Ten years after the launch of the justice reform, Albania continues to face a lack of adequate infrastructure for its judicial system. Of the 20 courts operating in the country, only 5 have buildings constructed specifically for this purpose, while the rest operate in adapted premises. The figures were presented by the head of the High Judicial Council, Ilir Rusi, during a report to the Committee on Citizens’ Initiatives, where he called for more funding for the construction and renovation of court buildings.
“Since 2017, we have not had a single building completed and designated as a court. In 10 years of justice reform, we do not have a single building that was dedicated as a court from the very first moment”, Rusi stated. According to him, one of the main obstacles is the lack of land. The HJC asked the municipalities of Kukës, Durrës, Fier, Lezhë and Tirana to make space available for the construction of new buildings, but received no positive response. The exception is Berat, where the municipal council approved the transfer of a plot of land to the ownership of the HJC. A budget of 9 million lekë has been set aside for drafting the project.
The situation in the capital also remains problematic, where expanding and renovating the current building of the First Instance Court requires 200 million lekë, while the process is being hindered by expropriation procedures. During the report, Rusi also requested 215 million lekë for office equipment and court security, as well as an additional 110 million lekë for goods and services, arguing that the costs of postal services, security and renting premises have increased.
Another request from the HJC is the recruitment of 199 additional employees during 2027, to fill vacant positions with court secretaries, legal assistants and security staff. The chairman of the committee, Fatmir Xhafaj, raised concern that the lack of physical premises is also hindering staff expansion. “The problem is that today they have nowhere to sit and work”, Xhafaj said, calling for the infrastructure issue to also be raised with the government. For 2027, 6.67 billion lekë has been allocated to the High Judicial Council and the judicial system, approximately 74.22 million lekë less than the 2026 budget.