The dispute over magistrates’ salaries: the GJKKO Appeals Court sues the Finance Ministry and the Treasury

On September 11, 2026, the Special Court of Appeal for Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO) filed a lawsuit with the Tirana Administrative Court of First Instance, taking its dispute with the executive institutions to court.

The lawsuit was filed by GJKKO Deputy Chair Dhimitër Lara against the Ministry of Finance and the Tirana Treasury Branch, while the State Advocacy and the High Judicial Council are also participating in the proceedings as third parties.

The legal action concerns the failure to implement payments for August 2026. The GJKKO Appeals Court is asking for letter no. 14110, dated September 2, 2026, to be declared unlawful and annulled. Through this letter, the Ministry of Finance suspended expenditure orders nos. 190 to 196, which had been sent to commercial banks.

The court is also being asked to order the financial authorities to immediately execute the payrolls, which are based on HJC Decision no. 435 and Order no. 73 of the Deputy Chair of the GJKKO Appeals Court.

According to the lawsuit, the payments should not be made conditional on the reinstatement of the July salary parameters.

Alongside the lawsuit, the court was also asked to impose a security measure aimed at immediately suspending the effects of the Ministry of Finance’s act and unblocking the procedure in the Treasury system.

The GJKKO’s legal claims are based on Constitutional Court Decision no. 15/2026 and the subsequent act of the HJC. Under these acts, the basic reference salary for Category I, Class I-2, has been set at 222,425 lek for the position salary, while a 14,000-lek qualification allowance is provided.

In its reasoning, the court challenges the executive branch’s financial control for exceeding its powers. According to the court, this control cannot be transformed into administrative oversight or into the de facto suspension of acts of judicial self-governance.

The lawsuit also raises concerns about the blocking of judicial administration salaries, regarding which, according to the GJKKO, there is no legal dispute or obstacle.

At the same time, the court claims that the executive institutions have followed a double-standard approach: fiscal and social obligations have been calculated on the basis of the parameters of the new, increased salary, while payments to employees have been arbitrarily halted.

Meanwhile, today the Administrative Court ordered the payment of the GJKKO judges.