Speaking at a forum on the independence and accountability of SPAK, organized by the Center for the Study of Democracy and Governance, Spiropali praised the justice reform launched in 2016 as a rare success story in transforming Albania’s judicial system.

“Less than a decade since their creation, SPAK and the Special Court have helped dismantle the culture of impunity and shown that political affiliation no longer guarantees immunity,” Parliament Speaker said in her remarks.

The Speaker emphasized that the Parliament remains a strong supporter of judicial independence and has provided full financial, legal, and institutional backing to the new justice institutions. She acknowledged that while the system is far from perfect, it is “on the right track” and has earned growing public and international trust.

Spiropali noted that the fight against corruption at high levels, along with SPAK’s independence and operational capacity, has been explicitly acknowledged by the European Commission as crucial to Albania’s EU integration progress.

“The success and integrity of prosecutors and judges have contributed directly to accelerating Albania’s EU membership process,” Spiropali said, adding that 2025 will be a defining year as the country moves forward with negotiations in the “Fundamentals” cluster.

Parliament Speaker also stressed the importance of balancing judicial independence with accountability:

“No one is above the law, but equally, no one is beneath it,” she said. “This is the essence of democratic parliamentary oversight.”

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