Albania’s High Court has strongly criticized the parliamentary procedure followed for a draft law affecting judges’ salaries, status and constitutional guarantees, calling for the bill not to be put to a vote in Parliament’s plenary session on September 17.

In a statement, the High Court said judicial representatives were notified less than two hours before appearing before Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee. Although they attended the consultation, the court said they were not provided with all amendments to the bill or with complete information on the government’s financial assessment.

The court argued that institutional consultation cannot be merely formal and that the judiciary’s concerns must be genuinely considered before legislation proceeds to a vote.

The dispute centers on several issues, including judges’ reference salaries, the proposed 0.38 coefficient linked to the President’s salary, back pay, the salary hierarchy within the judiciary and implementation of Constitutional Court decision No. 15/2026.

The High Court has asked Parliament to clarify how and when the amendments were submitted and reviewed, publish the government’s assessment of the bill’s financial impact, and allow the judiciary to review and comment on the latest version of the legislation.

It also called for the bill to be reassessed in its entirety in light of the Constitutional Court’s decision.

“The judiciary has spoken. The Constitutional Court has ruled. Now the responsibility lies with Parliament,” the High Court said.

The court added that it was not seeking superiority over Parliament, but neither submission to it, emphasizing that the separation of powers establishes distinct competencies, limits and constitutional checks.