TIRANA, March 22 – The judicial system in Albania has come under fire again with Justice Minister Ylli Manjani being extremely critical while addressing a conference of judges in Tirana this week.
The Justice Minister said that an increasing number of trials are deliberately being delayed through fictitious sick leaves.
“We have noticed a tendency of delayed court proceedings as a result of an unexplainable increase in sick leaves,” Manjani told the conference of judges.
He also cast doubts regarding the fairness of the blind draw system applied to assign court cases.
“I am ready to identify a judge panel in the first instance court which is going to take up a particular case, just like I am ready to tell who will take up the case in the appeals court. This is not a draw, but something else,” Manjani said.
Manjani also called for more responsibility from the judges regarding their decisions, referring to cases of Albanian citizens convicted abroad and irresponsibly set free by Albanian courts.
“After asking the French government for forgiveness, I have to apologize to the Italian and other foreign governments which have put in hours and hours of investigations, wiretapping, and evidence collection also spending lots of money in the process. Their justice system convicts them, ours sets them free. This has to stop,” he remarked.
The Justice Minister was referring to the case of Domart Konjari, a person wanted by French authorities who was recently released on procedural grounds by the Appeals Serious Crimes Court, prompting the protest of the French ambassador in Albania Bernard Fitoussi.
Konjari had been sentenced in absence to ten years by a French court for participation in a criminal organization and drug trafficking.
Following his release, the French embassy in Tirana sent a letter of protest to the country’s highest authorities, which stated that the country had spent millions of Euros investigating the case, while Albania had failed to respect the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters by setting Konjari free.
The Justice Minister apologized regarding the court ruling and has promised an inspection regarding the case.
Manjani also mentioned the looming reform, which is expected to thoroughly affect the country’s justice system.
“That the reform in the judicial system will be completed, this is not up for discussion. A decision has already been taken on this issue. It will be done, that’s it,” Manjani concluded.
Cross-party talks on the reform, which had stalled over whether the debate should continue on a political or expert level, are set to resume this week after the mediation of foreign diplomats.
