High Inspector of Justice: Justice reform has strengthened the independence and accountability of the judiciary

2026-04-23 17:54:00, Aktualitet CNA

High Inspector of Justice: Justice reform has strengthened the independence and

The High Inspector of Justice Artur Metani held an open lecture with students of the law department at Luarasi University, where he shared with them reflections on the functioning of the justice system after the reform, focusing on the activity of the High Inspector of Justice, the independence of the judiciary, accountability and the separation of powers.

During his speech, the High Inspector of Justice Artur Metani said that the justice reform has created a new institutional architecture, which constitutes a stable and functional structure. One of the main achievements of this reform, said Metani, is the fact that today judges and prosecutors exercise their duties without pressure or coercion, thanks to legal and constitutional mechanisms that guarantee the investigation and punishment of any possible violation.

The High Inspector of Justice explained how the institution he leads is set in motion, emphasizing that "the process starts mainly from complaints from citizens and institutions, but also on the initiative of the ILD itself, based on information obtained, including from the media, but the complaints must be clear and detailed, including the identity of the judge and a concrete description of the alleged violation."

An essential element, according to Metani, remains maintaining the balance between the independence of judges and their accountability, which guarantees an impartial and unblackmailable justice system. The High Inspector of Justice also explained that "ILD does not have the competence to change court decisions, they are overturned or changed by a higher level of the judicial system, as provided for in the law."

The High Inspector of Justice then explained the three stages of handling a complaint: "initial verification, investigation based on reasonable suspicion, and disciplinary proceedings." Among the most frequent violations found, he mentioned delays in the disclosure of decisions, which are often related to the high workload of the judiciary.

The High Inspector of Justice emphasized that citizens have the right to appeal his decisions to the relevant bodies, as control mechanisms, and noted the importance of inspections in the justice system, which contribute to increasing its performance and credibility.

During the conversation with the students, special attention was paid to the impact of the vetting process on the justice system.

The High Inspector of Justice emphasized that vetting has halved the number of judges, creating an increased burden on the system, but remaining a necessary process for increasing integrity and public trust.

Students raised questions about the nature of violations in decision-making and cases when these can violate the integrity of the judge, including through corruption.

In response to them, the Inspector explained that each case is handled based on facts and legal procedures, respecting investigation standards and the balance between independence and accountability.

Regarding the question about the volume of complaints, Mr. Metani announced that over 9 thousand complaints have been filed with the institution, of which more than 6700 have been processed. Of these, around 150 investigations have been conducted against magistrates and 53 disciplinary proceedings have been initiated.

Finally, the High Inspector of Justice spoke about the inspections, which he said could serve as a basis for institutional reflection and further improvements, including recommendations, while adding that all inspection reports have been addressed to the Assembly./ CNA