“You’re at one with the prime minister” — Artan Hoxha clashes with Eugen Beci over magistrates’ salaries: “You’re lying to my face…”

Journalist Artan Hoxha and lawyer Eugen Beci, the former head of Serious Crimes, were drawn into a debate on the “A2” show last night.

Speaking about magistrates’ salaries, Beci and Hoxha clashed over how the issue is being handled and over the majority’s role in the justice system.

Beci accused Hoxha of using populism in his stance.

“No, no, no, I have another concern. If that’s the case, then you’re at one with the prime minister, because you’re playing with populism,” Beci said.

Hoxha immediately pushed back, telling him he was misinterpreting his position.

“No, stop — you’re lying to my face, because you said ‘you’re one with the prime minister’. I’m saying the opposite. The opposite. Keep populism for yourself,” Hoxha replied.

The journalist said his concern is not about the salary judges receive, but about the independence of the justice system.

“The problem is not the appeals judge’s salary for me at all. I’m talking about the justice system, which the majority cannot trample on by reminding it of the salary,” Hoxha said.

Beci, for his part, stressed that for him it does not matter whether a judge gets 2.1 or 2.5 million lekë. His concern, he said, is how justice functions.

“I don’t care whether it gets 2.1 million or 2.5 million. What matters to me is how the majority reaches into my money and doesn’t give me justice,” Beci said.