According to the table, the accumulated payments for the period from April 1, 2023, to July 31, 2026, amount to 12 billion leks, equivalent to about 130.5 million euros at the official exchange rate of 91.94 leks per euro.

A first-instance judge would be entitled to a total of 7,514,880 leks, or about 81,737 euros, with 605 beneficiaries in this category.

For the Supreme Court, High Council of Justice and other categories, the accumulated benefit would amount to 8,015,872 leks, or about 87,186 euros, for 74 beneficiaries.

Second-instance judges would receive 7,765,376 leks, or about 84,461 euros, each, covering 170 beneficiaries.

For judges at the Special Court against Corruption and Organised Crime (GJKKO) and prosecutors at the Special Prosecution Office (SPAK), the accumulated payment for the 40-month period would amount to 13,176,090 leks, or about 143,312 euros, for 35 beneficiaries.

The table also includes other positions, including investigators, judicial police officers and other categories of magistrates.

In a post on X, Rama said the Administrative Court ruling concerned not only an immediate 51% increase in salaries, but also a demand for payment of arrears dating back to April 2023.

“See in the attached table how much each judge would personally receive tomorrow as back pay, if the finance minister were to break the law and follow this extra-parliamentary decision-making,” Rama wrote.

Rama described the Administrative Court’s ruling as a case in which an interim measure was being used not only to suspend an administrative act but also to require that an act be carried out.

The issue is expected to be considered by parliament on Sept. 17.

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“Our position towards individuals declared persona non grata remains unchanged. We don’t engage with individuals declared under U.S. sanctions and everyone should cautiously consider how they work with individuals designated by U.S.,” the Embassy said in a statement forwarded to the Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA).

“Our engagement with political stakeholders will be strongly based on the commitment we share to Albania’s Euro-Atlantic future, including the rule of law and the fight against corruption. As President Biden has repeatedly stated the fight against corruption is a matter of national security for the United States,” the U.S. Embassy said in its statement.

On June 11, a Court of Appeals panel comprising judges Alma Ahmeti, Elona Toro and Iliba Bezati, turned down an appeal filed by Lulzim Basha, recognizing Sali Berisha as DP leader. The decision came after almost three years of clashes and infighting in the main opposition party.Berisha, who is currently under house arrest on corruption charges, had been expelled from the party in 2021 by Basha.

In a statement posted on the social media in May 2021, the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Berisha and his immediate family members were designated as ineligible for entry into the United States.

“Former President of Albania Sali Berisha’s corrupt acts undermined democracy in Albania. I am publicly designating Berisha and his immediate family members as ineligible for entry into the United States. We remain united against corruption with our partners in Albania,” the U.S. Secretary of State said back then.

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Asked by journalists at a press conference whether an administrator would be appointed to the Himara municipality, the government head noted that “the court has already made a decision fully confirming what we have said since day one: we have no competence of whatsoever to allow someone take office as mayor after having been caught red-handed and standing trial on vote-buying charges.”

PM Rama noted that only the first instance court ruling has been made to date and a final judgement on the case should be made before the government makes a decision.

“After that we will explore ways how to operate based on that court decision, because this is the very first time, there are no previous precedents, and the government, according to the law, is entitled to appoint an envoy to the helm of the municipality. However, we have to read the court’s final judgement and only then we would act based on that concept. We are not in haste and we can wait,” Rama added.

The government head underlined that the process on holding the second intergovernmental conference with the European Union was underway and it was just a matter of setting a formal date for the conference to take place.

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Asked by reporters at a traditional year-end press conference, the government head said that “the arrest of anyone is not seen as a victory for a political party.”

“Someone’s arrest is never a triumph for a political party. Political parties win elections to lead the country forward and they are not military organizations that work to eliminate opponents,” PM Rama said.

However – he went on saying – no justice could be considered done in Albania until the case on the murder of four peaceful protesters in the January 21, 2011 anti-government protest is tried.

“Justice will be morally undone and insufficient without doing justice for the January 21 events and without the killers and their commanders before justice,” he said.

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Justice Minister said that the High Judicial Council and the Ministry of Justice will now continue work on enforcement of the new judicial map in the country.

“The High Judicial Council and the Ministry of Justice will continue to work closely, as they have been doing to date, on implementation of the new judicial map with the help of our partners, who assist the justice system reform, with the aim of increasing the efficiency of the judicial system and reducing back log of courts,” Manja said in a post on the social media.

Earlier today, the Constitutional Court rejected a motion filed by the Lawyers Association and the Helsinki Committee for the revocation of the new judicial map.

The new judicial map is designed to reduce the number of courts across Albania to address the shortage of judges and the overload of the justice system.

According to the new judicial map, the number of first instance courts in Albania is expected to fall to 13 from 22 courts currently, whereas the number of administrative courts will be cut from six to three, based in Lushnje and Tirana.

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