In a social media post, Gogu emphasized that while institutions can be criticized and held accountable, violence is not the way to resolve problems.

“Instead of attacking institutions, we should engage them through constructive dialogue and debate,” the minister stated, underscoring that grievances should be transformed into solutions through communication.

In his post, Gogu also shared a message from Leopoldo—a member of the World Law Foundation and of the World Jurist Association team—who has been in Tirana over the past few days observing the protests firsthand.

While sympathizing with the students’ demands for education and jobs, he emphasized that all parties must uphold the rule of law.

“When you ask something of your government, you must also consider that it should be done in the proper manner,” the message read. Leopoldo emphasized that public institutions, including the Ministry of Justice, belong to the citizens, and that dialogue should be the response to grievances and demands for change. /e.i/a.f/p.s./

In a social media post, Gogu stressed that violence cannot be a solution to disagreements and that every citizen should have the opportunity to defend themselves and seek a solution through the law.

“When faced with violence, no one should feel alone or unprotected. The law exists to guarantee the rights of every citizen and to provide solutions to any situation through legal channels,” the minister stated.

He noted that free legal aid enables citizens to receive the necessary legal support, even when they cannot afford the costs of a lawyer.

“No dispute should ever escalate into violence. However, it is not enough to simply say ‘resolve it through the law’; we must also make that possible,” Gogu emphasized.

The minister urged citizens in need of legal support to reach out to the free legal aid service. “Do not stand alone in the face of any injustice,” read his message.

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During the meeting, the minister stated that they talked on strengthening the rule of law and Albania’s path toward the European Union.

“The meeting focused on embedding justice reforms, fulfilling EU integration benchmarks and the Ministry of Justice’s guiding role in the process,” Gogu emphasized.

Gogu highlighted the government’s commitment to a more efficient justice system, stronger institutions and better protection of citizens’ rights. /p.s./

During the discussions in the Laws Committee, Gogu referred to the decision of the Constitutional Court, emphasizing that the competence to determine the salaries of magistrates is up to the Parliament.

The minister also emphasized that the service delivery standards should also be implemented in the judicial system.

“The same standard must apply to judicial services. Our discussion should focus on actual progress, not just checking boxes for a system algorithm. Magistrates are independent, and I will not comment on the actions of independent Albanian state institutions. The Assembly holds the authority here; the Constitutional Court has ordered the Assembly of Albania to determine the judges’ salaries”, Gogu emphasized, among other things. /m.q/a.f/p.s./

In a press conference, Gogu stated that the decisions of the Constitutional Court “are not negotiated” and “are not relativized”, underlining that every institution is obliged to implement them.

He added that accountability for the use of public money and the implementation of the decision of the Constitutional Court are not two principles that contradict each other.

“Public money is the citizens’ money, not the government’s. Every penny of the state budget must have legal authorization to be spent. Accountability to the budget and implementation of the Constitutional Court’s decision are not oppose to each other. On the contrary, they require the same thing: clear legal authorization to implement it,” he said.

Gogu explained that the argue is not related to a debate about who demands more or who gives less, but to the lack of a legal basis for the magistrates’ salary formula after the Constitutional Court’s decision.

“We must say it bluntly: we have arrived here because we lack a legal basis for the magistrates’ salary formula, which the Constitutional Court abolished. This gap must be filled where it belongs: in the Assembly, by law,” the minister said.

He announced that the issue is expected to be addressed at the start of the new Parliamentary session, describing filling the legal gap as the way to end the dispute.

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According to the minister, Albania’s justice reform is now in its consolidation phase,” Minister Gogu announced. “The recent report validates our progress, highlighting the completion of the vetting process and a major \(60\%\) reduction in the High Court’s case backlog. Our next goal is applying this efficiency model across all courts. Alongside this, we are rolling out a full digital transformation of the justice system to eliminate long queues, increase transparency, and improve the daily experience for citizens.

The report reviews inter-institutional cooperation coordinated by the Ministry of Justice. The Minister highlighted key challenges to address, emphasizing the need to speed up evaluation procedures, fill vacancies, boost anti-corruption efforts, and further enhance public trust in the justice system. /gj.m/j.p/p.s./

“A strong, independent and accountable justice system is one of the main pillars of European integration,” Gogu said.

He said reforms, including the harmonisation of judicial statistics, improvements to court infrastructure, stronger protections for journalists and enhanced efforts to combat crime, were helping build a more efficient, transparent and credible justice system.

According to the Justice Ministry, judicial statistics have been aligned with the standards of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ), while inter-institutional agreements have been signed to harmonise, implement and publish national justice data.

The ministry said measures had also been introduced to reduce court backlogs through a dedicated roadmap and by increasing staffing levels, including the recruitment of new judges, legal assistants and support personnel.

As part of efforts to improve transparency, decisions relating to the appointment, evaluation and career development of judges and prosecutors have also been made public, giving citizens greater access to information and strengthening institutional accountability.

Gogu said the reforms would reinforce the rule of law and move Albania closer to full membership of the European Union.

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Speaking to reporters ahead of the parliamentary session, Minister Gogu announced that 869 additional individuals will have their sentences reduced.

“A total of 466 individuals will be released from prison, including 11 women and 1 minor. Additionally, the sentences for 869 individuals—comprising 8 women and 8 minors—will be reduced. Please note that no individuals or offenses under SPAK jurisdiction are eligible for these benefits”, said Gogu. /p.s./

The agreements cover the use of artificial intelligence, the protection of lawyers and the international claims mechanism established in response to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Gogu said Albania had joined the Council of Europe’s framework convention on artificial intelligence, stressing that emerging technologies must operate within legal safeguards and respect human dignity.

Justice Minister said he had also signed a convention designed to strengthen protections for lawyers, ensuring they can carry out their professional duties free from undue pressure or interference.

The third convention concerns the Claims Commission for Ukraine, a mechanism linked to international efforts to address damage caused by Russia’s invasion of the country.

“Albania has supported Ukraine from day one. The aggressor must pay,” Gogu said.

He added that all three conventions reflect the principle that democracy and the rule of law are strengthened through enforceable legal instruments rather than political declarations alone.

“Signing is the beginning. Ratification is the commitment. Implementation is the test,” Gogu said.

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Gogu met with Gunther Krichbaum and Annette Kramme to discuss priorities following the positive assessment by EU partners.

The Minister said Albania views the IBAR not as the culmination of reforms but as authorization to move into the most demanding phase of the process.

“We do not see the IBAR as the completion of our work. We see it as approval to continue with the phase that requires even more effort,” Gogu said, describing Germany as a strategic partner in Albania’s EU integration path.

Discussions focused on judicial independence, the fight against corruption and organized crime, and the effectiveness of new justice institutions, areas that remain central to the EU’s evaluation process.

Gogu said the Ministry’s priorities for the next stage include improving access to justice, increasing judicial efficiency and strengthening procedural rights, in line with the findings of the IBAR.

German officials reiterated their support for Albania’s EU ambitions, stressing that progress must continue to be based on merit and measurable results.

In a separate meeting with Kramme, who also heads the German Foundation for International Legal Cooperation (IRZ), the two sides discussed expanding bilateral cooperation in justice, including judicial digitalization, court administration and institutional capacity-building.

The next phase of reforms will focus on meeting the remaining benchmarks under Chapter 23, particularly in the areas of access to justice, judicial efficiency and digitalization. Gogu’s visit to Berlin is set to continue with meetings with members of the German Bundestag.

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