The Albanian government has reacted to the decision of the High Judicial Council (KLGJ) to increase the reference salary of judges, saying the matter requires further internal consideration.

KLGJ intervened on Wednesday to address the long-running dispute over judges’ salaries, after Parliament failed to approve the necessary legislation by July 31, the deadline linked to the implementation of a decision by the Constitutional Court. 

Starting from August 1, 2026, the reference salary will rise from 156,800 lekë to 222,425 lekë, while a 14,000-lekë qualification allowance will also be added. The council additionally approved a proposal to compensate judges for the salary increase that was not applied between April 1, 2023, and July 31, 2026.

Asked by Report TV  for a reaction, the government responded:

“This is a delicate issue that first requires an internal analysis, and as soon as a decision is made regarding this matter, we will keep you informed.”

The dispute over magistrates’ salaries has been ongoing since 2023, involving the judiciary, government and Parliament. The Constitutional Court has previously ruled that changes to the salary system needed to be addressed, with the issue ultimately becoming a matter of institutional responsibility between the legislature and the judiciary. 

The latest KLGJ decision therefore comes at a sensitive moment, as the government now faces a choice over how to respond to a salary framework adopted by the body responsible for judicial governance. Earlier this year, the government had itself indexed the reference salary for judicial and prosecutorial functions by 2.5%, bringing it to 156,825 lekë.