Parliamentary Economy Committee has approved in principle a Socialist Party-backed draft on the salaries of judges and prosecutors, with eight votes in favor, two against and one abstention.

The bill proposes raising the magistrates’ reference salary coefficient from 36% to 38% of the President’s salary, translating into an increase of around 8,500 lek. The figure is significantly lower than the level sought by the High Council of Justice (KLGJ) and High Council of Prosecution (KLP), which have proposed a reference salary around nine times higher.

The ruling majority argues that the proposed formula complies with the Constitutional Court’s decision and that Parliament has the authority to determine salaries and their impact on the state budget.

Opposition lawmakers rejected the draft, accusing the government of failing to implement the Constitutional Court’s decisions and warning that the dispute has deepened the crisis over judicial salaries.

The controversy escalated after Parliament missed a July 31, 2026 deadline to approve a new salary formula. The KLGJ and KLP subsequently set their own reference salaries for judges and prosecutors, but the Ministry of Finance refused to execute the resulting payrolls, arguing that salary-setting is a parliamentary responsibility.

The bill will now move forward in Parliament for further consideration and a final vote.