Parliament missed deadline to amend law, associations demand new salary formula for judges and prosecutors

The Union of Judges, the National Association of Judges, and the Association of Prosecutors of the Republic of Albania have reacted after the deadline set by the Constitutional Court for amending the law regulating the status of magistrates expired.

The associations state that Parliament did not approve the necessary changes to judges’ and prosecutors’ salaries.

By decision no. 15, dated 17.02.2026, the Constitutional Court accepted the request to annul articles 1 and 2, point 2, of law no. 33/2023, dated 25.05.2023 “On an amendment to law no. 96/2016 ‘On the status of judges and prosecutors in the Republic of Albania’, as amended”. The request was filed by the Union of Judges and later joined by the National Association of Judges.

According to the associations, the Court found that the changes approved by Parliament had violated the financial status of magistrates, as they had resulted in a hidden salary reduction. The same decision also defined the constitutional criteria on which the new salary formula should be drafted, while Parliament was given until 31 July 2026 to adopt the relevant legal amendments.

“With the expiration of the deadline provided, we note that Parliament has not acted to approve the legal changes,” the joint reaction from the magistrates’ organizations states.

The associations emphasize that Parliament’s inaction has not created a legal vacuum, as the Constitutional Court had already predetermined the method of implementation in this situation. For this reason, starting from 1 August 2026, magistrates’ salaries must be calculated according to the formula referring to the salary of the senior public administration official, in line with Constitutional Court decision no. 35/2022.

The same formula must also be applied retroactively for the period from 1 April 2023 to 31 July 2026. The associations have stated they will closely monitor the implementation of decision no. 15, dated 17.02.2026, and have called on the responsible institutions and officials to respect the obligations arising from article 132, point 1, of the Constitution of the Republic of Albania.

The Union of Judges, the National Association of Judges, and the Association of Prosecutors of the Republic of Albania express that they will remain united in this stance and will monitor every step taken to implement the decision. They have also reiterated their readiness to cooperate constructively with the responsible institutions, with the aim of guaranteeing constitutional standards and the status of the magistrate.