“Law on magistrates” salaries goes to Constitutional Court, associations say: We are defending the rule of law, not financial interests

The Union of Judges, the National Association of Judges, the Association of Prosecutors and the Forum of Women Judges have issued a joint statement announcing that they will urgently challenge the law on magistrates’ salaries before the Constitutional Court.

According to them, the ruling majority approved the bill on the status of judges and prosecutors in the early hours of the morning, flagrantly violating constitutional procedures. The organizations are calling for the immediate suspension of its implementation and the annulment of the law as incompatible with the Constitution.

In their joint statement, the associations point to procedural and substantive violations during the review of the initiative in parliament, while accusing the authorities of failing to effectively hear the stakeholders.

According to them, the parliamentary process took place beyond the constitutional deadline, without a financial analysis by the Council of Ministers, without genuine consultation and with only a formal hearing for the stakeholder groups. In the end, the law entered into force immediately.

Representatives of judges and prosecutors stress that their challenge is not related to financial benefits, but to safeguarding the independence of the justice system from executive interference and ensuring respect for the decisions of the Constitutional Court.

“With the same urgency with which the bill was reviewed, approved and promulgated, we will turn to the Constitutional Court to suspend its implementation, annul it as unconstitutional and give priority to the examination of the case,” the associations declare.

They emphasize that throughout the process, the issue has been misrepresented as an attempt to pursue financial interests, whereas, in their view, it is fundamentally about respecting constitutional decisions, guaranteeing the independence of justice institutions and protecting the rule of law.

Judges and prosecutors say they are convinced that the Constitutional Court will reject the efforts by political power to discredit magistrates and their legitimate demands.

JOINT STATEMENT

The Union of Judges of Albania, the National Association of Judges of the Republic of Albania, the Association of Prosecutors of the Republic of Albania and the Forum of Women Judges of Albania declare that they will continue to pursue the constitutional proceedings concerning magistrates’ salaries.

The organizations express their regret over the way the bill “On certain additions and amendments to Law No. 96/2016, ‘On the status of judges and prosecutors in the Republic of Albania’” was handled. In their assessment, the process was accompanied from the outset by violations of constitutional requirements, including its approval after the expiration of the constitutional deadline, the absence of a financial analysis by the Council of Ministers, ineffective consultation, the formal hearing of stakeholder groups and the law’s immediate entry into force.

The associations declare that they remain unwavering in their demand for the restoration of the constitutional rights of magistrates, which were openly undermined by the law approved in the early hours of the morning. For this reason, they will turn to the Constitutional Court to suspend its implementation, annul the law and give priority to the examination of the case.

According to them, the law affects not only the financial status of magistrates, which is closely linked to their independence, but also undermines the foundations of the rule of law, as it openly fails to respect a decision of the Constitutional Court.

The four organizations express full confidence in the integrity of the constitutional process and expect the Constitutional Court to restore the standards that have been undermined. They also believe that this process will clarify the issues raised and reject efforts to discredit magistrates and their legitimate demands.

The associations reiterate that the dispute is not fundamentally about financial interests, despite the distorted way in which it has been presented to the public. For them, the essence of the matter is respect for the decisions of the Constitutional Court, the independence of justice institutions and the protection of the foundations of the rule of law.

To defend these constitutional principles and values, they declare that they will use every legal means provided for by the Constitution and the law.