Speech by Prime Minister Edi Rama at the 25th anniversary of the Constitutional Court:
Hello everyone!
Constitutions are drafted in times of turmoil and as such, they usually carry the stamp of past fears which are actually defined as the best advisers in drafting the Constitution – a well-known judge of the European Court of Human Rights says.
In fact, after a 50-year history of flagrant, systemic human rights violations, democratic change marked a radical turnaround in the history of the Albanian state, and of course, also of the Albanian justice. And the Constitutional Court, one of the most important institutions for guaranteeing the new constitutional order in Albania, was established within these changes.
From the outset, this institution was considered by the lawmaker as the highest authority that guarantees respect for the fundamental law of this country.
The truth is that in its activity since the creation in 1992 to this day, the Constitutional Court has faced an unusual challenge with the total vacuum of tradition and face to thousands of issues of varying nature, being challenged to create a rich practice step by step.
Surely there may be and there is place for criticism, but if there is an institution of the Albanian judiciary, where people can get in today without being ashamed, this is precisely the Constitutional Court. Given the fact that in a short time the Constitutional Court was forced to deal with very important decisions, the truth is that this body has tried to appear impartial in the trials given, and has provided a trustworthy image for itself in the eyes of everyone.
It does not happen often in the life of an institution, anywhere, but especially in Albania, to gain popular sympathy and support, as it has happened with this Court following the historic decision on the maritime border issue.
It was one of those decisions that define the image, character and path of an institution, perhaps for decades. It was one of those decisions where, although most of the time, a majority of a minority was read in the tradition of the Court’s decision-making, and it was not so difficult to define a left or right approach within it, the Constitutional Court rose above everything and everybody, and with a real decision of which everybody was proud, became the Court for the protection of constitutional and state sovereignty of the Republic of Albania. After 25 years of its creation, the Constitutional Court’s challenge still to this day, is to persevere in its efforts to harmonize its jurisprudence with the international one, by aligning step by step not only itself but also Albania, in the new world which for us was a utopia 25 years ago.
I hope that this effort will be consolidated through the entry of impartiality and equality before the law into the new history of the palace of justice, thus strengthening the foundations of transparency.
Today I am very honoured that this meeting is attended also by someone whose name is related to the history of the developments of justice in Albania, but also to the story of this Court, the honoured Gianni Buquicchio, and to tell the truth, although everybody in our institutions work with partners, I am very jealous for a partner like the Venice Commission, which is the partner of the Constitutional Court. I am convinced that each of those sitting in the higher chair of the Judge or the Constitutional Court would prove that despite the fact that it is quite an uncomfortable chair, the presence of the Venice Commission, in any case and for every need, makes such a heavy task much easier.
There is nothing left for me but wish all the best to all those present here who come directly from the troublesome path of the construction of this institution so fundamental, and certainly to those who continue to be constitutional judges, every success on a path that is long and difficult in order to implement justice reform, because we are all aware that justice is a word that we all use improperly, but which still sounds silly in the ears of all Albanians. It is used simply because it sounds beautiful, or because those who use it think they have aligned themselves on the right side of the story, only because they use it.
However, I am convinced that Albania will succeed at the end of the road because, as Plato said, justice in the life and conduct of the state is possible because it resides in the hearts and souls of the citizens.
Thank you very much!
