Albanian Judge Fatally Shot in Court
On October 6, during a court session in Tirana, Judge Astrit Karaca was shot and killed while handling property dispute cases. Reports indicate that two others were also injured in the attack. A 30-year-old suspect has since been detained.
This incident has sparked significant outrage across Albania, reflecting deep-seated frustrations with the judicial system. Agim Nesho, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, commented that reforms introduced by the EU and U.S. about ten years ago—meant to enhance the rule of law—have instead become politicized, ultimately weakening democratic institutions and centralizing authority.
Nesho noted that public faith in the justice system has plummeted, to a point where some citizens feel compelled to pursue their own forms of justice, which signals a worrying trend of democratic decline.
Sali Berisha, leader of the opposition Democratic Party, described Karaca’s murder as both “abhorrent” and a critical indication of the judicial system’s failures. He highlighted public support for the perpetrator, suggesting it represents a broader protest against a broken and corrupted justice system.
According to Berisha, the reforms have led to significant legal delays—asserting that it can now take 15 to 20 years to resolve cases. He lamented that Albania hasn’t had a functioning constitutional or high court for over five years, contributing to an overwhelming backlog of around 200,000 cases. Moreover, he claimed that the vetting of judicial officials has devolved into a “witch hunt.”
A 2020 report on U.S. assistance in Albania indicates efforts aimed at restoring judicial integrity. It recorded that, from a review of 286 judges and prosecutors, 125 were removed for various reasons including links to organized crime and incompetence.
Attorney Besnik Musi, a former prosecutor and judge, remarked that the intended judicial reform has mostly failed; he noted there’s a backlog of about 150,000 cases and criticized the closure of multiple courts, which has severely limited access to justice. He mentioned that a lot of court facilities do not meet necessary safety standards, adding, “People have no faith in the judicial system.”
In response to the tragedy, the Korça Bar Association and the Albanian National Bar Association staged a boycott of court proceedings on October 9 and 10. Their actions emphasize the urgent need to address safety concerns and restore public trust in the judiciary. Many people, according to Tarelli, head of the Korça Bar Association, no longer believe justice is attainable when it is delayed.
Efforts to engage with authorities regarding these judicial concerns have largely gone unanswered. A representative from the State Department expressed condolences for the victims of the attack but did not provide insights on the effectiveness of the U.S.-supported reforms or address the issues laid bare by Karaca’s killing.
