Comprehensive Study Guide for Albanian Constitutional Law

Constitutional Law: Definitions, Object, and Sources

Definition of Constitutional Law: It is a set of norms and rules that systematize and regulate social relations within the constitutional field. Its primary purpose is to recognize and analyze the constitution.
Object of Constitutional Law: * Directly related to political institutions. * The normative system. * Guaranteeing fundamental rights and civil liberties.

Sources of Constitutional Law

Definition of a Source: Any element, fact, or act, regardless of form, that contains a binding rule for members of a specific society.
Formal Sources (Acts): These are written legal acts with general importance and power used to regulate constitutional relations. They include: * The Constitution. * Constitutional Law. * Constitutional Amendments (laws for reviewing the constitution). * Ordinary Laws. * Regulations of representative bodies (e.g., the Regulation of the Assembly/Kuvendi). * Decisions of the Constitutional Court.
Material Sources (Facts): These consist of objective behaviors and factors that condition the production of constitutional law norms: * Customary Constitutional Law (unwritten norms regulating the constitutional field). * Constitutional conventions. * Norms of constitutional courtesy. * Constitutional practice. * Precedent. * Constitutional jurisprudence. * Constitutional doctrine. * International Law.

The Constitution: The Highest Fundamental Act

Understanding and Importance: * It is the fundamental law of the state. * It provides constitutional principles, structures, and primary functions of state organization. * It encompasses the entire government system. * It aims to guarantee fundamental freedoms and rights of citizens and ensure beneficial governance. * It is the highest law: all other sub-legal acts must comply with it.
Formal Meaning: The Constitution is a written and codified legal act with the highest legal power, approved by the highest state body according to a special procedure.
Material Meaning: The Constitution is an ensemble of fundamental norms/regulations governing the bases of the social, state, and legal order. In this sense, content matters more than whether it is written.
Types of Constitutions: * Written $vs.$ Unwritten. * Rigid $vs.$ Elastic. * Granted (Donated) $vs.$ Approved by a representative body. * Real $vs.$ Fictitious and Pragmatic.

Structure and Approval of the Constitution

Structure: * Preamble: Located at the start, separate from the normative part. It is short, concise, and expresses the ideological basis and purposes of the constitution. It is divided into paragraphs and has no legal effects. * Normative Part: The central part. It is divided into articles ( $nene$ ), parts, and chapters that regulate various constitutional fields.
Methods of Approval: * Approval by a special body. * Approval by the regular legislative representative body (elected by popular vote). * Direct approval via popular referendum. * Combined approval (intertwining multiple forms).

Revision and Amendment of the Constitution

Special Procedures: * The initiative for revision can be undertaken by no fewer than $1/5$ of the members of the Assembly ( $Kuvendi$ ). * Approval of the draft law requires a qualified majority of no fewer than $2/3$ of all members of the Assembly. * The Assembly decides if the law must be submitted to a referendum. * Laws approved for constitutional revision are not subject to the President's power of veto. The President is obliged to proclaim the law approved by referendum, which enters into force on the date specified in the law.

The System of Legal Sources and Hierarchy

Constitution as the "Source of Sources": The Constitution determines how the norms of a legal order are produced, by which organs, and through which procedures.
Organization Criteria within the Constitution: * Principle of Validity: High-level forms serve as the basis for the validity of lower norms. * Criterion of Hierarchy: Sources are ranked by efficiency; higher sources are superior to lower ones. * Chronological Criterion: A later law repeals an earlier one (lex posterior). Generally, laws do not have retroactive power. * Criterion of Competence: Division of powers horizontally (legislative, executive, judicial) and vertically (central and local).
Categories of Sources in the R.SH (Republic of Albania): * International sources. * Internal sources with general power. * Internal sources with local power (apply to a limited territory, have force of law within that territory, and must comply with general laws).
Reinforced Laws: These include all laws listed in Article $81/2$ of the Constitution, requiring a qualified majority of $3/5$ for approval.
Ordinary Laws: Require a simple majority (defined as $1/4$ of all members of the Assembly).
Formal $vs.$ Material Law: Formal law is approved by the Assembly; material law refers to all acts containing legal norms.
Ratification of International Agreements: * Category 1: International agreements ratified by law by the Assembly (formal sense). * Category 2: Governmental international agreements that do not require ratification by law.

