By Boldnews.al
The Council of Justice Appointments (KED) has decided to reopen the race for the post of High Justice Inspector, as the minimum number of candidates has not been met so far.
The Constitution of the Republic of Albania provides that the High Justice Inspectorate is elected by 3/5 of the deputies, among the 5 candidates selected and listed by the Council of Justice Appointments (KED).
In April 2019, the Justice Appointments Council announced the vacancy for the High Justice Inspector, the head of the institution tasked with periodically inspecting judges and prosecutors in the Republic of Albania.
Following the verification procedures, the KED allowed only four candidates to run, thus failing to reach the necessary constitutional quorum to pass the names to Parliament for voting.
For this reason, at its meeting on 9 September 2019, the Justice Appointments Council decided to “Suspend the vetting procedure for candidates to fill the vacancy of the High Justice Inspectorate”, as well as “to announce the procedure of calling for applications. candidacies to fill the vacancy of High Justice Inspector ”.
New applicants must submit an application for candidacy, together with the accompanying documentation to the Justice Appointments Council, by 20 September 2019.
At the conclusion of the proceedings so far, the Justice Appointments Council has allowed the nomination of 4 lawyers, two of whom questioned the fulfillment of formal legal criteria.
Candidate Artur Malaj, the Administrative Appeal judge, is facing the Special Appeals Panel with the Public Commissioner, who is seeking his dismissal after confirmation by the Independent Qualification Commission (first instance of Veting).
Candidate Artur Metani, currently the Attorney General of the State, is in legal detention because, within the past 10 years, he has been part of the political staff of one of the main constitutional institutions (the Presidency). Boldnews.al has previously reported in detail why Artur Metani cannot run for Chief Justice Inspector. (Read HERE).
Meanwhile, the other two names allowed to run for the post of High Justice Inspector are Eris Hysi and Marsida Xhaferllari.