Composition

The Constitutional Court is composed of nine members. Three members shall be appointed by the President of the Republic, three members shall be elected by the Assembly and three members shall be elected by the Supreme Court. The judges of the Constitutional Court remain in office for nine years without the right to be reappointed. Judges of the Constitutional Court must have completed the higher education in law, must have a professional experience not less than 15 years as judges, prosecutors, advocates, professors or lecturers of law, senior civil servants in the public administration, with a prominent activity in the field of constitutional law, human rights or other areas of law. The judge should not have assumed political functions in public administration or leadership positions in political parties during the past 10 years prior to the date of application.Other criteria as well as the procedure for the appointment and election of judges of the Constitutional Court shall be regulated by law. The composition of the Constitutional Court shall be renewed every three years by one-third of its composition, in accordance with the procedure provided by law (Article 125 of the Constitution).The judge of the Constitutional Court shall enjoy immunity regarding the opinions expressed and decisions made in the course of assuming of his functions, except for the cases of intentionally rendering a decision, as a consequence of a personal interest or acting in bad faith.A judge of the Constitutional Court shall have disciplinary liability under the law.The disciplinary process against a judge is conducted by the Constitutional Court, which decides on his dismissal (Article 128 of the Constitution). Being a Constitutional Court judge is not compatible with any political or state activity, or with any other professional activity carried out against remuneration, except for teaching, academic and scientific, according to the law (Article 130 of the Constitution). The President of the Constitutional Court is elected by secret ballot, by a majority vote of all judges of the Constitutional Court, for a period of three-year, with the right to only one re-election.

1. Holta Zaçaj, LL.M, Esq., President

Born on 12.01.1976 in Tirana. Graduated from the Faculty of Law, University of Tirana, in 1998. From 2007 until 2008 she has completed the studies and obtained the scientific master’s degree “Securities and financial regulation", at Georgetown University in the USA, in the framework of Fulbright Program. She started her professional journey as a lawyer and human rights activist, being engaged in the years 1999-2001 at the Centre "Peace through Justice", a project on war crimes in Kosovo. Afterwards, she has been engaged as a lawyer at the Centre of Integrated Legal Services and Practices (QSHPLI), in free legal aid projects, such as: Legal Clinic for Minors, City Attorney's Office near Tirana Municipality, Legal Clinic for Refugees. From 2008, in addition to being engaged in civil society as a lawyer and human rights expert, she has worked as a lawyer in the law office “Delegibus Consulting” l.t.d., and from 2018 she has practiced law in the state of Massachusetts, USA, in the law office "Ligris and Associates” and “Zaçaj Law". From 2003 until 2013 she has been engaged as a lecturer at the School of Magistrates in the initial training program, in the field of family law and, in the continuing training program, in the field of family law and children's rights. In the period 2009-2014, she has been a lecturer of banking and financial law in some private universities in Albania. Mrs. Zaçaj has been engaged and contributed as a national and international legal expert in a number of initiatives of UNICEF in Albania, UNICEF in Kosovo, UNICEF in Georgia, Council of Europe, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, etc.From 2013 – 2018 she has been the Head of Legal Department at Alpha Bank S.A.She is the author and co-author of about 30 studies and publications in the field of human rights, children's rights, family law, securities and banking law. She is the co-author of the Family Code, the law on the children’s rights and protection in Albania, the package of laws on the penitentiary treatment of minors in Kosovo.In January 2023, she has been appointed member of the Constitutional Court.

On February 20^th, 2023 she is elected by the Meeting of Judges of the Constitutional Court as the President of this Court.

2. Marsida Xhaferllari, member

Born on 06.03.1975 in Tirana. Graduated from the Faculty of Law, University of Tirana, in 1997. From 1997 until 2000 she has completed the studies at the School of Magistrates, the first generation graduated from this school, and has been appointed as judge. From 1999 until 2007 she has served as judge at Fieri Judicial District Court. From 2007 until 2013 she has served at the legal-professional structures of the Ministry of Justice as the Minister’s Advisor, General Director of Codification Department and General Director of Justice Affairs. Because of these duties, she has been a member of several commissions and steering committees such as the Ethics Commission of National Judicial Conference, Steering Council of the School of Magistrates, Administrative Council of Social Insurance Institute and Commission of Consumer Protection. In January 2013 she has been appointed as the Chief Inspector of the Inspectorate of High Council of Justice. Since 2015 and onwards she has been engaged in teaching activities, including the Initial and Continuing Training Programs at the School of Magistrates, and has been a legal expert in projects related to the justice system. From 2015 until 2016 has been part of the High Level Experts Group of the Justice System Reform, giving her contribution to the drafting of judiciary and financing of judiciary laws. She is the author of several working manuals for drafting of legislation and inspection issues.

