The assassination of Appeals Court Judge Astrit Kalaja, who died of wounds after being shot during a property dispute case in Tirana, has intensified tensions over Albania’s judicial reforms. The incident highlights a severe crisis in the country’s legal system with over 200,000 unresolved cases and widespread public distrust. Former officials and legal experts attribute this dysfunction to judicial reforms implemented nearly a decade ago by the EU and U.S., which they claim have been weaponized to undermine democratic institutions and concentrate power in the executive’s hands.
Former Albanian Ambassador to the United States and the United Nations, Agim Nesho, told Fox News Digital that reforms aimed at strengthening the rule of law under EU and U.S. guidance have been transformed into a political tool, eroding public confidence and enabling executive overreach. Nesho warned that this has created a dangerous trend of citizens taking justice into their own hands, signaling democratic backsliding.
Opposition Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha condemned Kalaja’s killing as an alarm bell for the country’s judicial crisis, accusing reforms of dismantling key institutions like the Constitutional Court and High Court. Berisha noted that the vetting process for judicial personnel devolved into a witch hunt targeting judges perceived as right-leaning, leading to a backlog of 200,000 cases and prolonged legal disputes that now take 15–20 years to resolve.
Legal expert Besnik Muçi, who was a judge in the Constitutional Court, acknowledged the reforms’ goal to create an independent and efficient justice system but criticized its failure to deliver. He cited a backlog of 150,000 cases and the closure of five appeal courts, which has restricted citizens’ access to justice. Muçi also highlighted the lack of security in court buildings, further eroding public trust.
Following the murder, the Korça Bar Association and National Bar Association of Albania boycotted court proceedings on October 9–10, demanding improved security and renewed faith in the judicial process. Korça Bar Association Director Nevzat Tarelli emphasized that citizens no longer trust the justice system, with many turning to alternative means of seeking redress.
Despite the outcry, state officials like Engjëll Agaçi and the U.S. State Department have not responded to questions about the reform’s impact or the crisis. The State Department offered condolences but did not address the underlying issues. Analysts suggest that the assassination could serve as a catalyst for renewed reform efforts, though the current political climate remains deeply divided over the role of the judiciary in Albania’s democracy.