Today, on 25.01.2022, at 09:00, the Appeal Chamber held the public hearing of case (JR) 12/2020, dated 04.03.2020, pertaining to the appeal of the Public Commissioner against decision no. 224, dated 20.12.2019, of the Independent Qualification Commission, related to the assessee Astrit Kalaja.
The Public Commissioner, during the submission of the appeal grounds, stated that the assessee has made an inaccurate, insufficient, incomplete disclosure for the asset assessment and that he fails to justify his assets with legitimate sources. The Public Commissioner requested the amendment of decision no. 224, dated 20.12.2019 of the Independent Qualification Commission and the dismissal from office of the assessee Astrit Kalaja.
The legal representative of the assessee objected the appeal grounds of the Public Commissioner as unfounded in law and evidence and stated that the assets of Mr. Astrit Kalaja are justified by legitimate sources. The assessee filed attached to his submissions several acts included in the case file, which he requested to be admitted by the panel as evidence.
Following consultations, the trial panel decided to accept the acts as evidence. Once the parties stated that they had no additional requests, the trial panel decided to close the judicial investigation of the case and invited the parties to submit their final conclusions.
The Public Commissioner, while arguing that the accepted acts are already acknowledged, as they are part of the case file, stated that there is no need for additional time to prepare the final conclusions of the case and that he stands by his request in the appeal.
The assessee held that the list of arguments presented during today’s hearing is exhaustive to challenge the appeal grounds, and finally requested that the decision no. 224, dated 20.12.2019 of the Independent Qualification Commission be upheld.
After being consulted on the spot, the trial panel stated that the final decision on the case shall be announced on 27.01.2022, at 13:00.
The public hearing will take place in the premises of the Appeal Chamber, at Boulevard “Dëshmorët e Kombit”, no. 3, Tirana.