Ilir Panda elected new chair of the Supreme Court

Ilir Panda has been elected the new chair of the Supreme Court. Panda will officially take up the position on October 19, replacing Sokol Sadushi.

At the General Meeting of Supreme Court Judges, Ilir Panda was unanimously elected with 14 votes in favor and none against.

Who is Ilir Panda?

Ilir Panda graduated with a law degree from the Faculty of Law at the University of Tirana in 1986 and completed several postgraduate qualifications organized by Albanian, European and United States institutions. He also holds a Doctorate.

He has worked in several areas of the justice system, beginning in the prosecution authorities, then at the Codification Directorate of the Ministry of Justice, as a lawyer, as a lecturer at the School of Magistrates and at other higher education institutions. He served as Minister of Justice in 1999–2000 and as Deputy Chair of the High Council of Justice from 2003 to 2007.

Panda has participated as an author in numerous working groups responsible for drafting and reviewing legislation, preparing commentaries, manuals and bulletins, as well as in important projects in the field of law. He has authored numerous articles on law in several academic and professional journals, as well as various translations.

Panda has also served as Legal Adviser to the People’s Advocate of the Republic of Albania, as a local expert for UNICEF, the Council of Europe and other organizations. He was a member of Albania’s High Council of Justice from 2002 to 2007, a member of the Accreditation Council for Higher Education Institutions, a member of the Board of Directors of Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Albania and a member of the Sports Arbitration Council.

In March 2020, he was appointed a member of the Supreme Court.