively involved in civil society, in the field of human rights and good governance. She has also worked for three years as a lecturer of political sciences at the University of New York Tirana.

As an activist of human rights, mainly in the field of gender equality and acting as the Chair of the Socialist Woman's Forum, Ms. Xhaçka, since 2014, has chaired the Minors Issues, Gender Equality and Domestic Violence Sub-committee. She also has been a member of the Work, Social Issues and Health Committee and member of the International Affairs Parliamentary Committee.

Ms. Xhaçka is a member of the Socialist Party Chairmanship and Chair of the Socialist Woman's Forum, since 2010. She also chaired the Qemal Stafa Foundation from 2015 until 2017 upon her appointment in the Albanian government.

Minister of Social Welfare and Youth

In March 2017, Ms. Xhaçka was appointed Minister of Social Welfare and Youth.[2] She served in this role for only a few months, until the ministry was dissolved in August 2017 and absorbed by other ministries.[3]

Minister of Defense
Xhaçka with James Mattis.

She was re-elected to parliament in June 2017, this time in Tirana.[4] Her district had the greatest increase in votes for the Socialist Party since the 2013 parliamentary elections of any in Tirana.[5]

In September 2017 she took the office of the Minister of Defence in the 2nd Rama Government, making her the second woman to be appointed to that office after Mimi Kodheli.[6]

In April 2018 she met U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis at the Pentagon where Mattis reaffirmed "the strong defense relationship between the United States and Albania."[7]

Personal life

She is married to Mr. Artan Gaçi, who also served as a Socialist MP and they have a daughter, Hana.

References
  1. "time.al - Xhaçka shkëlqen në Tiranë ?shënon rritjen më të lartë për PS - Na ndiqni ne, të ndiqni lajmet". time.ikub.al. Retrieved 2017-07-25.
  2. "Albanian Premier Replaces 4 Cabinet Ministers". Seattle Times. 13 March 2017. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  3. Mejdini, Fatjona (27 August 2017). "Albania PM Reveals New Cabinet". Balkan Insight. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  4. "38 Female MPs in Albania's New Parliament". albaniannews.com. Retrieved 2017-07-25.
  5. "Shqiptarja.com - Xhaçka shkëlqen në Tiranë shënon rritjen më të lartë për PS - Video". shqiptarja.com. Retrieved 2017-07-25.
  6. "Albanian PM introduces new cabinet for next four years". Xinhua News Agency. 2018-08-27.
  7. "Mattis Reaffirms U.S. Albanian Defense Relationship". defense.gov. 2018-04-17.



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