Today, the Legal Affairs Commission struck down the opposition’s proposal regarding the constitutional changes for the nomination of a new General Prosecutor through vetting. The approval of the proposal would have meant an end of Temporary General Prosecutor Arta Marku’s term.
The opposition put forward this proposal after Marku’s unconstitutional election. The Temporary General Prosecutor did not undergo vetting and was elected by a simple majority.
“The new General Prosecutor should undergo vetting and should be elected by three-fifths of the Parliament. No one knows whether or not the current General Prosecutor would pass vetting. Once the High Prosecutorial Council is appropriately fitted, we will elect the Temporary General Prosecutor. This is a test of the majority’s supposed wish for an independent justice system” said deputy Oerd Bylykbashi before the voting started.
The Legal Affairs Commission’s Socialist representatives, however, did not approve this proposal, claiming that the complaints put forth by the Democratic Party are baseless. According to the Commission, Arta Marku was elected through lawful and transparent procedures.
According to socialist deputy Alket Hyseni, the Democrats’ demands are merely a new way for the opposition to try and impede the Justice Reform:
“If we went by PD’s wishes,” he claimed, “the Prosecutor will be elected no sooner than the end of July. This proposal is only a strategy to obstruct the judicial reform.”
