TIRANA, Aug. 1 – The opposition’s Democratic Party reacted on Wednesday following the Independent Qualification Commission’s decision to re-confirm the Serious Crimes judge Dritan Hallunaj, who in 2015 decided businessman Arben Frroku, accused of killing the police commissar Dritan Lamaj, was innocent.
The DP brought up statements made in the past by US Ambassador Donald Lu on the issue, as well as the fact that high-ranking courts later found Frroku guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
During Hallunaj’s hearing, the IQC explained it had investigated the case and that it had not found any procedural violations, while explaining the profound difference of decision compared to other courts was related, according to the IQC, with the subjectivity of evidence evaluation.
However, for the DP the release from prison of someone like Frroku, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in all later stages of trial, is sufficient reason to oust Hallunaj from duty.
“If judges are confirmed to duty despite having released murderers and individuals tied to organized crime from prison then the vetting will fail to restore people’s trust in the justice system,” PM Enkelejd Alibeaj said.
