Although the Independent Qualification Commission (IKC) has found a series of violations in her assets and professional integrity, Tirana judge Blerina Muço is now asking the Special Appeals Chamber (SAC) to reinstate her.
At the hearing held on October 7, Muço presented new evidence and arguments regarding her husband's income from a legal assistance contract during 2005–2008, claiming that the KPC's financial analysis had unfairly penalized him.
Muço was dismissed from office on November 1, 2023, after the majority of the KPK body concluded that she "does not reach a sufficient level for the asset" and that the overall assessment of the case identified problems that "undermine public trust in justice."
However, despite these findings, the judge has chosen to challenge the decision by attempting to present herself as the victim of a misinterpretation of tax data.
At the Appeals Chamber, Muço argued that her husband had not been aware of the company's failure to pay its tax obligations and that this duty belonged to the employer. According to her, the court decision obliging the company to pay these obligations should be considered as evidence that overturns the Commission's financial analysis.
But from the review of rapporteur Natasha Mulaj, important discrepancies emerged again: the contract mentioned by the judge is contradictory to the declarations of assets and the data obtained from the company. The rapporteur even noted the lack of evidence proving the existence of the agreement and that Muço's husband had also benefited from income from other companies, an element that raises doubts about the family's financial transparency.
Despite this, the College decided to open a judicial investigation and administer the new documents submitted by the subject. Muço requests that they be taken into account in the financial analysis and confirmed in office, challenging a decision of the KPK that was based on facts and an assessment of the violation of public trust.
The final decision of the KPA will be announced on October 13, at 3:00 PM.