The High Court has announced that two candidates have applied for the remaining position of a High Judicial Council (KLGj) candidate from an Appeals Court outside Tirana: Brikena Ukperaj from Vlora, a 2017 member of the Justice Appointments Council who passed the vetting on June 25, and Luan Dervishi fro Shkodra, who is currently being vetted as candidate for the Constitutional Court.
The High Court published the call for additional candidates on July 31, when it became clear not enough candidates had successfully passed the vetting. This announcement was controversial, as it violated the procedures for the installation of the KLGj. Two weeks ago, the US Embassy threw its weight behind the procedure, calling on its website for “honest, patriotic, appeals judges” to fill the candidacy.
It now appears that the two candidates again come from the same pool that applied for the other judicial bodies, showing that the installation of the judicial bodies is increasingly becoming a game of musical chairs.
