Prime Minister Edi Rama once again raised concerns about the functioning of Albania’s judicial system during his podcast “Flasim” this Sunday. He focused on what he described as “worrying signs of judicial brutality,” referring to practices that, according to him, undermine trust in justice and place a heavy burden on the state budget.

Rama spoke about joint attempts by judges and prosecutors to increase their salaries, as well as the use of pretrial detention, which according to reports places Albania in a negative position compared to other countries.

“We have begun troubling analyses of worrying signs of judicial brutality. Attempts by magistrates—judges and prosecutors together—to raise salaries by ripping apart the state treasury. Judge and prosecutor at the same time. I have also read a report on the brutal use of pretrial detention in Albania, which has placed Albania at the very bottom,” he said.