Finance Minister Says Magistrates’ Salaries Must Be Set by Law and Treasury Cannot Operate Under Pressure

The Minister of Finance said that any modifications to salary levels must go via the legislative process and be accompanied by the requisite resources in the State Budget during his speech to Parliament on the subject of magistrates’ salaries.
The minister underlined that while the independence of the judiciary is an essential and indisputable value, decisions that have a financial impact must be implemented in accordance with the Constitution and the laws that control the budget system.
The minister explained how the State Treasury operates, stating that it does not set salaries but instead validates and carries out payments made by public institutions after examining the legal foundation, supporting documents, workforce size, and availability of budgetary funds.
“The Treasury must confirm whether there is a legal basis, whether it has been approved, whether budgetary funds are available, and whether the documentation is in order if an institution submits a new payment or a significant salary increase,” the minister stated.
The minister denounced instances of pressure being applied to Treasury branch staff, emphasizing that relationships between institutions cannot be built on threats or evading the law.
The minister claims that the government is still dedicated to upholding the rulings of the Constitutional Court and has not opposed providing magistrates with respectable treatment. But before the Ministry of Finance and the State Treasury may implement salary levels, Parliament must approve the legal foundation for doing so.
“Neither the government nor the Ministry of Finance own money. It is Albanian citizens’ money. The minister declared, “The Ministry of Finance is the guardian of public finances and the protector of budgetary parameters.”
The minister concluded by stressing that all financial decisions must be made responsibly, openly, and in the best interests of all citizens while upholding the law, the separation of powers, and the sustainability of public finances.