The Socialist majority has submitted to the Assembly the initiative to amend Article 242 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which relates to the suspension of state officials. The document obtained by Top Channel bears the signatures of Prime Minister Edi Rama, Interior Minister Taulant Balla and Justice Minister Ulsi Manja. According to the draft proposal, which has been sent to the Speaker of the Assembly Niko Peleshi for initial review, the amendment consists of a single addition to Article 242 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The draft aims to regulate the procedure for the suspension of senior state officials by court decision, including members of the Constitutional Court. The final version is expected to be submitted first to the Conference of Speakers and then to parliamentary committees for detailed discussion.
The development is being closely followed by the Delegation of the European Union to Albania. Two days ago, the head of the delegation, Silvio Gonzato, stated that the EU closely monitors any initiative related to the rule of law and stressed the expectation that the Albanian authorities will be consulted on initiatives that could affect the principles of the 2016 Justice Reform. The opposition strongly opposed the proposal during Thursday’s parliamentary session, describing it as a potential “shield” against future investigations by SPAK.
The debate is expected to continue in parliamentary committees in the coming weeks.
