The Special Appeal Chamber held on 19.01.2026, at 10:00, the public hearing of case (JR) no. 34/2024, dated 06.09.2024, pertaining to the appeal of the Public Commissioner against decision no. 768, dated 31.05.2024 of the Independent Qualification Commission, related to the assessee Sonjela Voskopi.

The presiding judge announced that Article 179/b, paragraph 8 of the Constitution of the Republic of Albania has set forth the transfer of powers from the Public Commissioner to the Head of the Special Prosecution Office. Pursuant to Article 199, paragraph 2 of the Civil Procedure Code, the trial panel decided to transfer the proceedings from the Public Commissioner to the Head of the Special Prosecution Office, represented in this case upon special authorization by the prosecutor of the Special Prosecution Office, Mr. Adnan Xholi, present at the hearing.

During the submission of the appeal grounds, the representative of the Head of the Special Prosecution Office stated that the case file contains insufficient information to take a position regarding the background assessment criterion and that it is necessary to be acquainted at the source with the classified information in charge of the assessee and the person related to her. According to Mr. Adnan Xholi, the fact that the assessee has failed to show diligence to avoid any suspicion regarding any potential situation in terms of conflict of interest within the framework of the proficiency assessment criteria, as well as the insufficiency identified in the source of creation of assets, are shortcomings that should be analyzed by the Chamber in the overall evaluation of the case according to Article 4, paragraph 2 of Law no. 84/2016. The representative of the Head of the Special Prosecution Office requested the opening of the judicial investigation in order to obtain new evidence within the framework of a comprehensive investigation of the case, deciding alternatively the upholding or the amendment of decision no. 768, dated 31.05.2024 of the Independent Qualification Commission.

The assessee, Mrs. Sonjela Voskopi provided explanations in disputing the appeal grounds, stating that the appeal is not only unsupported on any new evidence, but the findings evidenced therein are essentially a biased interpretation of the evidence and cannot be used in the overall evaluation of the case for her sanctioning.

After being consulted, the trial panel decided:

– To open the judicial investigation of the case in order to verify at the source the classified information that the law enforcement institution may have and that would have an impact on the vetting process of the assessee.

– To request from the Special Structure against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) any information available regarding the person related to the assessee, which may be considered valid in terms of the consideration of this appeal, preferably before the next hearing to be held on 04.02.2026, at 14:00, in order to forward it to the assessee.

During this hearing, the parties should also be prepared to submit the final conclusions.

The presiding judge announced that the trial panel shall be acquainted at the source with the classified information before 04.02.2026, while during this time, this investigative action may also be undertaken by the appellant party.

The next public hearing shall take place at the premises of the Special Appeal Chamber, at Boulevard “Dëshmorët e Kombit”, no. 3, Tirana.