The Association of Prosecutors of the Republic of Albania has publicly come out against Taulant Balla’s statements regarding a decision by the Tirana Prosecution Office on arrests during the protests, raising the alarm over pressure on a magistrate. The reaction comes after claims of political ties were raised in the political debate and intervention was sought from the High Inspector of Justice.
Association: Criticism is turning into pressure on the prosecutor
In its statement, the Association stresses that prosecutors are independent magistrates and that in carrying out their duties they are subject only to the Constitution and the laws in force.
According to the Association, a prosecutor’s decision-making must be based on the facts and evidence gathered, not on public or political pressure. It is precisely here, the statement says, that insinuations of political ties shift the debate from legal analysis to a personal and professional attack on the prosecutor.
Calls for the High Inspector of Justice seen as a signal of pressure
The Association acknowledges that prosecution decisions may be criticized, including publicly. But it underlines that when criticism is accompanied by political accusations without concrete facts and by calls for institutional intervention over a specific decision, a real risk is created of influencing the prosecutor’s future decision-making.
Along these lines, the statement sees the public request for intervention by the High Inspector of Justice as problematic, warning that such an approach could exert pressure on the justice bodies.
What is clarified about the release of those arrested
The Association also offers a legal clarification on the core of the debate: according to it, a prosecutor’s orders for the immediate release of persons arrested in violation of the law are not decisions to dismiss the case.
According to the interpretation given in the statement, these orders relate only to the lawfulness of the deprivation of liberty and do not definitively determine the criminal responsibility of the persons detained. The Association also refers to Article 257 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, stressing that in the cases provided for by this provision, immediate release is a legal obligation of the prosecutor.
Message to politics and oversight institutions
Regarding claims of professional or ethical violations, the Association says they may be submitted to the competent bodies, including the High Inspector of Justice, but they must be examined on the basis of facts and in accordance with legal procedures.
In conclusion, it calls on political representatives to exercise the right to criticism responsibly and to avoid statements that, in its view, target prosecutors. The message is direct: oversight of justice cannot be replaced by political pressure carried out in public.
The Association’s reaction takes the clash over the arrests during the protests to another level, shifting the debate from the police and politics to the limits of interference with prosecutors.
At its core, the issue being raised is whether public criticism of a procedural decision is being used as a tool of pressure on the justice system, at a time when trust in institutions remains fragile.