Constitutional Principles of Fundamental Rights

Human Dignity: A fundamental constitutional principle.
Equality: * Formal Equality: Ensures all citizens have equal rights. * Essential Equality: Ensures everyone has the opportunity to exercise those rights.
Limitation of Rights: Rights are indivisible, inalienable, and inviolable. However, limits can be set through the "Legal Reserve" ( $Rezerva Ligjore$ ): * Absolute Legal Reserve: Discipline reserved strictly for parliamentary laws; government intervention is rare/exceptional. * Relative Legal Reserve: Fields regulated by both formal laws and other legal sources. * Constitutional Reserve: The Constitution specifies that certain regulations must be made only by constitutional law. * Jurisdiction Reserve: Measures limiting rights must have the authority of courts and judges.
Criteria for Limitation: Must be for public interest, protection of others' rights, done only by law, proportional, and cannot exceed limits in the ECHR ( $KEDNJ$ ).

Catalog and Subjects of Rights

Categories: Personal rights/freedoms; Economic, Social, and Cultural rights.
Liberties: * Negative Liberties: Require state non-interference (e.g., personal liberty, home privacy, correspondence secrecy). * Positive Liberties: Require state intervention.
Social Objectives: Express state goals in fulfilling social rights through constitutional competencies and available means.
Subjects: * Albanian Citizens: Automatic citizenship at birth if one parent is Albanian. * Foreigners/Stateless Persons: Enjoy same economic/social/cultural rights without discrimination. Limitations on political rights exist. Rights to movement, asylum ( $strehimit$ ), and non-deportation are protected. * Legal Persons: Groups of individuals enjoying protection as long as it aligns with their general purpose and the essence of the rights. * Special Subjects: National minorities, children, youth, pregnant women, and new mothers.

Constitutional Guarantees

Basic Guarantees: Direct application of constitutional norms; legal reserve; non-violation of the essence of rights.
Suspension of Guarantees: Allowed only during crises (war, emergency, natural disaster). * State of War: Declared by the President (requested by Council of Ministers) for armed aggression. If external threat, declared by Assembly (proposed by President). * State of Emergency: Declared by Assembly by law (requested by Council of Ministers). * Natural Disaster: Declared by the Council of Ministers. * Acts must specify which rights are affected and cannot exceed constitutional provisions. If the Assembly cannot meet during war, the President issues acts with force of law.
International Guarantees: The ECHR ( $KEDNJ$ ) provides a minimum baseline of rights that cannot be violated. Decisions of the European Court of Human Rights are final and binding.
Jurisdictional Guarantees: * Ombudsman ( $Avokati i Popullit$ ): Protects rights against illegal acts of public administration. * Constitutional Justice: Realized through constitutional control of norms and specific procedures allowing individuals to move the Constitutional Court ( $GJK$ ).

Personal Liberties and Security

Right to Life (Article 21): The first fundamental right. Protected by the Penal Code ( $Kodi Penal$ ), which applies to both private citizens and state officials. Article $21$ explicitly prohibits the death penalty and arbitrary deprivation of life.
Freedom of Expression (Article 22): Proportional to the level of democracy. Includes ideas in politics, culture, religion, and economics. * Press Freedom: Absolute ban on prior censorship ( $censura paraprake$ ). No authorization needed to publish. * Registration: A formal act to establish legal personality, not a subjective evaluation. * Seizure ( $Sekuestrimi$ ): The ONLY expressed limitation. Occurs only after publication to stop distribution, often within civil judicial processes.
Electronic Media: Radio/TV require legal licensing/authorization. * Pluralism: Includes external (multiple outlets) and internal (content diversity) aspects. * KKRT ( $Keshilli Kombetar i Radio Televizioneve$ ): Independent administrative authority ensuring freedom, equality, and neutrality.
Right to Information (Article 23): Protects public interest and government transparency. Exceptions exist only for state secrets defined by law. Public bodies must provide requested information.
Freedom of Conscience and Religion (Article 24): Right to choose/change faith and practice rituals individually or collectively. * Conscientious Objection (Article 166): Citizens can refuse armed service in the Armed Forces for religious reasons and perform alternative service instead.
Personal Liberty (Article 27): Freedom from physical restraint. * Detention: Person must be informed of causes immediately in a language they understand. * Presumption of Innocence (Article 30): Innocent until proven guilty by a final court decision. * Procedural Deadlines: A person must be brought before a judge within $48$ hours. The judge has another $48$ hours to decide on security measures; otherwise, the measure is revoked.

