“If I were the head of the executive…” — Salary deadlock: Rexhaj calls it a “sophisticated” magistrates’ power grab

Analyst Albatros Rexhaj has sharply criticized the institutional clash over judges’ salaries, calling it an attempt to expand the power of magistrates.

In an interview for ABC News, Rexhaj said the Constitutional Court had overstepped its competences, while stressing that only Parliament decides on the use of public money.

According to him, no institution can decide by itself to raise its own salaries, and the executive should delay the implementation of the decision.

Rexhaj saw the situation as a violation of the separation of powers and criticized the gap between the speed of decision-making on judges’ salaries and the long wait of citizens for justice.

“It is an attempt to take power; with other decisions, it seeks to limit power with the other two powers. It seeks to limit the competences of the executive and of Parliament itself. The Constitutional Court is very careful in its formulation, it sets deadlines. Parliament is the only institution that decides on public money. It is a sophisticated attempt by magistrates of all levels to place themselves above the other powers. If I were the head of the executive, I would postpone it to another date, not September 17. No institution can raise its own salaries. They have no other competence,” he said.

Moreover, he believes the Constitutional Court also exceeded its competences.

“Things in Albania have turned into nonsense. The Republic of Albania is an independent Republic. The Constitutional Court has overstepped its competences. Citizens wait for years to get an answer on their case, while judges set their salaries in a day,” Rexhaj said.