After an extended deadline and no doubt considerable pressure from the government, Prosecution Office, and the internationals, Bujar Sheshi, prosecutor of the Serious Crimes Appeals Court, has announced his candidacy for the High Prosecutorial Council (KLP).
With Sheshi’s candidacy, there is at least the possibility of the KLP being formed in the coming months, as there is now at least one candidate for each of the available 6 posts.
According to Law 115/2016 “On governance institutions of the justice system” art. 105(1), the KLP comprises the following members from the prosecution:
- Three of the elected prosecutors shall be first instance prosecutors. At least 1 (one) of them shall be a prosecutor of a prosecution office attached to a court of first instance outside Tirana.
- Two of the elected prosecutors shall be prosecutors of the prosecution offices attached to courts of appeal, including the Special Prosecution Office for combatting corruption and organised crime. At least 1 (one) of them shall be a prosecutor of a prosecution office attached to a court of appeal outside Tirana.
- One of the elected prosecutors shall be a prosecutor attached to the General Prosecution Office.
Six first instance prosecutors have been confirmed so far: Dritan Prençi (Kukës, currently Temporary Serious Crimes Prosecutor), Vate Staka (Shkodra), Arta Marku (Shkodra, currently Temporary General Prosecutor), and Antoneta Sevdari (Tirana), Besnik Muçi (Serious Crimes), and Gentjan Osmani (Serious Crimes). Still to be vetted are Besnik Cani and Shpëtim Kurti.
Two appeals court prosecutors have been confirmed, Bujar Sheshi (after the reopening of the applications) and Arben Dollapaj (Shkodra).
From the General Prosecution Office, two prosecutors have been confirmed so far, Anika Leka and Kostaq Beluri, while Ramadan Troci remains to be vetted.
Meanwhile, the Public Commissioner has filed appeals against the confirmation of Antoneta Sevdari, and might do the same with Gentjan Osmani. The KLP cannot be formed until all appeals, including those of candidates for whom the Independent Qualification Commission has not yet published the decisions, have been processed.
