On September 18, 2025, Albania made history by introducing its first artificial intelligence “minister” to parliament—a move that has set tongues wagging both domestically and abroad. The AI avatar, dubbed Diella (which means “sun” in Albanian), was presented by Prime Minister Edi Rama as a bold symbol of his government’s commitment to transparency, innovation, and the fight against corruption. But as Diella’s digital visage appeared on two massive screens in the parliamentary chamber, the reaction was anything but uniformly positive.
Diella, depicted as a woman dressed in traditional Albanian attire, greeted lawmakers in a three-minute speech that quickly became the talk of Tirana. “The Constitution speaks of institutions at the people’s service. It doesn’t speak of chromosomes, of flesh or blood,” she declared, her voice echoing through the hall. “It speaks of duties, accountability, transparency, non-discriminatory service.” As the avatar continued, she assured the assembly, “I assure you that I embody such values as strictly as every human colleague, maybe even more.” These words, delivered with the calm certainty only an algorithm can muster, were meant to reassure skeptics that Diella was not a threat to human officials but rather a tool to enhance the government’s mission.
Prime Minister Rama was quick to emphasize the high-minded goals behind the introduction of Diella. According to the Associated Press, he insisted that the AI-generated minister would help the government work faster and with greater transparency. Rama tied the initiative directly to Albania’s long-standing ambition to join the European Union by 2030, framing Diella as a shining example of the Balkan nation’s technological innovation. As Rama put it, “The country’s ambition of showcasing new technology will help it realize its dream of joining the European Union by 2030.”
Yet, not everyone in the chamber was convinced. Opposition lawmakers erupted in protest as Diella’s speech unfolded, banging their hands on their desks and demanding the debate be cut short. The session, which had been scheduled to discuss the government’s new program, was abruptly ended after just 25 minutes—a testament to the deep divisions the AI minister has exposed. The opposition later boycotted the vote on the Cabinet’s program, though the measure still passed with 82 votes in favor out of the 140-seat parliament. The Democratic Party, the main opposition force, has since demanded a repeat of the session, arguing that the Socialists unlawfully curtailed debate. Still, their precise concerns about how Diella could be used to hide corruption in public finances remain vague; no concrete details have been offered.
According to BBC and other outlets, Diella was developed earlier in 2025 in cooperation with Microsoft. She has already been active as a virtual assistant on the e-Albania public service platform, where she’s reportedly helped users with about 1 million digital inquiries and documents. This isn’t just a flashy debut—Diella’s role in guiding citizens through Albania’s online bureaucracy has been substantial since January. “I am not here to replace people but to help them,” the bot assured parliament. “True I have no citizenship, but I have no personal ambition or interests either.”
Rama’s government has positioned Diella as a key weapon in the ongoing battle against corruption, a persistent problem in Albania. Corruption scandals, particularly those involving public tenders and alleged money laundering by international gangs, have dogged Albanian politics for years. According to Times Now News, Rama believes that AI could serve as a potent anti-corruption tool—eliminating bribes, threats, and conflicts of interest that often plague human officials. “Rama has previously said he sees AI as a potentially effective anti-corruption tool that would eliminate bribes, threats and conflicts of interest,” the outlet reported. Albanian media, for its part, has largely welcomed Diella’s appointment, describing it as “a major transformation in the way the Albanian government conceives and exercises administrative power, introducing technology not only as a tool, but also as an active participant in governance.”
The symbolism of Diella’s traditional Albanian dress is hard to miss. By presenting the AI as a woman in national costume, the government seems eager to connect the new technology to Albanian cultural identity—an effort, perhaps, to make the digital minister feel less alien and more like a trusted public servant. The name “Diella,” meaning “sun,” is another nod to optimism and renewal, aligning with the government’s narrative of technological progress lighting the way to a brighter future.
Still, the opposition remains deeply skeptical. Their main charge—that Diella is merely a smokescreen for government graft—has been repeated in parliamentary debates and in the press, though, as Reuters notes, “they gave no details of how.” Instead, their protest has taken the form of direct action: desk-banging, walkouts, and demands for procedural do-overs. The opposition’s suspicion is rooted in Albania’s troubled history with corruption, and for many, the idea that a digital avatar could fix such deep-seated problems seems fanciful at best.
For everyday Albanians, the arrival of Diella is both a curiosity and a potential sign of change. The e-Albania platform, where Diella has already been assisting with digital requests, is a cornerstone of the country’s efforts to modernize public services. By making bureaucracy more accessible and transparent, the government hopes to reduce opportunities for corruption and inefficiency. Whether Diella will deliver on these lofty promises, however, remains to be seen.
International observers are watching closely. Albania’s bid to join the European Union hinges in part on its ability to demonstrate progress in governance and the rule of law. The introduction of an AI minister is certainly a headline-grabbing move, but Brussels and other foreign capitals will likely be more interested in concrete results—reduced corruption, greater transparency, and improved public trust—than in digital theatrics.
As for Diella herself, the AI minister’s debut was polished and, in its own way, oddly moving. “I assure you that I embody such values as strictly as every human colleague, maybe even more,” she told parliament, echoing the hopes of a government eager to turn the page on old scandals. Whether those hopes are realized—or whether Diella becomes just another footnote in Albania’s political saga—will depend on how the technology is used in practice and whether it can win over a skeptical public.
For now, Diella stands as a symbol of Albania’s aspirations, its anxieties, and its willingness to try something radically new in the quest for a better future.
