TIRANA, Oct 21 /ATA/The head of the Special Appeals Chamber, Sokol Çomo, announced that Albania’s vetting process for judges and prosecutors is nearing completion, with less than eight months remaining until its conclusion in June 2026. He noted that the justice reform launched in 2016 has now entered its final phase.
He noted that the Special Appeals Chamber (SAC) has reviewed 370 of the 417 appeals filed to date, with 48 cases still pending, expected to be finalized within the constitutional timeframe.
“The appeals include 293 filed by re-evaluation subjects, 120 by public commissioners, and 4 submitted simultaneously by both sides,” Çomo explained.
He emphasized that “to date, the KPA has ruled on 370 of the 417 total appeals, leaving 48 appeals still to be reviewed by mid-June 2026. Of these 48 appeals, 16 concern judges under re-evaluation, 23 concern prosecutors under re-evaluation, and 9 concern non-judicial subjects (inspectors, legal advisers, assistant lawyers). By the end of the process, 39 magistrates are expected to receive a final decision from the KPA,” Çomo explained.
He noted that the large number of cases in this final phase is due to the extension allowing appeals to be filed until December 2024. Originally, it was planned that after the Independent Qualification Commission (KPK) concluded its work, the KPA would have a four-year period dedicated exclusively to reviewing existing appeals.
“The 417 appeals represent over 50% of the decisions delivered by the KPK, reflecting a significant caseload for the college. Of these, 293 were filed by the subjects under review, 120 by the public commissioners, and 4 were submitted simultaneously by both parties,” said the KPA head.
Çomo recalled that the mandate of the Special Appeals College, unlike that of the Independent Qualification Commission, was not extended, remaining within the nine-year term established by the Constitution from the moment of its creation in 2017.
In conclusion, he emphasized the importance of completing the process with professionalism and integrity, ensuring credibility in the new Albanian justice system.
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