REPUBLISHED

The killing of Judge Astrit Kalaja shakes the justice system

Erblin Vukaj · Originally published: 6 October 2025

Astrit Kalaja, a judge at the Court of Appeal in Tirana, died on Monday following a shooting inside the courtroom. The suspected gunman, Elvis Shkambi, and his uncle Gjon Shkambi, parties to a property case being heard by Kalaja, were arrested after the incident.

The court’s security guard was arrested alongside them, while two other people were wounded in the attack.

The authorities are investigating the gunman’s full motives. He is suspected of acting out of revenge after the court ruled against the Shkambi family.

The incident shocked the public and raised the alarm over the safety of magistrates and justice staff.

Judicial and prosecutorial bodies at every level have described the killing as “a blow to the rule of law” and “a serious threat to the system’s independence”. The European Union’s presence in Albania took a similar position, while politicians sidestepped responsibility.

The justice system responds with solidarity and alarm

The main justice institutions reacted strongly to Judge Kalaja’s killing. In a joint statement, the judges of the Court of Appeal expressed “grief, but also a determination not to be intimidated”, stressing that “justice will continue to serve with dignity and impartiality”.

In a statement condemning the incident, the Prosecutor General said he had asked the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office to conduct a swift and thorough investigation in cooperation with the police. But the case is also being investigated by the Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organised Crime (SPAK), which has begun examining the procedures followed for security measures.

The High Judicial Council (KLGJ), convened specifically after the incident, called the killing “an attack on the foundations of the rule of law” and stressed that “the independence and security of judges are cornerstones of the functioning of justice”.

The Ombudsman went further, describing the incident as “one of the most unprecedented in the history of Albanian justice”. The response stressed that inadequate security, excessive workloads and a culture of disrespect towards the courts have created conditions in which justice is “administered in fear”.

The Supreme Court called it “an alarm signal about the state of security and infrastructure in Albanian courts”. In its statement, it warned that “any form of denigration or contempt towards judges undermines the authority of justice and public trust in the rule of law”.

The High Justice Inspector (ILD) also emphasised the importance of security in safeguarding the system. The ILD called on every state authority “to commit to guaranteeing the inviolability of every representative performing duties in the name of the law”.

The Constitutional Court also called the killing “an attack on the principles of justice and the rule of law”, calling for immediate action to provide physical and institutional protection for judges.

Meanwhile, the Special Court against Corruption and Organised Crime (GJKKO) called Judge Kalaja’s killing “a serious threat to judicial independence and citizens’ trust in justice”. It called for magistrates’ security to be seen as “a necessity for the normal functioning of the democratic system”.

Government and opposition: rhetoric without responsibility

The responses from the government and opposition, although forceful in tone, followed a now-familiar pattern of communication after crises: statements remain symbolic posts on social media, while institutional responsibility is absent.

President Bajram Begaj and Prime Minister Edi Rama condemned the act as “an attack on justice”, as did Justice Minister Besfort Lamallari and Interior Minister Albana Koçiu.

But, in substance, none of the responses addressed specific responsibility for the failure of security arrangements inside court premises.

Prime Minister Rama attributed the problem to “the choice among private security firms in the name of judicial independence”, shifting the burden of responsibility onto the justice system itself.

Ministers Lamallari and Kociu repeated the same “refrain”, saying the police had no remit “for checking entries to and exits from courts”, and stressing the need for a “review of the court security system”. None of the government’s responses mentioned its specific responsibility for security standards in public buildings.

The main opposition party, led by Sali Berisha, meanwhile read the incident as proof of “criminal control over public order” and a symptom of “the insecurity that prevails in the country”, but without explaining any specific measure it would demand instead.

Newer political forces, such as Lëvizja Bashkë and Lëvizja Shqipëria Bëhet, were more critical. They demanded institutional accountability and linked the violent incidents to a political climate that has encouraged insults and the public delegitimisation of judges by the Prime Minister himself.

Amid this flood of responses, much was heard about “the force of law” and “red lines”, but little about why the state failed to protect a judge inside a courtroom. This starkly reflects the absence of a culture of responsibility.

Judge Astrit Kalaja had a long career in the justice system. He was first appointed to the Shkodër Court in 1993, where, after 2004, he served as an appeals judge for around ten years. After 2023, he was transferred to the Tirana Court of Appeal, having successfully passed the vetting process.