FLASH
Shkruar nga Arben Llangozi
Systematic corruption, unjustifiable delays in reviewing cases, political influence in the appointment of judges and prosecutors, failure to punish corrupt officials, and the malfunctioning of the vetting mechanisms themselves in some cases, have caused Albanian citizens to lose faith in justice...
Since ancient times, justice has been the foundation upon which civilizations have been built. In the city-state of Uruk in Mesopotamia, more than 5,000 years ago, the formation of the first structures of justice began.
Then, with the Code of Hammurabi in Babylon around 1754 BCE, the world saw for the first time a codified system of laws, where justice took institutional form and judges were held accountable for their decisions. This code declared that the law was above all and that everyone, regardless of status, should be treated with the same measure of justice.
In ancient Egypt, the divine principle of Ma'at — who embodied order, justice, and truth — guided judges and officials who adjudicated the people's disputes. These principles remain inspiring examples of how human societies, even in the absence of technology or modernity, considered justice as the compass that guided development and social peace.
Today, in the 21st century, Albania – a country aiming for integration into the European Union – is experiencing one of the deepest crises of the justice system in its history. Instead of being the foundation of the rule of law and the shield of citizens’ rights, the Albanian judicial system has become a symbol of injustice, moral poverty and institutional corruption.
Albanian courts, which should be sanctuaries of law and equality, are today often the scenes where justice is sold, bought or dictated by political offices, dark interests and powerful people who are not affected by the law. Important decisions for society are not made in courtrooms, but at dark tables where the people are absent and collusion rules.
Systematic corruption, unjustifiable delays in reviewing cases, political influence in the appointment of judges and prosecutors, the failure to punish corrupt officials, and the malfunctioning of the vetting mechanisms themselves in some cases, have caused Albanian citizens to lose faith in justice. And when justice is lost, everything else is shaken: security, the economy, democracy, and the hope of living in an honest country.
It is painful to note that ancient societies that existed more than four thousand years ago had a more functional and reliable justice system than today's Albania. We have the technology, we have a constitution and laws translated from the best Western models – but we lack the will and integrity to build an independent and fair justice system.
Therefore, this is not just a crisis of the system – it is a crisis of morality and national responsibility. Without fair justice, Albania cannot move forward. There can be no social peace, there can be no foreign investment, there can be no sustainable progress. Without justice, citizens will continue to leave, losing trust in a state that does not protect them.
It is time for Albanian society, institutions and international partners to realize that justice reform cannot be simply a technical procedure or a “condition for integration.” It is vital to the very existence of the Albanian state. Without justice, there is no Albania.
Lini një Përgjigje