TIRANA, Albania — Albania has broken new ground in political theatre and digital governance by unveiling what Prime Minister Edi Rama calls the country’s newest cabinet member — an artificial intelligence-powered “minister” named Diella.
The AI system, introduced in parliament on Thursday, September 18, delivered its first speech on two giant screens, dressed in a traditional Albanian costume and speaking of transparency and accountability.
Rama appointed Diella as “Minister for Public Procurement,” a move he described as both symbolic and strategic in the fight against corruption.
“The Constitution speaks of institutions at the people’s service. It doesn’t speak of chromosomes, of flesh or blood,” the avatar declared in a three-minute address. “I assure you that I embody such values as strictly as every human colleague — maybe even more.”
Symbolism and Strategy
While Diella cannot legally serve as a minister under Albania’s constitution, which requires human appointees, Rama insisted the appointment was more than a publicity stunt.
He said the AI tool will monitor public tenders, ensuring faster, more efficient, and corruption-free processes.
“Not only will we wipe out every potential influence on public bidding, we will also make the process much faster, much more efficient, and totally accountable,” Rama told the BBC.
The initiative builds on Diella’s earlier role as a virtual assistant on the e-Albania platform, where she has guided more than one million citizens through bureaucratic processes such as applying for official documents.
Mixed Reactions
Opposition lawmakers from the Democratic Party ridiculed the move as “ridiculous” and “unconstitutional,” accusing the government of hiding behind theatrics.
“This project is designed to distract from real issues and conceal wrongdoing,” one MP argued.
Others, however, say the idea could have merit if implemented effectively. Aneida Bajraktari Bicja, founder of Balkans Capital, said Rama often “mixes reform with theatrics,” but noted that an AI system ensuring clean procurement “could be constructive if it develops into real mechanisms that improve transparency and trust.”
Dr. Andi Hoxhaj, a corruption and rule of law expert at King’s College London, said the innovation comes at a critical moment as Albania seeks to accelerate EU accession talks by 2027. “There’s a lot at stake. The main precondition from the EU has been to address corruption. If Diella can be a mechanism towards that goal, it’s worth exploring.”
AI Meets Politics
Rama acknowledged the theatrical flair behind Diella’s appointment but argued that the experiment puts pressure on human ministers and civil servants to rethink how government works.
“It puts pressure on other members of the cabinet and national agencies to run and think differently,” he said.
For now, Diella remains more symbol than stateswoman. But as Albania attempts to “leapfrog” into a digital future, the AI’s sunny name — meaning “sun” in Albanian — may yet shine light into one of the country’s darkest political challenges: corruption.
