More Vetting Victims, Four Other Judges and One Prosecutor Hand Resign

Except High Court judge Mirela Fana, about whom we already reported yesterday, four other judges and one prosecutor have failed to hand in their wealth declaration in time before the deadline yesterday, thus forfeiting their current position as magistrate.

Of the 800 judges and prosecutors in the country, 794 have handed in their wealth declaration form at the High Inspectorate of the Declaration and Control of Wealth and Conflict of Interest (ILKDPKI), which will start the preparation of individual evaluations to be presented to the Independent Qualification Commission (KPK). The latter institution, envisioned by the new Constitution and the Vetting Law, does not yet exist.

The six magistrates who resigned are:

  • Mirela Fana – High Court and Council of Judicial Nominations
  • Vladimir Kristo – Constitutional Court and Council of Judicial Nominations
  • Ilir Çeliku – Judge in Vlora
  • Ilir Pashaj – Judge in Elbasan
  • Drita Veliaj – Judge in Kukës
  • Sulejman Tola – Prosecutor in Kruja

Tola declared that he didn’t declare his wealth because he is retiring in February.