Rights during Criminal Proceedings (Article 31)

Right to be informed of charges (becomes "the accused"/ $i pandehuri$ ).
Right to counsel: Free legal aid if insufficient means ( $falas$ ). Communication with the lawyer must be free and private.
Mandatory counsel for those under $18$ or with physical/mental disabilities.
Prohibition of wiretapping between the accused and attorney.
Right to remain silent and privilege against self-incrimination.
Right to examine witnesses and present evidence.

Privacy and Property Rights

Privacy (Articles 35, 36, 37): Protection of personal data requires prior consent. Subjects have the right to correction/deletion. * Inviolability of the Home: Includes the right to choose/change residence and protection from search.
Private Property (Article 41): The basis of the economic system. Protected equally with public property. * Expropriation ( $Shpronesimi$ ): Only for public interest, decided by the Council of Ministers, and requires "fair compensation" ( $shperblim i drejte$ ).
Due Process ( $Proces i Rregullt Ligjor$ ): Includes the right to access a court, a fair and public trial within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial court.

Political Rights and Voting

Right to Vote (Article 45): Universal for all adult citizens ( $18$ years old). * General Principles: Free elections, equal vote ("one person, one vote"), secret ballot (use of voting booths). * Features of the Vote: Individual, personal, direct, and optional (no legal sanction for abstaining).
Right to Organize (Article 46): Right to organize for any lawful purpose. * Political Parties: Voluntary associations. Programs cannot support totalitarian methods or incite racial/religious/ethnic hatred. * Distinction: Parties seek a monopoly on political leadership; organizations seek specific interests without taking state power.

Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights

Family (Article 53): Right to create a family and state protection regardless of how it was formed.
Education (Article 57): * Mandatory Education: Lasts no less than $9$ years (ages $6-16$ ). * Pluralism: Public and private education allowed. * Minorities: Right to be taught in their mother tongue. * University Autonomy: Higher education requires merit/ability; universities must have autonomous structures.
Labor Rights: Right to earn a living through lawful work chosen freely. Prohibits forced labor. * Trade Unions: Right to join for protecting interests. * Right to Strike: Collective work abstention to improve conditions.

The Legislative Power (Parliament)

Legislature: The duration of the Assembly's mandate ( $4$ years).
Mandate Start/End: Starts with the first meeting; ends on the same date $4$ years later. The Assembly remains in office until the first meeting of the new Assembly.
Dissolution: If dissolved, the President calls new elections within $10$ days of the result proclamation. If not, the Assembly meets automatically on the $10th$ day.
Commissions: Permanent (review draft laws) and Special (specific issues).
Legislative Process: * Initiative: Can be taken by any deputy, the Council of Ministers, or $20,000$ voters. * Review Stages: First in the competent permanent commission, then in a plenary session. * Voting: Article by article, then in its entirety. If rejected in principle, it cannot be reintroduced for $6$ months. * Promulgation ( $Shpallja$ ): The President has $20$ days to proclaim it. The President can return it to the Assembly only ONCE (suspensive veto). If the Assembly overrides the veto (simple majority of all members), it is considered approved.

Electoral System and Referendums

CEC ( $KQZ$ ): Central Election Commission consisting of $7$ members. (Pro-government: $2 + 1$ ; Opposition: $2 + 1$ ; 7th member chosen through a specific cross-party process).
Electoral College: Part of the Court of Appeals; its decisions are final.
Referendum Types: * Constitutional: For revision (Article $177$ ), initiated by $1/5$ of deputies if they want to put it to popular vote. * General: President sets the date within $45$ days of a positive Constitutional Court decision. Cannot be repeated for $3$ years on the same issue. * Repealing Referendum ( $Shfuqizues$ ): Initiated by $50,000$ voters.
Prohibited Issues for Referendum: Territorial integrity, limitation of fundamental rights, budget, taxes, state of emergency, and amnesties.

The President of the Republic

Role: Head of State, represents the unity of the people, Commander-in-Chief. Neutral power.
Election: $5$ rounds of voting. * Rounds $1, 2, 3$ : Requires $3/5$ majority. * Rounds $4, 5$ : Requires absolute majority ( $71$ votes). * Failure after round $5$ results in the dissolution of the Assembly and new elections within $45$ days.
Mandate: $5$ years. Ends via term expiration, dismissal, permanent inability, death, or resignation.
Acts: Decrees. * Presidential in form, governmental in content. * Complex acts (joint will of President and Government or Assembly). * Presidential in both form and content (e.g., setting election dates).

