The judge in the trial of Albania’s former interior minister Saimir Tahiri has unexpectedly dropped the case just one day ahead of the upcoming court session.

As a result, Daniela Shirka will be replaced by Florjan Kalaja.

Shirka, a judge near the First Instance Court for Serious Crimes, passed the vetting by the end of 2019, but the Albanian Helsinki Committee had reservations about her reinstatement in duty.

Tahiri is due to appear in court on Wednesday at 10 AM.

The other members of the judicial panel are Engert Pellumbi and IgertaHysi.

Saimir Tahiri has been accused of drug trafficking and being an accessory to a crime in collaboration with the ‘Habilaj’ clan.

In the first instance court, Tahiri was charged with a 3-year probation sentence on charges of abuse of power, prompting the Special Court of Appeals to overturn this verdict and release an order to retry Tahiri and bring him before a different judicial body.

Tahiri in turn, appealed this verdict taking the case before the High Court, which will decide on the continuity of one of the most infamous cases concerning Albanian public officials in recent years.