Former minister Ilir Beqaj appeared at GJKKO without a lawyer, in a hearing held under the shadow of the open clash between lawyers and the court’s new regulations. According to reported information, the absence of defense counsel is linked to a boycott launched weeks ago by part of the body of lawyers.
Lawyer absent from the hearing
Beqaj appeared at the Special Court without his lawyer present. According to publicly released information, defense counsel was absent because he is part of the boycott that began on September 8.
This development once again places the court process against the backdrop of tensions among actors in the justice system, where the clash over procedural rules is directly affecting specific hearings as well.
Why GJKKO is being boycotted
According to the position presented by the Chamber of Advocacy, the boycott was undertaken as a form of protest against GJKKO’s new regulations.
According to that same position, the regulations undermine the work of the media and lawyers. At this stage, this remains the argument of the side opposing the changes introduced at the court.
The clash over the regulations and its impact on hearings
The case of Beqaj appearing without a lawyer shows that the institutional conflict over how GJKKO functions is not remaining only in statements or public positions, but is also being reflected in the courtroom.
When disputes over rules of access and work affect the right to defense and the normal conduct of hearings, the debate no longer remains merely procedural. It also raises questions about how the balance is being managed between court administration, the role of lawyers, and transparency toward the public.
For the moment, what is known is that the former minister appeared at GJKKO without a lawyer, while the absence has been linked to the ongoing boycott against the court’s new regulations.
At the center of the debate remains the regulation itself and the impact that it, according to its opponents, is having on the work of lawyers and the media.