Astrit Kalaja, a judge at the Court of Appeals in Tirana, was killed on Monday after a gun attack in the courtroom. The suspected perpetrator, Elvis Shkambi, and his uncle Gjon Shkambi – parties to a property case being tried by Kalaja – were arrested following the incident.
The court security guard was also arrested with them, while two other people were injured during the attack.
Authorities are investigating the full motives of the perpetrator, who is suspected of acting in revenge as the court ruling was issued against the Shkambi family.
The event shocked public opinion, raising alarm about the safety of magistrates and justice workers.
Judicial and prosecutorial bodies, at all levels, have described the murder as "A blow to the rule of law" and "serious threat to the independence of the system". The European Union's presence also maintained a similar stance, as politics avoided responsibility.
Justice, reactions in solidarity and alarm
The main justice institutions reacted strongly to the murder of Judge Kalaja. In a joint statement, the judicial body of the Court of Appeal expressed "pain, but also determination not to be afraid", emphasizing that "Justice will continue to be served with dignity and impartiality".
In a reaction condemning the incident, the Prosecutor General announced that he had asked the Tirana Prosecution Office to conduct a swift and thorough investigation of the incident in cooperation with the police. However, the matter is also being investigated by the SPAK Special Prosecution Office, which has reviewed the procedures followed for security measures.
The High Judicial Council (HJC), convened specifically after the event, qualified the murder as "attack on the foundations of the rule of law" and emphasized that "The independence and security of judges are cornerstones in the functioning of justice."
The Ombudsman went further, describing the incident as "one of the most unprecedented in the history of Albanian justice." The reaction emphasized that the lack of security, excessive workload, and culture of disrespect for the courts have created a terrain where justice "exercises under fear".
The Supreme Court considered it "alarm signal for the state of security and infrastructure of Albanian courts". In her statement, she warned that "Any form of denigration or contempt towards the figure of a judge undermines the authority of justice and public trust in the rule of law."
The High Inspector of Justice (ILD) also considered security to be important to guarantee the system. ILD appealed to every state instance "to commit to guaranteeing the inviolability of every representative who exercises his duty in the name of the law."
Even the Constitutional Court called it murder. "attack on the principles of justice and the rule of law", demanding immediate action for the physical and institutional protection of judges.
Meanwhile, the Special Court for Corruption and Organized Crime (SCOC) called the murder of Judge Kalaja "serious threat to the independence of the judiciary and citizen trust in justice." She asked that the security of magistrates be seen as "necessity for the normal functioning of the democratic system".
Government and opposition: Irresponsible rhetoric
Reactions from the government and opposition, although strong in tone, have followed a now familiar pattern of post-crisis communication, where statements remain at a symbolic level on social media, while institutional accountability is lacking.
President Bajram Begaj and Prime Minister Edi Rama condemned the act as "attack on justice", similarly, Minister of Justice Besfort Lamallari or Minister of Interior Albana Koçiu.
But, essentially, none of the reactions addressed the concrete responsibility for the failure of security mechanisms within court premises.
Prime Minister Rama attributed the problem to "choice between private police in the name of judicial independence", shifting the burden of responsibility to the justice system itself.
Ministers Lamallari and Kociu repeated the same "chorus", excluding the powers of the police "for the control of entry and exit to the courts", and emphasizing the need for "review of the court security system"None of the government responses mentioned the government's specific responsibility for safety standards in public buildings.
On the other hand, the main opposition force, led by Sali Berisha, read the event as proof of "control of order from crime" and as a symptom of "the insecurity prevailing in the country", but without explaining any concrete measures that would require otherwise.
New political forces, such as the Together Movement and the Albania Becomes Movement, emerged as more critical, demanding institutional accountability and linking the violent events to the political climate that has fueled insults and public delegitimization of judges by the Prime Minister himself.
In this flurry of reactions, much was heard about "the force of law" and "red lines", but little about the reasons why the state failed to protect a judge inside a courtroom. This deeply reflects the lack of a culture of accountability.
Judge Astrit Kalaja had a long career in the justice system. He was initially appointed to the Shkodra Court in 1993, where after 2004 he served as an Appeals Judge for about ten years. After 2023, he was transferred to the Tirana Appeals Court after successfully passing the vetting process.
Erblin Vukaj has completed his studies in “Communication Sciences” and further mastered (MSc) in “European and International Journalism” at the University of Tirana. Since 2012, Vukaj has been working as a professional journalist, gaining experience in online media, print media, radio and television. He has covered various issues such as current affairs, health, environment and sports. In parallel, he has led and been involved in several research projects on the communist past in Albania.
