The strength of a judiciary lies in the common unity and vision, with the aim of making justice to justice

The President of the Supreme Court, Sokol Sadushi, spoke at the Conference of the Presidents of the Supreme Courts of Central and Eastern Europe, being held today and tomorrow in Vlora.

Following is the full word of Sokol Sadushi at this conference:

It is a special honor to wait again to this conference of the heads of the Supreme Courts of Central and Eastern Europe again.

As the President of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Albania, I feel a great responsibility and a special privilege to greet you on behalf of my colleagues, joining thanks to the CEELI Institute and for all of you who entrusted us with the organization of the XV President of the High Courts of Central and Eastern European Courts, unified in our region.
Not unintentionally, we decided to hold this conference, precisely in Vlora. In addition to the beauties that nature has bestowed on, Vlora is the city where, in 1912, Albania’s independence was declared from the over 500-year occupation of the Ottoman Empire. Here the foundations of the modern Albanian state were laid. Therefore Vlora carries a special symbolism for the justice we intend to build: an independent and contemporary justice. This country reminds us that independence is not only territorial liberation, but above all the liberation of the mind and institutions of any influence that aims to violate the principles of justice.

We are proud to gather today as representatives of the high courts of the countries that came out of the darkness of communist regimes. We have witnessed the transition from the rule of dictatorship to the rule of law, and we know what price is paid for this. Therefore, we are here to say clearly: The justice we want is a justice without compromise.

This conference takes place at a time when the judiciary, everywhere, faces challenges that do not recognize national boundaries: from the impact of technology and globalization of legal issues to the dangers of misinformation and judicial interference. Every conflict, regardless of the purpose, ends at the court doors. For this reason, the importance of litigant dialogue becomes even greater. Only through open communication, exchange of best practices and sharing concrete experiences can we identify common problems that concern us as the region and find sustainable solutions, based on common principles of justice.
For us, as high courts, maintaining sustainability in interpreting the law is an essential mission for strengthening the rule of law, guaranteeing legal certainty and system coherence. It is equally important to find the balance between the Authority of Internal Jurisdiction and international obligations, a matter that requires continued prudence, sensitivity and cooperation. Establishing common standards, such as the timely examination of matters, unified law enforcement or intelligent use of digital means, must be part of the agenda of any contemporary court, if it wants to operate with the step of time and gain the support of citizens for quality justice and appropriate reality.

The strength of a judiciary lies in the common unity and vision, with the aim of doing justice. We must be the highest example of integrity and the most ardent defenders of the rule of law. We are here not only to discuss the challenges, but to provide concrete solutions, create common mechanisms and strengthen confidence in the most valuable institution of democracy – the court. We have to tell the citizens that there is no room for compromise when it comes to professional impartiality and integrity. We share not only jurisprudence but also the courage to protect the truth, without fear of any pressure, whatever its nature. Only in this way will we increase every citizen’s confidence that the Supreme Court is a refuge of justice and that after every objective of the law lies man, dignity and his right to a just decision.

The main message we want to convey from this conference is that true justice arises and develops in the spirit of cooperation, commitment to the law and respect for the dignity of each individual. It is with this spirit that we build bridges of faith and cooperation between our courts.
The Supreme Court of Albania, as the host of this forum, but also as an active participant in current initiatives and those that may arise during the proceedings of this conference, is committed to contributing to the formalization of litigant cooperation. Our goal is to make this cooperation sustainable, institutionalized and in the service of the daily work of the judges of this network.

Let us turn this conference into an important step towards deepening our cooperation to build a better, faster and more reliable justice for the citizens of our countries. To make this starting our common journey towards the rule of law.
I wish you good job and fruitful discussions!
Thank you for your attention!