FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
After the strong public clash between the government and magistrates over the issue of salary increases, it seems that something bigger is hiding in the background: a clear signal that the majority, led by Prime Minister Edi Rama, is moving towards a review of the justice reform. This message was openly articulated by the former Minister of Justice and Chairman of the Laws Committee, Ulsi Manja, during an interview on the show "Top Story".
Asked about the magistrates' demands and the heated debate over salaries, Manja used a harsh tone, implying that the problem is not only financial, but related to the way the justice system itself functions.
" We generally say to magistrates: take on the responsibilities that the Constitution and the law have assigned to you, but also the defects you have, and fix them ," said Manja.
Asked directly by Grida Duma whether this meant interference in the system, Manja did not soften the message.
" 'Get organized'. Why? Because today the mechanisms for the judiciary to function as an independent power are guaranteed and the accountability mechanisms are guaranteed. We say to the justice system: you have a strategy for reducing the backlog in the courts ," he declared.
Manja also brought concrete examples of discipline in the judiciary, criticizing decisions that, according to him, diminish the seriousness of the judge's function.
" A court director withheld 5-6 days of salary from a judge for not going to work. The measure was appealed and the High Judicial Council said: 'a judge does not have to go to work when there are no trials'. The judge must go to work ," Manja emphasized.
He also focused on the role of judges in delivering justice, harshly criticizing their perception as "notaries" of decisions.
" The time has come for the judicial system, the judge, to look at the evidence and drop the hammer of justice with their eyes closed. The courts must step away from the role of notary and rise to the height assigned to them by the Constitution ," declared Manja.
In the end, he left a clear warning, seen by many as a political signal for a new phase of justice reform.
" For judges, there is only evidence. Put your finger on the mind, because we will interfere with the system ," said Manja.
His statements come at a time when Prime Minister Rama has publicly toughened his tone towards judges on the issue of salaries, raising suspicions that the current clash could be the prelude to a broader review of the architecture of judicial reform.
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