President Ilir Meta’s lawyers have asked the Constitutional Court for an entirely new judicial panel to oversee the president’s impeachment trial, arguing that the present bench lacks the ability to remain impartial during the process.

According to lawyer Bledar Dervishaj, three members of the Constitutional: Vitore Tusha, Perparim Kalo and Fiona Papajorgji should voluntarily quit this case because they have a direct conflict of interest.

According to Dervishaj, the head justice at the Constitutional has been in office for more than 5 years, overstepping her term, whereas judge Perparim Kalo has allegedly been appointed without a fair race, in direct violation of the Constitution.

Under these circumstances, according to Meta’s defense, this troupe of judges won’t be able to issue an unbiased ruling on the matter involving the president’s impeachment.

“The president has lost all confidence in the ability of this judicial body to rule on his case,” – declared Dervishaj.

In addition, the legal representative of the ruling Socialist party, Klotida Bushka, asked the Court to overturn this request, calling the arguments presented by Meta’s defense lawyers ‘hypothetical’.

The president has refused to attend the hearing and declared that he will be represented by his two attorneys, Kaltrina Treska and Bledar Dervishaj.

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