Translated from Albanian · Original article in Albanian →

The reaction comes after the head of the Socialist parliamentary group publicly targeted the Tirana prosecutor who ordered the release of arrested protesters

Tiranë, 22 October 2026 – The Association of Prosecutors of the Republic of Albania has come out publicly against the head of the Socialist Party parliamentary group, Taulant Balla. After the session of Parliament, Balla accused Tirana prosecutor Arbër Berexha of having links to the Democratic Party.

The accusation concerns the prosecutor’s decisions on protesters arrested during the anti-government protests. Balla criticised the decision in front of journalists and publicly called for the intervention of the High Inspector of Justice (ILD).

“Without facts, debate turns into discrediting”

In its statement, the Association says that an accusation of political links, when not supported by concrete facts, endangers the prosecutor’s independence. According to the Association, this independence is a constitutional obligation.

The Association accepts that any decision by the prosecution can be publicly criticised and that independence does not exempt a prosecutor from accountability. However, it stresses that accusations without evidence move the debate away from legal arguments. The debate thus turns into a personal attack on the magistrate. According to the Association, when the accusation is also accompanied by public calls on the ILD, pressure is created on the prosecutor and on his future decisions.

Release does not mean the case is dropped

The Association also clarifies a point which, in its view, has been misinterpreted in the public debate. When a prosecutor orders the immediate release of persons arrested in violation of the law, he does not drop the criminal case. These orders only examine whether the deprivation of liberty was lawful. They do not decide definitively on the criminal responsibility of the protesters. Under Article 257 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, immediate release in such cases is a legal obligation of the prosecutor.

The Association adds that any complaint about professional or ethical violations can be addressed to the ILD. But this institution, too, must work independently and without political pressure.

A call to politicians

The Association calls on political representatives to exercise criticism responsibly and not to target specific prosecutors. The statement concludes with the idea that the independence of magistrates guarantees that the law is applied equally to everyone.

Context

This clash comes during days of mass student and civic protests in front of Parliament and the Prime Minister’s Office. The protesters are demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama. On the same day, the Socialist Party (PS) sought, through the Ethics Secretariat, the exclusion of 20 Democratic Party (PD) MPs from parliamentary sessions.

Source: BalkanWeb