The head of the Union of Judges, Gerd Hoxha, has criticized the way the consultation on the new law on magistrates' salaries was conducted, stating that representatives of the judiciary were invited to the Laws Committee only 15 minutes before the meeting.
In an interview for the show "Minuta e Parë" on News24 with journalist Ola Bruko, Hoxha said that there was no prior consultation with the Union of Judges, but that they participated out of respect for citizens. Speaking about the new salary formula, the head of the Union of Judges said that, according to him, it does not guarantee the benefits previously determined and contradicts constitutional principles. "The formula must maintain the benefits guaranteed by the previous formula. The new formula divides by 10 the right that the Constitution has given us. So it is 10 times smaller," he declared.
Hoxha stressed that the dignity of justice institutions must be preserved and raised concerns about the impact of inflation on magistrates’ salaries. According to Hoxha, the Union of Judges has prepared an alternative draft, which he says can provide an acceptable solution for all parties. Hoxha also expressed optimism about the possibility of dialogue, stating that discussions can bring about a change in attitudes. Regarding the proposal for ranking salaries in the justice system, Hoxha explained that their draft aims to create a salary hierarchy, with the Constitutional Court at the top.
"The invitation to the Laws Commission came to us a quarter of an hour ago. There was no consultation with us beforehand. But it was in principle and we went out of respect for the Albanians. The formula must maintain the benefits guaranteed by the previous formula. The new formula divides by 10 the right that the Constitution has given us. So it is 10 times smaller. The dignity of the justice institutions must be preserved. Our salary, from 2019, has decreased by 19% due to inflation and has not been compensated. We have a draft ready that can ensure the satisfaction of all parties. We must be clear somewhere. The law should not satisfy the interests of the parties, but the Constitution. During the dialogue we will have something to learn from each other, and I believe that its position will change. Our law aims to make a salary ranking, where the Constitutional Court presides. Here, the GJKKO is not included in this formula, due to its historical role. We do not want to reinvent the wheel, "It was invented 500 years ago," he said.
