Albania’s National Judges Association has issued a statement in response to recent comments made by Prime Minister Edi Rama regarding the suspension of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, Belinda Balluku, in connection with an ongoing case at the Special Court Against Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO).

In its detailed reaction, the Association said it had followed the Prime Minister’s public communication in recent days with “concern and indignation,” noting that Balluku’s case is currently under review both by the Constitutional Court and the special judicial bodies.

According to the statement, the Prime Minister’s remarks—made under the pretext of criticizing what he described as judicial overreach into executive and legislative powers—carry the effect of political pressure on the justice institutions reviewing the case.

The judges warned that such daily messages directed at the wider public risk creating an atmosphere of mistrust toward the judiciary and may later be used as a pretext for erosive actions against judicial independence.

The Association emphasized that the separation and balance of powers is a core democratic principle, and judicial independence constitutes a cornerstone of the rule of law. This independence, it noted, is threatened not only by direct attempts to limit judicial authority but also by “any act or statement perceived as political pressure or intimidation,” which could damage public trust in justice institutions.

The statement also recalled that the European Commission, in its annual reports on Albania, has repeatedly raised concerns about continued attempts by senior officials and politicians to influence or pressure the judiciary.

“Judges are independent and subject only to the Constitution and the law,” the Association declared, adding that the mission of the judiciary is not to satisfy public opinion but to uphold the sovereign will expressed in the legal order. Court decisions, it stressed, may be unpopular for some, but that does not make them illegitimate.

The Association called on senior officials from the executive and legislative branches to respect judicial independence, refrain from public pressure, and avoid any conduct that could undermine the integrity of ongoing court proceedings. Interference during judicial processes, it warned, represents “the most dangerous form” of violating the separation of powers, as it seeks to distort judicial decision-making through political pressure.