The new parliamentary session opened under the shadow of a sharp political clash over the salaries of judges and prosecutors, an issue now entering the Assembly’s agenda amid accusations of failure to implement constitutional rulings and open opposition resistance.
The debate began before the session
Before the Assembly meeting at 5:00 p.m., tensions shifted to the Conference of Chairpersons, where the draft law affecting magistrates’ salaries was debated.
PD parliamentary group leader Gazment Bardhi accused Assembly Speaker Niko Peleshi of failing to implement a Constitutional Court ruling, turning the issue from a technical debate into a direct institutional confrontation.
The majority defends Parliament’s role
On the majority’s side, Taulant Balla opposed the opposition’s approach and said that, in his view, setting salaries is the competence of Parliament and not of the courts.
This position places the debate on broader political and constitutional ground, where the clash is tied not only to salary levels but also to the limits of powers between institutions.
Draft law to be discussed on September 17
After the meeting of the Conference of Chairpersons, Balla announced that the draft law on salaries will be discussed in Parliament on September 17.
Democrats have warned they will vote against the Socialists’ initiative on the salaries of judges and prosecutors, indicating that the issue is expected to remain one of the hottest topics of the first weeks of this session.
Mini-protest outside and a packed agenda inside
While the Conference of Chairpersons was taking place, a mini-protest was held outside, with calls for mass participation in the afternoon protest in front of Parliament.
This Tuesday’s session was planned as a ceremonial opening of the third session of the 11th Legislature, but the political climate suggests that the months ahead will be marked by sharp clashes.
The agenda of issues expected to be discussed going forward also includes administrative-territorial reform, magistrates’ salaries, and laws linked to the European Union chapters process.
The formal opening of the session did not ease the political conflict that has erupted over the draft law on magistrates’ salaries.
With the opposition in a frontal position of resistance and the majority maintaining control of the agenda, September 17 is expected to be the first real test of this debate in the Assembly hall.