Shehaj at interparliamentary meeting with the EU: Rama is waging an unprecedented attack on the justice system

Agron Shehaj, leader of the Mundësia Party, focused his speech at the Interparliamentary Conference with the European Union on concerns over the immense pressure being placed on Albania’s justice system. According to him, the situation is putting at risk one of the most important investments made in Albania by the EU, with the support of the United States.

Shehaj said that Albanians see membership in the European Union as an opportunity to finally secure the rights they are entitled to and stressed that the integration process must continue without interruption.

“Albanians love the European Union, of course. Not only because they consider Albania part of Europe, but because they see hope in the EU. They believe that when Albania becomes part of the European Union, their rights will finally be recognized. This is the great dream of Albanians,” he said.

According to the leader of Mundësia, the new justice system, built with the contribution of international partners, is now facing a serious threat.

“The reason I considered it important to speak before you is that one of the EU’s largest investments, also supported by the United States, is at risk and could be blocked. The justice system is not simply facing pressure; an unprecedented war is being waged against it,” Shehaj declared.

He accused Prime Minister Edi Rama and the governing majority of attacking the justice system whenever representatives of the majority are investigated or face corruption charges.

“At these conferences, you have heard the prime minister speak about justice, but you have not seen the way he addresses Albanians. Through his media outlets, he attacks the justice system every day. Whenever the latter holds representatives of the majority accountable and accuses them of corruption, Edi Rama responds by attacking it,” said the leader of the Mundësia Party.

Shehaj also mentioned the dispute over the salaries of judges and prosecutors, describing it as another manifestation of pressure on the justice system.

“The situation went so far that the salaries were not paid. Edi Rama thinks that the salaries of a prosecutor or judge are similar to those of the corrupt politicians who have governed the country over the past 35 years. The latter do not need salaries, since they are negligible compared with the benefits they receive from power. Nevertheless, the justice system is not perfect, and there are prosecutors and judges who live on those salaries,” he said.

During his speech, he also spoke about the protests that have been taking place in Tirana for more than three months, as well as the difficulties that, according to him, Albanian citizens face in trying to secure their fundamental rights.

“You must understand, dear friends of Albania, that our country is unfortunately facing injustice. Just as I, as the leader of an opposition party, must fight for freedom of speech and to exercise the opposition’s role, every Albanian citizen also faces the daily struggle for fundamental rights—rights that you may perhaps be unable to imagine,” Shehaj declared.

In conclusion, he thanked the European representatives for their continued support for Albania’s path toward integration into the European Union.

“Thank you for being here and for continuing to believe, despite the problems, that Albania should be part of the European Union.”