Presidential candidate Arben Taravari of the Worth It coalition announced plans to re-examine politically influenced cases and restore public trust in the judiciary if elected in the upcoming elections. He emphasized the need for accountability in cases like “Monster,” involving the 2012 killings near Smilkovsko Lake, where five innocent Albanians received life sentences due to political manipulation.

Taravari criticized the government’s silence on such cases, which he sees as a sign of guilt, pointing to other cases like “Sopot,” “Brodec,” “Alfa,” and “Divo Naselje” as evidence of selective justice against Albanians. He noted that selective justice and recent changes to criminal law have resulted in only 2% of citizens having confidence in the judiciary.

The Worth It coalition plans to establish an independent, efficient, and fair judiciary that treats everyone equally under the law. Taravari outlined a proposal to create a temporary body of Western experts, mainly from Europe, to oversee prosecutors and courts. This six-year initiative aims to guide judges and prosecutors and support ongoing judicial reforms.

Taravari pledged to carry out comprehensive reforms in judge and prosecutor vetting, as well as in the election, promotion, and dismissal processes. He asserted that transforming the judicial system to meet European standards is crucial for combating corruption and selective justice.