Albania’s Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime has dropped an investigation into Ardian Dvorani, the former Chairman of the Justice Appointments Council, at the request of Special Prosecution (SPAK).
The case was reported to SPAK by President Ilir Meta in February 2020. His legal advisor said they will file an appeal after today’s ruling.
Meta accused Dvorani of abuse of office regarding the appointment of a Constitutional Court judge. In a reply to Parliament, Dvorani claimed that Arta Vorpsi was appointed automatically after the President failed to make his appointment within 30 days.
The President later appointed Marsida Xhaferllari to the post, and accused Dvorani of colluding with the Socialist majority in taking away his right to appoint the judge. Meta argued that Dvorani had no right to interpret the Constitution and declare the default appointment of Vorpsi.
A Venice Commission opinion later supported the President’s approach and decisions.
Following today’s court ruling, Dvorani said he hadn’t interfered in the competences of any institution, adding that his case was treated in the media similarly to the communist period when the regime lynched suspects in public.
Dvorani is now a judge at the Administrative Court of Appeals in Tirana. He started his career during the communist regime, culminating with his chairmanship of the Justice Appointments Council, and the US State Department’s recognition as one of the 12 “anti corruption champions” in the world.
Read more: The Irony of Calling a Dictatorship’s Prosecutor Anti-Corruption Champion
