The Special Appeals Chamber (KPA) postponed for the seventh time the hearing for High Court Judge Edmond Islamaj.
In November 2018, following an appeal by the Public Commissioners (KP), The KPA started to review the confirmation of judge Islamaj by the Independent Qualification Commission (KPK). The reviewing of the KPK’s decision made the KPA to start another investigation into judge Islamaj’s assets and their source.
BIRN reported that in today’s hearing the KPA presented the Public Commissioner Florian Ballhysa and judge Islamaj with two new financial analysis prepared by the KPA – an income and spending analysis, and an annex of all international travels of judge Islamaj.
The KPA allowed for two weeks for the judge, his attorney and the Public Commissioner to review the materials and express their opinion.
The financial analysis focuses on judge Islamaj’s travels abroad in the 2004-2008 period.
Public Commissioner Florian Ballhysa appealed the KPK’s decision to confirm judge Islamaj in July 2018, arguing that “[KPK’s] investigation process regarding the criterion of asset evaluation was not complete, it was limited, and as a result it cannot be concluded that the asset evaluation for the subject reevaluated has reached a reliable level.”
Judge Edmond Islamaj has had a long career within the Albanian judiciary system. He began working immediately after graduating in the Durrës and Kruja Courts. Afterwards, he served as head of the Saranda and Kavaja Courts, then as Senior Inspector at the High Council of Justice (KLD), then as member of the KLD, and finally as judge of the Appeal Court in Tirana.