In November 2019 she has been appointed member of the Constitutional Court.

3. Dr. Fiona Papajorgji, member

Born on 12.03.1976 in Vlora. Graduated in 2000 from the Faculty of Law, University of Bari, Italy. In 2012 she obtained the "Doctor of Juridical Sciences" degree from the Faculty of Law, University of Bari. From 2000 until 2008 she has been working as assistant attorney and later on as attorney at some law firms in Bari. From 2009 until 2011 she has served as lawyer at the Department of Studies, Researches and Publications at the Constitutional Court. From 2011 until 2019 she has served as legal adviser at the Constitutional Court. Since 2007 and onwards she has been engaged in teaching activities as a lecturer of Public Law in some universities. She has offered legal expertise in some projects at the Quality Assurance Agency in Higher Education, in the process of approximation of legislation etc. She is the author of several scientific articles in the field of constitutional law. In 2019 she has been engaged by the School of Magistrates as available professor for the Initial Training Program.

In November 2019 she has been appointed member of the Constitutional Court.

4. Dr. Elsa Toska, member

Born on 05.06.1976 in Kavaja. Graduated in 2000 from the Faculty of Law, University of Tirana. In 2005 she obtained "Master of Arts" (MA) degree in European Studies from the Rectorate of Tirana. In 2012 she obtained "Doctor of Sciences - constitutional and administrative law" (PhD) degree from the Faculty of Law, University of Tirana. From 2000 until 2006 she has been working as Assistant Commissioner/Legal Expert at the People’s Advocate and from 2006 until 2007 she has been a lawyer. During the period 2007-2019 she has served as legal adviser at the Constitutional Court. From 2005 and onwards she has been a lecturer of Administrative and Constitutional Law at several universities, as well as a Human Rights Trainer inside and ouside the country. Since 2010 she has been engaged as an external legal consultant in several projects of international organisations related to human rights and judiciary. She has been a member of three working groups of the Justice System Reform regarding the constitutional amendments, amendments to the Law on organization and the functioning of the Constitutional Court of Albania and draft law on the President of the Republic. She is the author of many publications, textbooks or monographs, to be dinguished here the monograph "Review of administrative activity in the case law of Constitutional Court of Albania", and the co-author of "Administrative Law - Control over Public Administration" 2013, an academic text approved by the Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law, University of Tirana. Since 2017 she has been engaged as expert of Continuing Training Program at the School of Magistrates. She is the author of numerous scientific papers and has played an active role in many national and international scientific conferences related to constitutional justice.

In November 2019 she has been appointed member of the Constitutional Court.

5. Sonila Bejtja, member

Born on 17.09.1974 in Tirana. During 1989 – 1997 she completed the studies at the Foreign Languages High School “Asim Vokshi”, and the Linguistic Lyceum “San Vincenzo” in Milan, Italy. In 2000, she graduated from the Faculty of Law, University of Milan, Italy. From 1999 – 2004 she practiced law at the Law Firm “Boga & Associates”. From 2004 until 2011 she worked as a lawyer and legal consultant in several projects of the World Bank, the Italian-Albanian Bank, the Savings Bank during its privatization, the National Bank of Puglia, the Italian Development Bank, as well as at the Ministry of Economy and Albanian Radio Television. Since 2011 and onwards she has practiced the profession of notary. She is a member of the National Chamber of Notaries and the Chamber of Notaries Tirana, as well as a former member of the National Chamber of Advocates.

In December 2020 she has been appointed member of the Constitutional Court.

6. Dr. Sander Beci, member

Born on 06.08.1974, in Shkodra. Graduated from the Faculty of Law, "Luigj Gurakuqi" University, in 1996.In 2002, he completed the post-graduate studies and obtained a DEA - Diploma of Advanced Studies in "European Studies", from the University of Tirana.In 2012, has obtained the scientific degree "Doctor of Juridical Sciences" from the Faculty of Law, University of Tirana. From 1996 until 2018 he has been working as full-time professor at the Faculty of Law, "Luigj Gurakuqi" University. During this period he has exercised the functions of the Head of Legal Department and the Head of Civil Law Department at the Faculty of Law, and has been a member of the Ethics Committee of this University.He has been elected as member of the High Prosecutorial Council among the ranks of law faculties’ professors, a function exercised for the period December 2018 - March 2022. While exercising the duty of the member of High Prosecutorial Council, he has been elected as the Head of Career Development Commission, Head of Strategic Planning, Administration and Budget Commission and has chaired the ad hoc commissions for the selection of prosecutors of the Special Prosecution Unit.He has participated in various trainings inside and outside the country. He is the author of several publications and scientific articles, and active participant in some national and international conferences.

