“Council decisions must be implemented” — Haxhia on GJKKO fines against lawyers: General Council to decide next steps on Wednesday

As the debate over the new GJKKO Regulation continues, the head of the Chamber of Advocates, Maks Haxhia, has reacted after the Special Court imposed fines on lawyers who did not take part in court sessions, as part of the boycott declared by the Chamber of Advocates.

Haxhia said he had been informed about the fines and stressed that lawyers are obliged to implement the decisions of the General Council of the Chamber of Advocates, as the highest decision-making body of the institution.

“I was informed about the fines applied by the GJKKO and I do not want to label anyone, but lawyers have a law approved by Parliament on the basis of the Constitution. In the governing structures of the Chamber of Advocates, the highest decision-making body is the General Council of the Chamber of Advocates, and the decisions of this council are binding for lawyers to implement,” Haxhia said.

According to him, the law provides for measures against lawyers who do not implement the decisions of the governing bodies of the Chamber of Advocates.

Haxhia meanwhile opposed the imposition of fines by the GJKKO, arguing that a regulation should not be enforced through administrative measures against lawyers who do not attend sessions. “Lawyers have the alternative of not respecting the decisions of the General Council and facing the revocation of their license or other administrative measures, or respecting the Council’s decision and receiving fines in the process. This should not have happened, because it is not good for the authority of this institution to enforce a regulation by the force of fines,” he stated.

Haxhia announced that on Wednesday, at 1:00 p.m., the General Council of the Chamber of Advocates will convene. The agenda includes an analysis of the progress of the decision on the open-ended boycott of court sessions. “On Wednesday, at 1:00 p.m., the meeting of the General Council will take place, which will analyze the progress of the decision they have taken to boycott all sessions,” Haxhia said.