Albanian Justice System 'Needs Surgery'

Commission chairman Fatmir Xhafaj said on Thursday that constitutional changes are needed to revamp the High Council of Justice, the body responsible for nominating judges and for prosecuting them in case of wrongdoing, and to empower the General Prosecutor's Office.

He also said that his commission aims to change the composition of the High Court of Justice and the Prosecutors Council.

"The current situation is critical. The justice system doesn't need just a makeover but a surgical intervention," Xhafa told a press conference.

The High Council of Justice has long been considered a body with politically nominated members that has failed to prosecute judges and deal with perceived widespread corruption.

The High Court of Justice is headed by the president but the commission has proposed changing this as a way towards depoliticising the justice system.

Justice reform is one of the main requests of the EU Commission and is needed to pave the way towards the country's EU integration process.

Changes in the constitution needs more two-thirds of the 140 votes in the parliament or about 94 MPs, but it's not clear whether the ruling coalition has the votes needed to do this.

The main party in opposition, the right-wing Democratic Party, has expressed concerns about the plan to strip the president's power to head the High Court of Justice and to nominate judges.

Eduard Halimi, an MP from the Democratic Party, called the proposal to change the constitution "an attempt to capture the institutions of justice, the courts, the High Council of Justice and the High Court".

The Democratic Party has called for consensus on the reforms, but Xhafaj said that "consensus for the sake of consensus is dangerous".

"Consensus is...