The former Chief Judge of the Special Court of First Degree Against Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO) Irena Gjoka has requested that the Special Structure Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) investigate public allegations made by Argita Malltezi, daughter of former Prime Minister Sali Berisha. Argita accused Gjoka of receiving a 500,000 euro bribe, a claim the judge denies and insists must be thoroughly investigated.

Why is this important: Argita Malltezi is widely seen as her father’s likely successor within the Democratic Party (PD). Sali Berisha, is under house arrest awaiting trial for corruption alongside his son-in-law, Argita’s husband. He has repeatedly attacked the justice system, accusing it of being controlled by Prime Minister Edi Rama. However, Berisha’s problems do not come just from Albania’s reformed justice system. He and his entire family, including his daughter, have been declared non grata by the U.S. for corruption. The U.K. has also banned Berisha for his links to Albanian organized crime. His recent attempts to undermine Albania’s judicial reforms, criticized by allies such as Germany’s CDU, appear driven by his personal legal troubles.

Context: Argita Malltezi publicly accused Judge Gjoka of corruption during a press conference on September 23, 2024. She claimed that Gjoka appeared in a video negotiating a 500,000 euro bribe with a former Socialist Party official, allegedly to keep him out of an investigation into a structured criminal group. “This is what I’ve heard from unconfirmed sources,” Argita said. “Seventeen prosecutors and judges from SPAK appear in the EncroChat case files, but no information about this has been made public.”

Judge Gjoka, who issued the house arrest order for Sali Berisha and imprisonment for his son-in-law, Argita’s husband Jamarbër Malltezi, has denied the allegations. As required by law, Gjoka will no longer participate in the trial of the Partizani affair for which Berisha and Malltezi stand accused, which is now under SPAK’s jurisdiction. In a formal report to SPAK, Gjoka demanded an investigation into Argita’s statements, calling for “deep scrutiny” of the claims.

Reacting to the news, Argita Malltezi responded by accusing Judge Gjoka of abusing the justice system, stating that “there is no legal provision that gives SPAK the authority to investigate cases where the complainant or defendant is a prosecutor or judge of the special judiciary.” She reiterated the allegations made on September 23, demanding that SPAK clarify whether a video exists showing Gjoka negotiating a 500,000-euro bribe with a former Socialist Party deputy in exchange for easing his case.

What’s next: The allegations add to ongoing tensions between Berisha’s camp and the justice system. Berisha, who has long accused the judiciary of bias, has ramped up attacks since his indictment, framing the courts as instruments of political control by Edi Rama. But his standing is weakened by his non grata status, with former allies distancing themselves from his efforts to organize protests and discredit judicial institutions. 

As Albania advances judicial reforms, this case exemplifies the friction between entrenched political figures and the new justice framework. The outcome of SPAK’s investigation will be closely watched, as it could influence the future dynamics of both the judiciary and Albania’s political landscape.