Today, on 07.12.2023, at 10:30, the Appeal Chamber held the public hearing of case (JR) 51/2022, dated 09.12.2022, pertaining to the appeal of the Public Commissioner against decision no. 574, dated 18.10.2022, of the Independent Qualification Commission, related to the assessee Pëllumb Zaimi.

The presiding judge informed the court that the assessee had brought back to the Appeal Chamber certain acts, in the form required by the law, according to the duty assigned by the trial panel during the previous hearing.

The trial panel decided to accept these acts as evidence, while with respect to the denunciations, it decided not to proceed with their further investigation, as they do not meet the criteria provided for in Article 53 of Law 84/2016 “On the transitional re-evaluation of judges and prosecutors in the Republic of Albania”.

Once the parties stated that they had no other procedural requests, the trial panel decided to close the judicial review of the case, and invited them to submit their final conclusions.

The Public Commissioner, standing by all the appeal grounds, requested the Chamber to evaluate the issues identified for the proficiency assessment criterion, whereas with regard to the asset assessment, he maintained that the assessee made an incorrect declaration and that during the trial of the case in the Chamber, he failed to prove the opposite of the appeal grounds. In conclusion, the Public Commissioner requested the amendment of decision no. 574, dated 18.10.2022, of the Independent Qualification Commission and the dismissal from office of the assessee Pëllumb Zaimi.

The assessee disputed the Public Commissioner’s appeal ground for both vetting criteria, asset and proficiency assessment, claiming that they do not stand and that they are unsupported on law and evidence. In conclusion, the assessee requested the upholding of decision no. 574, dated 18.10.2022, of the Independent Qualification Commission.

After hearing the final conclusions of the parties, the trial panel decided to withdraw to take the final decision of the case, to be announced on 15.12.2023, at 09:15.

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