Prime Minister Edi Rama says Albania’s parliament must resolve the deadlock over the salaries of judges and prosecutors, rejecting the decision by the High Judicial Council (KLGJ) and High Prosecutorial Council (KLP) to set higher reference salaries without waiting for legislative approval.

In a social media post, Rama said the State Treasury cannot release the blocked salaries through an institutional “self-authorization,” arguing that the judiciary’s salary fund must be proposed by the executive and approved by parliament.

“Each institution has its place,” Rama wrote, adding that the Constitutional Court itself is waiting for parliament to implement its ruling on judicial salaries.

The dispute follows a decision by KLGJ and KLP to increase magistrates’ reference salaries starting August 1. The Finance Ministry subsequently blocked the payrolls, preventing the increased payments from reaching judges and prosecutors.

Justice Minister Toni Gogu said the issue would be resolved with the start of the new parliamentary session on September 8. He said Constitutional Court decisions are binding and must be implemented, but added that the solution must also take into account the state budget.

KLGJ and KLP based their new salary calculation on the salary of a director in the Prime Minister’s Office, citing the Constitutional Court’s ruling. The court, however, had said the reference salary was intended to address outstanding payments while leaving parliament to determine the final formula.

The dispute could now bring the government and the two councils representing judges and prosecutors into a new confrontation over how magistrates’ salaries should ultimately be calculated.