TIRANA, June 8 – Albania’s head of the Constitutional Court Bashkim Dedja was reconfirmed under the vetting process on Wednesday by the Independent Qualification Commission through a vote that divided the panel trio.
Two of the IQC judges favored Dedja, while the third member, judge Jensila Pine voted against him. Pine, who was also the case rapporteur, had previously raised questions about the cleanliness of Dedja’s figure when it came to justifying his wealth.
The Independent Qualification Commission’s report hinted at doubts concerning a debt Dedja took from his brother-in-law and his ownership of two apartments in Tirana and Durres’ Golem area.
Concerning a 15,000 euro debt Dedja said he’d taken from his brother, the IQC was hesitant to accept the claim as, at the time, Dedja’s brother also had a bank loan of 45,000 euro.
In addition, the Golem apartment is reportedly under Dedja’s brother ownership, although further verification showed that Dedja has paid all electricity bills for the apartment since it was purchased.
However, according to Dedja’s lawyer explanation during the court session that determined his professional future, the claim his brother also had a loan had resulted to be untrue.
“It is the duty of the staff and the verifying personnel to investigate until the end, the fact another person with the same name and surname comes up shouldn’t be enough,” Maks Haxhia, Dedja’s lawyer, said.
“The IQC should be very careful, its members should be qualified and possess two things: solemnity and seriousness. The data should be examined to the end. The figure of the most correct person of the justice system was slendered in public,” Haxhia added.
Judge Dedja is the second Constitutional Court member to be reconfirmed for duty, while three others have been ousted during the evaluation process, under the justice reform.
