Democratic Party MPs walked out of the Legislative Council, the agenda setting committee of the Albanian parliament, on Monday, in protest of socialist majority’s unwillingness to offer a consensus on expected constitutional changes.
Socialists are set to include in the parliament’s agenda a draft constitutional amendment to extend the term of Albania’s judicial vetting institutions.
These institutions were established five years ago as part of a thorough justice reform whose goal is to increase judicial independence and remove from the system corrupt judges and prosecutors.
Vetting was expected to finish in 2022, but it has been delayed with only half of the magistrates vetted so far.
The opposition does not oppose the extension, but it is using it as leverage to implement its own agenda. Namely, it requests the approval of their own constitutional amendments to change the current electoral system, and to enact a vetting process for MPs and other high-ranking politicians.
Socialists turned down these conditions, but the opposition seem set to include on their requests in the parliament’s agenda, at least for now.
