TIRANA- The High Court has requested the Ministry of Finance to immediately unblock the judges' payments, following information that the payments have been blocked in the treasury system due to disagreements over the manner of implementing decision no. 15, dated February 17, 2026, of the Constitutional Court.
In a letter addressed to the Minister of Finance, Petrit Malaj, with the knowledge of the Minister of Justice, Toni Gogu, and the President of the High Judicial Council, Ilir Rusi, the President of the High Court, Sokol Sadushi, argues that the lack of a new law from the Parliament or funds planned in the budget cannot serve as a basis for suspending the implementation of the constitutional decision.
The Supreme Court emphasizes that, according to decision no. 15/2026, the Assembly was obliged to approve the necessary legal amendments by July 31, 2026. According to the Supreme Court's interpretation, after this date the previous magistrates' salary formula could no longer produce legal effects.
The letter also argues that the Constitutional Court has also determined the consequence in the event of the Assembly's inaction, referring to the formula related to senior public administration officials, according to the standard of decision no. 35/2022.
The High Court also refers to decision no. 435, dated August 26, 2026, of the High Judicial Council, emphasizing that this decision did not create a new salary policy, but rather concretized the implementation of the obligation determined by the Constitutional Court.
According to the letter, for the period from August 1, 2026 onwards, the basic reference salary is calculated based on the salary for the position of 222.425 lek and the qualification level supplement of 14.000 lek, reaching 236.425 lek.
The Supreme Court also rejects the argument that the lack of budget planning can justify the freezing of salaries. According to it, additional funds can be secured through mechanisms provided for by budget legislation, while the obligation to implement the constitutional decision remains in force.
At the end of the letter, the Supreme Court requests from the Ministry of Finance:
immediate unblocking of judges' monthly payments;
implementation of the basic reference salary from August 1, 2026;
allocation of additional funds that may be needed for current payments;
the treatment of financial differences for the period April 1, 2023 - July 31, 2026, according to the decision of the Supreme Court of Justice.
"Respecting the decision of the Constitutional Court is not a matter of institutional will, but a constitutional obligation for every organ of the Republic," it is emphasized at the end of the letter signed by the President of the Supreme Court, Sokol Sadushi.
