Socialists seek to replace two HCJ members

TIRANA, Sept 23 – The governing Socialist Party-led coalition collected signatures from 39 parliamentarians to ask for the removal of two members of the High Council of Justice, one of them the deputy head, accusing them of not doing their job properly.
The two are elected by the parliament and were placed in the HCJ two years ago by the then-governing Democratic Party of then-Prime Minister Sali Berisha. Now the Democrats are led by Lulzim Basha, who 1is also Tirana mayor but not a lawmaker.
The Democrats say the government is trying to place the justice system under political control.
The also sent three laws passed by the parliament to the Constitutional Court to seek their annulment. The laws deal with the HCJ, the School of Magistrates and the administration court system.
The Socialists have set justice reform as their priority for this session of the parliament.
Prime Minister Edi Rama has said the justice reform is a very complex and should involve not only the government but also other actors. He said that will be led from the parliament, where the Socialists have the majority of the seats.
The Socialist say the court system is under the political influence of the Democrats and their previous leader, Berisha, and also of corrupt interests.