As the judicial vetting process continues in Albania, we present you with the latest developments in justice reform this week.
The Special Appellate Chamber (KPA) announced on Wednesday the final decision to dismiss the head of the Kavaja Prosecutor’s Office, Artan Madani.
In July 2019 the Qualification Commission (KPK) had confirmed Madani in office, but due to a complaint from one of the commissioners about his asset assessment, the Special Appellate Chamber reopened the case and announced the change of the KPK decision.
The Special Appellate concluded that prosecutor Madani did not declare his assets and lacked resources.
The KPK also decided to suspend the re-evaluation process for Tirana Appeals Judge Gramoz Levanaj due to his resignation. He resigned after his request to reopen the investigation of the background and professional vetting assessment was rejected by KPK.
After two years of an administrative investigation, the Qualification Commissioner suspended the re-evaluation process for Levanaj and deprived him of the right to be appointed to justice institutions at any point during the next 15 years
Public Commissioner Darjel Sina appealed the decision of the Qualification Commission to terminate the re-evaluation process for the former Tirana Appeals Judge Shkelqim Miri, who was sentenced to two years in prison for corruption.
Public Commissioners are to represent the public interest during the transitional reassessment process of judges and prosecutors through the exercise of the right to appeal against the decisions made by the Qualification Commission.
Sina requested the intervention of the Special Appeal Chambers to standardize legal practice for similar cases. In his appeal, the public commissioner argued that in Hoxha’s case the KPK closed the evaluation process without a decision, while in Miri’s case it decided to terminate the process.
On Friday, the Special Appellate Chamber decided to open a judicial investigation into the head of Kruja Prosecutor’s Office Petrit Cano, which referred to the shortcomings of the administrative investigation conducted by the KPK.
