Prime Minister Edi Rama has reacted to the statement of the National Association of Judges, which accuses him of "pressure" on the Constitutional Court.
"The National Association of Judges has made a statement to complain about my 'pressure' on the Constitutional Court. There are two possibilities here: either they don't know the meaning of the word pressure, because I haven't seen them complain about others, who have been singing the house book to the people of justice for years, or they know that when they complain about me, they don't get a thorn in their side, because I am the one who hasn't been fighting with them for 10 years, I am fighting for them," Rama said.
He emphasizes that over the years he has supported justice, even while remaining silent about decisions that, according to him, have violated the rights of citizens and the interests of the state.
"However, the Judges' Association is very wrong if it expects me to keep my mouth shut and not share my opinion with the public, not even when I am a party to a constitutional trial, because the function I cover, with the votes of nearly 1 million Albanians, has been attacked in its independence by a prosecutor and a judge and risks being crippled for today and for the future," Rama declares.
The Prime Minister also criticizes the association's request for a salary increase by court decision, describing it as an excess of powers.
"The Judges' Association should know that it would be equally mistaken if it expected my silence on its scandalous and repeated request to the Constitutional Court to (re)increase judges' salaries by court decision, usurping the powers of the government and parliament," he emphasizes.
According to Rama, the request in question aims for a new increase of 1,600 euros for magistrates and their advisors.
"My silence the first time, before that suddenly shameful decision was made, will not be repeated this time, when with the (re)request in question, the judges' association is attempting to obtain from the state budget, bypassing the government and parliament, a new increase of a full 1,600 euros - yes, 1,600 euros plus the current salary," Rama said.
Finally, the Prime Minister emphasizes that the government remains open to institutional dialogue, but warns of the risk of irresponsibility within the system.
"In the meantime, I and the government and the parliamentary majority that I have the honor of leading welcome with open arms any institutional communication with the association in question, to address the needs and challenges of the new justice system, where the sacred principle of judicial independence must be protected at all costs not only from external interference by anyone, including myself, but also from the internal worm of the irresponsibility of judges, which daily erodes the people's trust in justice," Rama concludes.