In March 2022 he has been appointed member of the Constitutional Court.

7. Ilir Toska, member

Born on 27.04.1970 in Elbasan. Graduated from the Faculty of Law, University of Tirana, in 1992. From 2010 until 2011, he has completed the studies of Second Level Master degree in Legal Sciences, in the field of Public Law, "Marin Barleti" University, Tirana. From 1992 until 2001, he has served as judge at Librazhdi First Instance Court. From 2001 until 2004, he has worked as legal assistant at the Supreme Court. From 2004 until 2007, he has served as the Chief Inspector of the Inspectorate of High Council of Justice. From 2007 until 2018, he has served as judge at Tirana Court of Appeal, where during the years 2012-2016 he has also been member of the Electoral College near this court. From 2018 until 2021, he has served as member of the High Judicial Council. From December 2021 until September 2022, he has served as judge at Tirana Court of Appeal. He has been engaged as legal expert in the Continuing Training Programs at the School of Magistrates.

In September 2022 he has been appointed member of the Constitutional Court.

8. Gent Ibrahimi, member

Born on 20 march 1970, in Tirana. Graduated from the Faculty of Law, Tirana University, in 1992. From 1992-1993 he completed comparative studies in the field of constitutional law, at the Central European University (CEU), in Budapest. He started his professional journey as a lecturer of administrative law at the Faculty of Law, Tirana University. In the years 1994-1997, in addition to working as a lecturer, he performed the duty of administrator of the law program at the Open Society Foundation for Albania.In the period 1997-1999, he served as Legal Advisor and Head of Cabinet of the Minister of State for Legislative Reform and Relations with the Parliament, providing his assistance in drafting the Constitution of 1998 and a number of important post-constitutional laws. During 2002-2003, he worked as external advisor at the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. In 2003 and 2006, he served as legal advisor near the international governance institutions within UNMIK, in Kosovo.In the years 1999-2009, he was the executive director of the Institute of Public and Legal Studies, a non-profit organization focusing on the field of studies about the justice system and governance in general. During this period, from 2009 to 2012, he served as advisor at the Project Against Corruption in Albania, PACA. During 2013 - 2014, he was the Chairman of the Legal Reform Council at the Ministry of Justice. Furthermore, in the years 2014 - 2016, he was the Chairman of two working groups for drafting the constitutional and legal amendments in the framework of the justice reform.During 2019-2022, he served as the Chairman of the High Prosecutorial Council. Since 2006, he has been working as visiting professor at the School of Magistrates. Throughout his professional career, he has been engaged as expert in consulting services, in areas such as judicial system, governance, anti-corruption, civil service and administrative reform, media, etc.
Mr. Ibrahimi is the co-author of many published studies and commentaries in the field of human rights, constitutional law, administrative law, justice system, freedom of expression, right to assembly, right to information, private life, etc.

In December 2022 has been appointed member of the Constitutional Court.

9. Prof. Dr. Marjana Semini, member

Born on 13.04.1966, in Berat. Graduated from University of Tirana, Faculty of Law, in 1988. In 1993, she obtained the scientific degree "Candidates of Science in Law", in 1994 "Doctor in Law", in 1999 "Associate Professor" and in 2009 the scientific title "Professor". She specialized under the Fulbright Program (1993, Virginia School of Law, USA) and the TEMPUS Program (1993 – 1994, Faculty of Law, Trento, Italy). During the years 1988 - 1997, she has been working as full time professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Tirana, teaching the "Law of Obligations and Contracts". From 1997 to 2022, she has been working as a full time professor at the School of Magistrates of the Republic of Albania, and during the years 2009-2013, she performed the duty of the Director of this School. She has been a member of the Steering Council of the School of Magistrates for a period of almost 20 years and also Responsible of the Program of Initial Formation of judges and prosecutors until 2022.She has been, and continues to be, a visiting professor in several Faculties of Law in Albania, as well as a scientific director in doctoral programs and schools in Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia. From 2014 to 2020, she has been a visiting professor at the National School of Advocacy.During the years 1999-2022, she has participated in national and international programs of United Nations (UN) organizations such as: UNDP, UNICEF, ILO, IFC, WIPO, World Bank, as well as USAID, OSCE, Council of Europe, etc. She has been engaged as an independent expert with the London Court of International Arbitration, and seats of Zurich, Paris, Vienna, etc. for issues related to the implementation of trade/commercial contracts and agreements. In 2021-2022, she was a member of the Disciplinary Board of Notaries (quasi court) at the National Chamber of Notary, as a representative of the School of Magistrateshe is author and co-author of 37 university texts, monographs, commentaries, and many scientific articles and publications in the domain of law.

In December 2022, she has been appointed member of the Constitutional Court.