ECHR Chides Albania's 'Inappropriate' Attempt to Sway Ruling

The European Court of Human Rights has criticised the Albanian government's "inappropriate approach" in 2014, when it tried convince the court to adjourn its examination of cases concerning the restitution of property seized under the Communist regime.

The court emphasized that both Albania's official and non-official attempts to influence the court had been rebuffed.

"In 2014, an official close to the Albanian Government [Denar Biba] contacted Ledi Bianku, a judge in respect of Albania, requesting that the Court adjourn its examination of cases concerning restitution of property.

"Judge Bianku indicated to this person that such an approach was inappropriate and immediately informed Dean Spielmann, President of the European Court", the court said in an emailed reply to BIRN.

"An official request to adjourn cases concerning restitution of property was made on the same date in the context of a meeting between the authorities of the European Court and the Albanian authorities. This request met ... outright refusal," it added.

The Albanian news website Exit.al reported on Tuesday that, through an anonymous email, it had received a tape of the conversation between Biba, now a member of Albania's Electoral Commission and Ledi Bianku, an Albanian judge at the ECHR.

During the conversation, Biba apparently suggested that Bianku might want to help the government over its request if he wished to obtain a good public position back in Albania when his mandate at the ECHR ended.

In the taped conversation, Biba is heard saying: "One might end up jobless ... One might need to make compromises in his life".

Following publication of the tape, opposition parties accused Albanian Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama's office of having...