The Government (Council of Ministers)

Composition: Prime Minister (center of importance), Deputy PM, and Ministers.
Immunity: Members enjoy immunity.
Motions: * Motion of Confidence: Requested by the PM. If approved by less than $1/2$ of all members, the Assembly is dissolved. * Motion of No-Confidence: Requested by $1/5$ of deputies. The Assembly must elect a new PM to vote on this.
Normative Acts with Force of Law: Issued by the Government in cases of "necessity and urgency." These are temporary and must be approved by the Assembly to remain valid.

The Judicial Power

Jurisdictions: * Civil: Private conflicts or conflicts with administration regarding subjective rights. * Penal: Punishment for crimes. * Administrative: Oversight of public administration acts.
Court Hierarchy: First Instance, Appeals, and High Court ( $GJL$ ).
Judicial Reform (2016): Created the Special Prosecution ( $SPAK$ ) and Special Court ( $GJKKO$ ) for corruption and organized crime.
High Court ( $GJL$ ): $9$ -year mandate. $4/5$ are judges ( $13$ years experience); $1/5$ are jurists ( $15$ years experience). Does not review facts, only legal interpretation.
High Judicial Council ( $KLGJ$ ): $11$ members ( $6$ judges, $5$ non-judges). Manages appointments, evaluations, and discipline.
Prosecution: Independent constitutional body. * Prosecutor General: Elected by $3/5$ of the Assembly for a $7$ -year term. * Special Prosecution: $10$ prosecutors appointed for $9$ years.

Constitutional Justice (The Constitutional Court)

Nature: The Constitutional Court acts as a "negative legislator" (removes laws), while Parliament is a "positive legislator."
Models: * American: Decentralized, concrete (individual case), a posteriori (after law is proclaimed). * European: Centralized, abstract, a priori (before proclamation) or a posteriori.
Albanian GJK Organization: * $9$ members: $3$ by President, $3$ by High Court, $3$ by Assembly. * Mandate: $15$ years experience required; $9$ -year term without re-election. * Chairperson: Elected for $3$ years by the judges.
Trial Process: * Initiative: Unconditional subjects (President, PM, $1/5$ deputies, Ombudsman) or Conditional (individuals/organizations for their own interests). * Deadlines: $4$ months for individuals to file; $2$ years for abstract review of acts. * Decision: Final and binding. Trials are public and follow the principle of collegiality ( $kolegjialitetit$ ).

Definimi i Ligjit Kushtetues:

Është një grup normash dhe rregullash që sistematizojnë dhe rregullojnë marrëdhëniet sociale brenda fushës kushtetuese. Qëllimi i tij kryesor është të njihet dhe analizohet kushtetuta.

Objektivi i Ligjit Kushtetues:

I lidhur drejtpërdrejt me institucionet politike.
Sistemi normativ.
Garancia e të drejtave themelore dhe lirive civile.

Burimet e Ligjit Kushtetues

Definimi i një Burimi:

Çdo element, fakt, ose akt, pa marrë parasysh formën, që përmban një rregull detyrues për anëtarët e një shoqërie të veçantë.

Burimet Formale (Aktet):

Këto janë akte ligjore të shkruara me rëndësi dhe fuqi të përgjithshme që përdoren për të rregulluar marrëdhëniet kushtetuese. Ato përfshijnë:

Kushtetutën.
Ligjin Kushtetues.
Amendamentet Kushtetuese (ligjet për rishikimin e kushtetutës).
Ligjet e zakonshme.
Rregulloret e organeve përfaqësuese (p.sh., Rregullorja e Kuvendit).
Vendimet e Gjykatës Kushtetuese.

Burimet Materiale (Faktet):

Këto përbëhen nga sjellje objektive dhe faktorë që kushtëzojnë prodhimin e normave të ligjit kushtetues:

Ligji Kushtetues zakonor (norma të pa shkruara që rregullojnë fushën kushtetuese).
Konventat kushtetuese.
Normat e gjatë kushtetues.
Praktika kushtetuese.
Precedenti.
Jurisprudenca kushtetuese.
Doktrina kushtetuese.
Ligji Ndërkombëtar.

Kushtetuta: Akti Themeltar më i Lartë

Kuptimi dhe Rëndësia:

Është ligji themelor i shtetit.
Ofron parimet kushtetuese, strukturat dhe funksionet kryesore të organizatës shtetërore.
Përfshin tërë sistemin qeverisës.
Synon të garantojë liritë dhe të drejtat themelore të qytetarëve dhe të sigurojë qeverisje të dobishme.
Është ligji më i lartë: të gjitha aktet e tjera nënligjore duhet të jenë në përputhje me të.

