Minutes before the next parliamentary session was due to begin on Thursday, Albania’s opposition Democratic Party called for a bill concerning judges and prosecutors — including provisions related to their salaries — to be removed from the agenda.

In a formal request submitted to Parliament, the Democratic Party called for changes to the session’s agenda for September 17, 2026, arguing that the amendments approved by parliamentary committees had not been subject to sufficient consultation with the magistrates and other stakeholders directly affected by the legislation.

The request, signed by the head of the Democratic Party’s parliamentary group, also called on the government and Parliament to ensure greater transparency in decisions concerning the judiciary, particularly issues directly affecting magistrates, including their compensation for services provided to citizens.

The opposition is seeking three main changes:

• Removal of the bill from the agenda: The Democratic Party invoked Article 31 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure to request that the draft law amending Law No. 96/2016 on the status of judges and prosecutors in Albania be removed from Thursday’s agenda.
• Review by Parliament’s Legislation Council: Citing Article 87 of the Rules of Procedure, the party requested that the bill also be reviewed by Parliament’s Legislation Council, including in light of Constitutional Court Decision No. 15/2026 and positions presented by the judiciary.
• A new consultation process: The opposition called for Parliament to immediately launch what it described as a real, effective and transparent consultation process with the governing bodies of the justice system and representative associations of magistrates, with the aim of reaching a final solution and ensuring compliance with the standards set out in the Constitutional Court’s decision.