Kuptimi Formal:

Kushtetuta është një akt ligjor i shkruar dhe e kodifikuar me fuqinë më të lartë ligjore, miratuar nga trupi më i lartë shtetëror sipas një procedure të veçantë.

Kuptimi Material:

Kushtetuta është një ensemble e normave/regulloreve themelore që rregullojnë bazat e rendit social, shtetëror dhe ligjor. Në këtë kuptim, përmbajtja ka më shumë rëndësi sesa nëse është e shkruar.

Llojet e Kushtetutave:

Të shkruara $vs.$ të pa shkruara.
Të ngurtë $vs.$ elastike.
Të dhëna (të dhuruara) $vs.$ të miratuara nga një trup përfaqësues.
Të vërteta $vs.$ të fiksuara dhe pragmatike.

Struktura dhe Miratimi i Kushtetutës

Struktura:

Preambula: E vendosur në fillim, e ndarë nga pjesa normativë. Është e shkurtër, e qartë dhe shpreh bazën ideologjike dhe qëllimet e kushtetutës. E ndarë në paragrafë dhe nuk ka efekte ligjore.
Pjesa Normative: Pjesa qendrore. E ndarë në nene, pjesë dhe kapituj që rregullojnë fusha të ndryshme kushtetuese.

Metodat e Miratimit:

Miratimi nga një trup të veçantë.
Miratimi nga trupi ligjor përfaqësues të zakonshëm (të zgjedhur me votë popullore).
Miratimi i drejtpërdrejtë përmes referendumit popullor.
Miratimi i kombinuar (kombinimi i disa formave).

Rishikimi dhe Ndryshimi i Kushtetutës

Procedurat e Veçanta:

Nisma për rishikim mund të ndërmerret nga jo më pak se $1/5$ e anëtarëve të Kuvendit.
Miratimi i projektligjit kërkon shumicë të kualifikuar të jo më pak se $2/3$ të të gjithëve anëtarëve të Kuvendit.
Kuvendi vendos nëse ligji duhet t'i nënshtrohet referendumit.
Ligjet e miratuara për rishikimin kushtetues nuk i nënshtrohen pushtetit të vetos së Presidentit. Presidenti është i detyruar të shpallë ligjin e miratuar me referendum, i cili hyn në fuqi në datën e përcaktuar në ligj.

Sistemi i Burimeve Ligjore dhe Hiearkia

Kushtetuta si "Burimi i Burimeve":

Kushtetuta përcakton se si prodhohen normat e një rendi ligjor, nga cilat organe dhe përmes cilave procedurave.

Kritere Organizimi brenda Kushtetutës:

Princ i Validitetit: Formate e niveleve të larta shërbejnë si baza për validitetin e normave më të ulta.
Kriteri i Hiearkisë: Burimet renditen sipas efikasitetit; burimet më të larta janë superiore ndaj atyre më të ulta.
Kriteri Kronologjik: Një ligj më vonë heq një ligj më të hershëm (lex posterior). Në përgjithësi, ligjet nuk kanë efekt retroaktiv.
Kriteri i Kompetencës: Ndara e pushteteve horizontalisht (legjislativ, ekzekutiv, gjyqësor) dhe vertikalisht (qendror dhe lokal).

Kategoritë e Burimeve në R.SH (Republika e Shqipërisë):

Burimet ndërkombëtare.
Burimet e brendshme me fuqi të përgjithshme.
Burimet e brendshme me fuqi lokale (aplikojnë në një territor të kufizuar, kanë forcën e ligjit brenda atij territori, dhe duhet t'i nënshtrohen ligjeve të përgjithshme).
Ligjet e Forcuara: Këto përfshijnë të gjitha ligjet e listuara në Nenin $81/2$ të Kushtetutës, që kërkojnë shumicë të kualifikuar të $3/5$ për miratim.
Ligjet e Zakonshme: Kërkojnë një shumicë të thjeshtë (e cila përcaktohet si $1/4$ e të gjithëve anëtarëve të Kuvendit).
Ligji Formal $vs.$ Ligji Material: Ligji formal miratohet nga Kuvendi; ligji material përfshin të gjitha aktet që përmbajnë norma ligjore.
Ratifikimi i Marrëveshjeve Ndërkombëtare:
Kategoria 1: Marrëveshje ndërkombëtare të ratifikuara me ligj nga Kuvendi (sens formal).
Kategoria 2: Marrëveshje ndërkombëtare qeveritare që nuk kërkojnë ratifikim me ligj.